Study Sessions: How do I use references?

Most students are scared of referencing, maybe because they're inexperienced or because they have not organised their notes accordingly.

So what are references and why do you need to use them?

Students must include in-text citations when they refer to, summarise, paraphrase, or quote from another source and then reference them in an alphabetically ordered list. This ensures that the author has been acknowledged and other people can further their own independent research on the subject. In-text citations give brief details of the author's surname, year of publication, and particular page numbers used. For example (Terry, 2017, p. 1)

For me, I find referencing easy because I make my notes as I go through each module. On the Open University website, there is a study planner that sets out work for each week. 

This is a glossary of terms from my module book.
I have four module books this year so alternated by writing in light green/dark green and pink/purple.
The minty green colour is for the source of a quote.

All the quotes I use this year will be in the same minty green colour so that I keep my notes organised and ready for assignments. I will use the same colour in my typed notes and assignments too and then change the colour before I submit the assignments. Obviously, everyone that uses a colour coding system does it differently or uses different colours but this is the way that I have found works best for me. The pens I use are Staedtler Triplus Fineliners which can be found for around £10-20.

That's it for now,

Kazia