The benefits of online referencing tools: as told by a Master’s student

Originally posted on November 21, 2016

Referencing when writing an essay is often considered a nuisance and time-consuming. Having spent hours researching, putting together sources and writing the best argument possible, we now have to signpost the reader to where exactly our information came from — ugh! In the past, I used to avoid this part of essay writing until the last minute. I have since, however, learned to embrace it with the use of online referencing tools, which make the process so much easier.

What’s on offer?

The Library have helpful resources to get you started on your journey to using referencing software. As an introduction, why not try Start-to-finish: Referencing for an overview. It will help to remind you of how and why we reference, before you choose the software which fits your needs.

CiteThisForMe is a website with accompanying apps for your iOS or Android device. Once you’ve created your free account, it allows you to paste in the link or title of whatever source you used, be it a video, book or journal article, and it then automatically generates a reference list in your chosen referencing style. The apps and a Google Chrome extension let you scan bar codes from physical books or save links directly from your web browser. You can then save your complete reference list under the project title you’re currently working on — you can create as many different projects as you like. Once you’re done, all you have to do is export the list into your Word document and go from there!

EndNote is easy and free to use software on University computers. You can also use it on your personal computer free of charge through a web browser — there’s no need to download anything at all! To use it online off campus, you must first register and login with your university email whilst using a computer connected to the University network. My Learning Essentials also provide face-to-face training for EndNote and an online resource -Manage your references using EndNote. Specialist Library Support also offer online support with referencing.

Alongside helping you create accurate citations and references, BibMe also improves your sentence structure, writing style, grammar and punctuation with 20 suggestions. This is the free version, though there is an option for unlimited suggestions in exchange for a monthly fee.

Citavi is a multi-purpose free online bibliography and citation tool. It can also help you organise your research using keywords and a hierarchical category system to help process your thoughts.

The pros:

• Referencing tools save you time (and stress!).
• They decrease the likelihood of minor errors in your reference list or citations.
• They help you organises your sources with ease, as you go along in the writing process.

But remember…

• Don’t wait until you have finished writing to begin working on your references. Inputting your sources as you go along will make the whole process less overwhelming.
• Always proofread the final generated reference list. Not paying attention to whether the format is the one required by your course might lead to a reduction in your final mark.
• It’s also worth noting that not all online referencing websites are as reliable as others — make sure you can trust the one you use!
• Don’t forget to proofread a second time to make sure all the sources mentioned in your essay are in the final list.

Referencing software can’t write your essay for you but it will make the process less stressful and a bit more enjoyable!

By Fignola and Zainab from the Student Team

TK this will need updating for SLS and MLE and adding to both publications