A resource for supporting academic referencing practice
http://skillsforlearning.leedsmet.ac.uk/
Type of snapshot
Central services provision e.g. library, learning development, e-learning, ICT
What was the context for this snapshot?
This resource was originally developed as a print-based guide to referencing practice called ’Quote, Unquote’ which was adopted as a standard by most courses in the University. The text of the guide was used as the basis for the referencing web pages on our study skills website, ‘Skills for Learning’, and ‘Quote, Unquote’ was also available as a basic pdf document on the website.
The new version of the resource is based on an updated version of ‘Quote, Unquote’ which uses our experience of supporting students’ referencing practice through workshops and on a one to one basis. The hard-copy version, which is professionally printed in colour, with numerous examples and photographs, is attractive, modern and easy to use, though a small charge is made to recover costs. A searchable pdf of this guide forms the backbone of our new web pages on referencing, which have been re-written as a straightforward and brief ‘gateway’ to the guide. We have tried to bring together the benefits of the extensive printed guide and the easy availability of the website to produce a much more effective and user-friendly resource.
What kind of learners were involved in accessing this provision or support?
This resource is used by students and staff from all parts of the University, at all levels.
What skills or literacies were particularly being addressed?
This resource is designed to help students with the essential academic skill of citing and referencing other people’s work. It contains detailed guidance, which is indexed and cross-referenced, so that students can answer specific queries, such as citing multiple authors or including direct quotations. They can do this using the printed version, though there is a small charge for copies of this, or the website version.
Who provided the support? How was support provided?
The resource was produced by the ‘Skills for Learning’ study skills support unit, which is part of ‘Libraries and Learning Innovation’. The content was written and edited by team members with experience of supporting students’ referencing practice, and technical support was provided by the team’s web developer. Graphic design was done by the team’s learning technologist. The resource can be used for self-directed study or in teaching sessions; it is also used as a reference guide to standard practice by staff and students.
Benefits, outcomes, and lessons learned
We know that ‘Quote, Unquote’ has always been well used around the University. The booklets are on sale in the University libraries and demand remains high as academic staff continue to recommend it to their students, at all levels of study. The pdf version of ‘Quote, Unquote’ on the website has always been one of our most popular items, with more “hits” than anything else and we hope that the new “gateway” pages will make it more accessible to more of our students.