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SHSS - PDEV - Search research literature effectively: Cite, Write, & Publish

Managing & Citing Your Sources

These guides & info will help you learn how to cite, and manage (organize) your references.

Create a bibliography & manage citations with Microsoft Word  - good if you have a relatively small number of references (say, less than 25)

 Zotero - A free online resource that allows you to save, organize, & cite sources. 

Zbib (Zotero bib) is convenient if you just have a few items and want to do them immediately.

 

How to Cite?

If, for example, you want to cite this article in your paper to support your argument, you should:

  1. Make an in-text reference within your writing:
     
    .. Smart clothing technologies may include printed sensors able to monitor a wearer’s well-being or detect dangerous chemicals in the environment (Excell, 2013), ...

     
  2. Include complete details about the article in the references section at the end of your paper:
     
    Excell, J. (2013, April 8). Smart dressing. Retrieved from https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/in-depth/smart-dressing-advances-in-wearable-technology

What about indirect sources?

For example, you read about Smith's idea (or research findings) in Nicholson's paper and you did not read Smith's article yourself. In this case, you CANNOT cite a source that you have not read, so you need to indicate that the information is obtained from a secondary source:

  1. List the source you have read (Nicholson's paper) in the reference list, and
  2. Make an in-text citation such as
    • Smith's survey (as cited in Nicholson, 2003) showed ...
    • According to Nicholson (2003), Smith's survey says ...

 

What about personal communications?

Personal communications may be private letters, memo, electronic communications (e.g. e-mail), personal interviews, telephone communications, etc. Because they are not considered recoverable data, so personal communications are not required in the reference list, but you have to cite personal communications within the text. Give the initials, follow by the surname (family name, last name, 姓) of the communicator, and provide the exact date as possible.

In-text Reference = (T.W. Lau, personal communication, September 2, 2012)


See A Guide to Good Referencing Skills for more tips on how to paraphrase and summarize sources.

Citation Styles

  • There are several common citation styles (standard formats for listing references). Style varies across disciplines. Ask your instructor which style s/he prefers.
     
  • In general, references of periodical articles should have these elements:
    • Author(s) - who wrote it
    • Title - what the article is called
    • Source - title of the periodical or larger work it appeared in
    • Volume & Issue numbers
    • Publication date
    • Page numbers

Books on Writing & Communicating Your Findings

The Library Guide, "Author Tips" has lots of good advice. One of its pages has been mapped below.

Tips from Reputable Publishers

Academic writing and publishing involve many skills and processes. The web resources, videos, and handbooks below offer tips for prospective authors.

Web Resources – from Reputable Scholarly Publishers

  • Elsevier’s Publishing Campus
    Developed with early career researchers in mind, this website provides an extensive collection of information, videos, guides, recommended reading and more. Major topics include career and funding, ethics in research and publishing, writing and publishing resources, networking, webcasts of training workshops and lots more.
  • IOP An Introductory Guide for Authors
    This guide is for early-career researchers who are beginning to write papers for publication. It provides an overview of academic publishing and advice on how to make the most of the process. It covers these different aspects: choosing where to submit your paper, writing and formatting, the peer review process, revising and responding to referee reports, acceptance, and publication, promoting your published work and copyright and ethical integrity.
  • SpringerNature's Early Career Researchers
    Resources to guide you through every stage of the publishing process. Quiz and tutorials to lead you and get your attention to publishing, and offer tools and platforms to help you advance the discovery of your research and attract funders and career opportunities.
  • Tips for Writing Better Science Papers
    Richard Threlfall, Managing Editor of Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry, gives insider tips on how to improve each section of your article and increase your chances of getting published. These 14-Tips series include different stages of getting published: cover letter, title, abstract, graphics, experimental, language usage, peer review, cover art, and many others.

 

Videos

How to write a great research paper

by Professor Simon Peyton Jones, Microsoft Research Cambridge
How to get published

by Taylor and Francis

Professor Jones gives a guest lecture on writing. Look out for his seven simple suggestions.

This video gives a short introduction to the complete publication process and Top Publishing Tips.
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