Student Perceptions of Referencing

1. Student Perceptions of Referencing Colin Neville University of Bradford

2. Two stages of research Stage 1: 2008/9: ‘Student Perceptions of Referencing’ Stage 2: 2009/10 : ‘International Students, writing and referencing’ 600+ students involved across 17 UK/HEIs

3. Student Perceptions of Referencing (2009) : • To identify student perceptions of the roles of referencing in academic writing • To identify the main referencing problems for students • To consider the implications for staff development

4. Referencing – my own view Referencing facilitates the development and communication of ideas in academic writing. It is an important component in the development of authorial identity in academic writing (managing arguments is at the core of this – to lead, rather than to follow) A key purpose of referencing in academic writing is to distinguish one’s own work from the work of others .

5. The students • 278 students, from 14 UK/HE institutions contributed their views to the survey • 75% undergraduate • Drawn from a wide range of disciplines • Home students (70%)

6. Methodology A total of 12 drop-in workshops at two universities during 2008/09 Aim: to identify & attempt to resolve referencing issues of concern to students (77 attended) “Have Your Say”: online surveyJanuary to May 2009 Content analysis of 201 replies from students at 14 UK/HE institutions

7. Specific ‘technical’ problems brought to workshops • Secondary referencing: (how to do it; when to do it. • When to reference(and when it is not necessary) • Formatting references and bibliographies (what to include and in what order) • Referencing quotations(when to do it; how to do it) • Understanding Harvard(how to cite; where to cite in the text)

8. ‘Have your say’ • 201 replies received (77%: undergraduates) from students at 14 UK/HE institutions • A quarter of all respondents presented entirely positive views about referencing (25% of the undergraduates; 33% of the postgraduates) • 7% of the respondents (all undergraduates) expressed very negative views on referencing • 69% students expressed critical viewson referencing: “ I can understand why we have to reference but…”

9. ‘ Have your say’: specific problem areas • Time management related issues (19%) • Concerns about plagiarism; and‘too many referencing styles’ (11% respectively) • Critical of detail needed in a reference; anddifficulties with integrating own ideas into assignments; andinconsistent tutor advice, marking & feedback (9% respectively)

10. Writing Difficulties Referencing concerns of students often inseparable from other writing difficulties

11. Three perspectives on referencing: Defensive Altruistic Creative

12. Arguably: The ‘defensive’ perspective on referencing a predominant one in the minds of many students. Students afraid to express views that someone, somewhere, may have ‘published’ online or elsewhere. The ‘authorial identity’ – ‘own voice’ - of a student can sink beneath the weight of references Why reference?

13. Tension in student writing Conformity Own ideas

14. Student related Wider, institutional issues Referencing difficulties of students

15. Wider, institutional, issues • ‘Too many referencing styles’ • Tutor inconsistencies • How do we help and support students to manage sources?

16. Too many referencing styles? Do we need 14?

17. Stage 3 research What can we learn from other countries about helping students to manage sources for assessment purposes?

18. Finally…. What is your experience? What are your comments? Any questions?