IBC-Conference

Okay, so you have done the hard work. You have:

Researched your paper

• Written a draft form


• Reworked the beginning, middle and end


• Created a compelling thesis

Now comes the tricky part. You have quite literally jumped through hoops and excelled yourself, only to come unstuck right at the very end. You are having trouble citing an abstract. Don’t worry, there is no need for panic stations just yet! Here are 5 basic rules when acknowledging this:

Make sure that your sources are accurate

This might sound as if I am stating the obvious. However, even a tiny little error here and there could get you into hot water. I strongly suggest that you go back through your work and that check that you are 100% certain as to the accuracy of your sources. It is far better to be prudent, than to encounter difficulties later down the line.

Keep meticulous records

Meticulous record keeping will get you an awful long way. Especially if you do need to go back and check anything. How do you expect to back anything up, or prove conclusively that your sources are accurate if you don’t have records? A lot of students seem to think that this is something that they can just quickly whizz back through at the end, but honestly, that is the wrong approach to take.

Be aware of the Style

Different styles of paper will require different approaches to the citations. While some of the differences will be very subtle, your tutor and anyone of an academic nature will easily pick up on them. So, if you are writing in the Harvard style, make sure that you do a little due diligence and fully familiarise yourself with the styles required.

Be aware of differences for print and web-based sources

Once again, please forgive me if I am telling you something that you already know. However, there are vast differences between the way a printed source and a web-based source should be cited in academic papers. If you are in any doubt as to what is required then you should speak with your tutor as a matter of urgency.

Follow your institutions guidelines

Anyone not academically minded could possibly be forgiven for being amused at the pedantic nature of universities and colleges. However, steeped in tradition they are, and most will have time-honoured guidelines that they will expect you to abide by. Overlook this at your peril.