Top 10 Mistakes Writers make with References

One of the most neglected areas of Writing is References and the proper way of formatting References. Here are tips to help you write your References better, whether in APA or MLA styles.

1. Not citing a source at all: For example, if you use a statistic from an article in your research paper without providing a citation, it is considered plagiarism.

Example: "According to a recent study, obesity rates in the United States have increased by 30% in the last 20 years." (No citation provided)

1. Citing an unreliable source: For example, if you use information from a personal blog in your research paper, it is not considered a credible source. It is important to use reputable sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles or reputable books.

Example: "A personal blog post stated that vaccines are dangerous and can cause autism." (personal blog is an unreliable source)

1. Not keeping track of sources: For example, if you take notes from multiple sources while researching, but do not properly organize them, it can become difficult to keep track of which sources you have used in your paper. Using a citation management tool like EndNote or Mendeley can help keep your sources organized.

Example: "I read an article on this topic and I also heard it from a podcast, but I am not sure which one I got this information from." (no proper tracking of sources)

1. Incorrectly citing a source: For example, if you are using the APA citation style, but accidentally cite a source in MLA format, it will be considered an incorrect citation. It is important to understand the citation format you are using and consult a citation guide or style manual if necessary.

Example: "Smith (2020) argues that climate change is caused by human activity (MLA format citation in an APA paper)

1. Not including enough information in your citation: For example, if you only cite an author's name and title of the work, but do not include the publication date or location of the source, it will be difficult for others to locate the source you used.

Example: "According to Smith, (Title of the Work)" (missing publication date and location)

1. Not keeping a consistent citation style: For example, if you use MLA format for some of your citations and APA format for others, it can make your paper appear inconsistent and unprofessional.

Example: "According to Smith (2020) in MLA format and Jones (2021) in APA format, climate change is caused by human activity." (inconsistent citation styles)

1. Not differentiating between a direct quote and a paraphrase: For example, if you paraphrase a sentence from a source without providing a citation, it can be considered plagiarism if it is not clearly distinguished from a direct quote.

Example: "Climate change is caused by human activity" (without citation, it's not clear if it's a direct quote or paraphrase)

1. Not updating your references: For example, if you use a source from a website that has been updated since you first accessed it, but do not update the citation in your paper, it can lead to inaccuracies in your research.

Example: "According to website XYZ, the global temperature will increase by 2 degrees by 2100 (citation is from an old version of the website)

1. Not double-checking your citations: For example, if you forget to include a page number in a citation, it can make it difficult for others to locate the specific passage you are referencing.

Example: "Smith (2020) argues that climate change is caused by human activity" (missing page number)

1. Not understanding the difference between referencing and citation: For example, in your research paper you discuss the findings of a study on the effects of climate change on agriculture. In the text of your paper, you mention the study and its findings, but do not provide a citation. Instead, at the end of the paper, in the bibliography, you include a reference to the study. This is a mistake because you have referenced the source in the bibliography, but you have not provided a citation in the text to show where the information came from and make it clear that it is not your own research.

Example: "According to recent studies, the effects of climate change on agriculture are causing crop yields to decrease" (No citation in the text, only reference in the bibliography)

APA and MLA are two commonly used citation styles in academic writing.

APA (American Psychological Association) style is primarily used in the social sciences and is commonly used in psychology, education, and other related fields. In APA style, citations include the author's last name and the publication year and are typically listed in the text in parentheses. For example, (Smith, 2020). APA style also includes a reference list at the end of the paper, which includes more detailed information about the sources used, such as the title of the work and the publisher.

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is primarily used in the humanities, particularly in the study of literature, languages, and culture. In MLA style, citations include the author's last name and the page number and are typically listed in the text in parentheses. For example, (Smith 12). MLA style also includes a works cited page at the end of the paper, which includes more detailed information about the sources used, such as the title of the work and the publication date.

Both styles have specific rules for formatting the text, headings, and page layout, and for citing different types of sources like books, journal articles, websites, etc. So, it is important to check the guidelines of the specific style you are using.

APA: In-text citation: According to Smith (2020), climate change is caused by human activity. Reference list: Smith, J. (2020). Climate change and human activity. New York: Springer.

MLA: In-text citation: According to Smith, climate change is caused by human activity (12). Works Cited: Smith, John. Climate change and human activity. Springer, 2020.

Note: These examples are for demonstration purposes only and may not include all the elements needed for a proper citation in APA or MLA style. It's important to check the guidelines of the specific style you are using for the correct format.

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