Referencing

Also called Citation, Bibliography, Harvard referencing

Saying where information came from. Required in coursework, and how you avoid plagiarism.

What it is

Referencing credits your sources: a short citation in the text and a full entry in a bibliography or reference list at the end. Harvard, APA and MLA are common styles; they differ in punctuation and order, not in purpose.

Where it applies

Coursework, NEA, EPQ, BTEC assignments and any written work using sources. Not usually needed in exams, where quoting a set text does not require a bibliography.

How it works

Two parts. In the text: enough to identify the source, usually author and year. At the end: enough for a reader to find it — author, year, title, publisher or URL, and the date you accessed a web page.

Referencing is what makes using other people's work legitimate rather than plagiarism.

How to use it in your work

Record the source when you take the note, not afterwards. Reconstructing references at the end is where most of the pain and most of the mistakes come from.

Reference AI use if you used it and your centre allows it — JCQ requires the prompt and the output to be recorded and the work to be your own. Not declaring it is malpractice.

Ask which style your centre wants and be consistent. Consistency matters more than the style.

Where to get help

Your teacher and your centre's coursework guidance. JCQ publishes the rules on AI use in assessments.