... another problem with the author-date system is that our School include
in-text citations as part of the word count, which, in a 1500 word essay is
proving to be a big issue for students. I have argued against this, on the
grounds that, as the bibliography or references list are not counted in the
word count so the in-text bracketed citations should not be either: they are an
essential adjunct to the bibliography or references. I have not won the
skirmish this time, but will try again at another School Board, perhaps after
lunch next time.
Peter Levin in his book 'Write Great Essays' (2004), published by the Open
University Press, neatly summarises the advantages and disadvantages of the four
main referencing systems used in the UK, which echoes what Pauline has said
about the advantages of the numeric system. He also makes general points about
referencing as provocative as any found on the LDHEN discussion board of late -
describing the mechanics of referencing, aligned to essay writing, as like
'teaching someone to dance with their shoes tied together'.
I still prefer the author-date (Harvard) system , as you have, within the
sentence, the historical context of the point made by the student or writer.
This can help immediately locate the idea within a particular social epoch,
without losing the beat of the reading.
regards all
Colin Neville
School of Management,
University of Bradford
Quoting Pauline Ridley <[log in to unmask]>:
> While we're on the subject - and with thanks to all the people who've helped
> to demystify Harvard and its current hegemony - I think it's time to
> celebrate the merits of numeric footnoting.
>
> I can't be the only reader who finds bracketed author/date references (any
> version) distracting. It breaks up the flow of a sentence, especially when
> there are several references, whereas you can choose to ignore footnotes
> until you get to the end of that section. It's also much easier to drop your
> eyes to the bottom of the page to get the reference details rather than
> having to turn to the back of the book or end of the article. (I'd also
> prefer to omit shorthand forms like ibid. or op. cit. in favour of a more
> immediately intelligible/fuller citation)
>
> I also like the fact that footnotes can incorporate additional commentary
> that doesn't quite belong in the main text, but provides a worthwhile or
> enlivening optional extra. (Before the days of sidebars and hyperlinks,
> footnotes were about the only way you could do this)
>
> The one disadvantage of footnotes (rather than endnotes) when I was a
> student was the fiddle of getting page layout right - or of having to retype
> and renumber everything if you made changes. But wordprocessing packages
> have removed that problem - so why do so many people/disciplines still
> prefer bracketed intext references??
>
> Now back to that paper I'm supposed to be writing....
> -----Original Message-----
> From: learning development in higher education network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margo Blythman
> Sent: 03 February 2006 15:39
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Academic Referencing Conventions
>
>
> Good point - it never occured to me that Harvard University was also called
> after John Harvard!
>
> However, what led me to my inital position was that no American academics I
> know have ever heard of 'Harvard referencing' therefore any relationship it
> has to Harvard university must be lost in the mists of history.
>
> Re which system science uses/used, in my initial posting some months ago
> asking what system(s) people used, Lewis Elton pointed out that Medicine
> uses a numeric system - so I used that to claim 'poshness' for the numeric
> as well - Medicine at UCL is almost Harvard !!!!!
>
> Margo
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Wilson <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2006 14:48:33 +0000
> Subject: Re: Academic Referencing Conventions
>
> I attach the latest (developing) blast in my concerns about the dispute that
> will run and run...
>
> Peter
>
> Peter Wilson
> University Teaching Fellow
> Academic Writing and Study Skills Adviser
> Study Advice Services
> University of Hull
>
> Dr Margo Blythman
> LCC Director of Teaching and Learning
> London College of Communication
> University of the Arts London
>
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