Dear All,

Thanks again for all your contributions to this discussion. You've given us plenty of food for thought!

One of the key issues that has been raised is the need to ensure fairness in the assessment of referencing. Even if we are not successful in reducing the number of styles that taught students are asked to use at Leeds, I hope that our proposals might at least move us towards individual styles being applied consistently, with schools providing their own thorough guidance for styles not already supported by the Library. Marking of referencing needs to be carried out using the same guidance that has been issued to the students.

It has also been suggested that students need to be prepared for publishing in their field later in their careers, and therefore will need to be aware of subject-specific referencing styles. However, I would argue that a standard style should be used to help students understand the principles of referencing - why it is important, when to reference and what information to include - and then they would be able to adapt to any new style that is required or could make use of reference management software, e.g. EndNote or Mendeley.

As I mentioned previously, we'll provide a summary of everyone's responses as soon as we can.

Best wishes,

Dan

Dan Pullinger BA MA MSc
Faculty Team Librarian
(Science and Engineering)
Edward Boyle Library
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT

T (0113) 343 5574
F (0113) 343 5539
W http://library.leeds.ac.uk/people/pullinger-d.htm

Consider the environment. Please don't print this email unless you really need to.


-----Original Message-----
From: Bell, Virginia [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 26 October 2011 09:38
To: Dan Pullinger
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: University-wide referencing systems

Dear Dan

I hope you have not had enough of this topic yet...if so, please ignore...
We have been using a university-wide version of Harvard here at Queen Margaret University - 'Write and Cite' - since 2007 (I think..).  We (staff from the library, Effective Learning Service/Centre for Academic Practice) developed our own version as a way of rationalising, really. With the exception of Psychology (APA) and drama (MLA) everyone else used slightly different versions...and this was seen as unhelpful and confusing for students.  Having our own standard 'QMU' version has helped students to:
Be more confident about being right - one guide does simplify
Appreciate that referencing correctly really does affect their marks
Know exactly where to go for advice - and advice not only from their lecturers, but library staff, ELS, etc....a consistent message has helped
Raise issues related...plagiarism, the importance of reputable sources, what 'wider' reading might mean etc.

The library staff now run 'intro to referencing' sessions for 'mixed subjects' groups of students, and feel confident they are giving correct advice - not always easy before we had this guide.
We've found it tends to start more of a dialogue with students about research issues in general...with library staff, ourselves etc...which is to the good, we feel.  

There was some resistance from those raising the important point that people on this list have already raised - that students need to be aware, especially in terms of academic progress and career, that different systems are in use and that the researcher must be able to adapt/appreciate the differences...but in fact by drawing attention, through a very clear central guide, to the features of the Harvard system, we have found that students are less likely to be 'vague' about equivalent systems...if this makes sense.  Of course this is a huge generalisation...
When we edit the guide, we do ask for feedback/comments from students and staff - suggestions, ideas for improvement, further clarity etc - and this discussion is useful in itself.

A difficulty has been that our version of Harvard does not quite fit with Reference Manager, Write note etc...we do edit our version each year - but realise we might now be in the position of having to keep up with online ref management systems/software...and so it's getting a bit more complicated and time-consuming deciding how to take this on board with our version  
New members of academic staff do also object, from time to time, at the fact that students are using the QMU version rather than one they might be more familiar with...and we have the usual discussion about why we have this version.

I think, on balance, and because our courses (with 2 exceptions) were using Harvard anyway, it has been easier to implement, and worked well here.  We are also a small institution (c.6000 students) which helps.

I have to say that as well as the online version, on our library website, we sell a hard copy for £2...and this is very popular!

Hope this adds something to the discussion.

Virginia

Virginia Bell 
Effective Learning Adviser 
Effective Learning Service
Centre for Academic Practice 
Queen Margaret University 
Edinburgh EH21 6UU 
Tel: 0131 474 0000 
Email: [log in to unmask]
web: http://www.qmu.ac.uk/els 


-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dan Pullinger
Sent: 21 October 2011 10:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: University-wide referencing systems

*Apologies for cross posting*

Dear All,

My colleague Michelle Schneider and I are interested to hear of any examples of Higher Education institutions adopting a University-wide referencing system for their undergraduates and taught postgraduates. 

At the University of Leeds, at least eight different referencing styles are used by different schools across the institution, with many more variants of these styles adopted by individual tutors. There is currently no central responsibility for providing consistent guidance and support for referencing; the level of supporting information provided to students and staff by individual departments varies considerably.

We are considering recommending that Leeds adopts a University-wide referencing system. We'd be grateful to receive any examples of institutions where a similar approach has been adopted, plus any information on the benefits and pitfalls that have subsequently been experienced.

If you're able to help, please email Michelle and myself directly: [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask] 

Many thanks,

Dan

Dan Pullinger 
Faculty Team Librarian
(Science and Engineering)
Edward Boyle Library
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT

T (0113) 343 5574
F (0113) 343 5539
W http://library.leeds.ac.uk/people/pullinger-d.htm

Consider the environment. Please don't print this email unless you really need to.