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Hi
At Bucks New University, we recommend that students use an add-on for Word that provides them with a bespoke version of Harvard referencing exactly as we do it at Bucks as part of Word’s built in ‘bibliography and citation’ tool (available since Word 2007 under the References tab, though annoyingly without a ready-made Harvard option).
This add-on was created by the Learning Development Unit at Bucks using an XSL stylesheet template provided free by the open source BibWord project: http://bibword.codeplex.com/ and is now available on all of the university’s pooled computers and can be freely downloaded and installed by staff and students for use on their own machines.
The Word tool is not as powerful as commercially available tools such as EndNote or other free tools such as Zotero, but it does handle the mechanical aspects of in-text and end of text referencing very effectively and we have found that it is entirely sufficient for most of our undergraduates’ and many of our postgraduates’ needs. It is also free.
The template is easy to use and edit by anyone with some understanding of HTML or XML coding and allows for the inclusion of all of those fiddly details of an institution’s idiosyncratic take on Harvard (was ever a standard referencing style so non-standard?). We’ve found it very useful indeed and students love it.
I’d be happy to discuss this further with anyone who is interested in finding out more about how to create the stylesheets and what-not.
Best wishes
John
John Knight
Learning Development Unit
Bucks New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe
Bucks
HP11 2JZ
01494 522 141 ext. 4550
bucks.ac.uk
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Helen Beetham
Sent: 31 July 2013 11:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Referencing Software
Hi Hazel and others, I worked with a group of postgrads at Exeter University to produce a series of guides for PG students, one of which was on reference management. I think they're probably also suitable for undergrads with a bit of adaptation. The nice thing is that they were designed by the students themselves, who wanted to pass on what they had learned about the software that really helped them in their studies. The guide doesn't suggest one solution but provides some tips and tricks relevant to those in common use.
A full set is available from the University of Plymouth (a bit of local repurposing!) here: http://technologyenhancedlearning.net/seedpod/digital-learners/postgraduate-researcher-digital-skills/
Helen
On 31 Jul 2013, at 10:55, Emma Coonan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello Hazel et al.,
Looked at from the learner's point of view, reference management is quite a personal thing and I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all answer : ) I teach a session called 'Referencing Without Tears' which is designed to highlight the functionality of four different types of software (EndNote "classic", EndNoteWeb, Mendeley and Zotero). There's plenty of hands-on time to experiment, and I invite the students to consider their own workflow and study preferences and select the software - or indeed the analogue system - that works best for them and their particular needs.
Cambridge does have an institutional licence for EndNote and supports it with "official" classes from the Computing Service, but I feel quite strongly that because attribution and reference management isn't just about citation style - they shade into using evidence, constructing arguments, and shaping the whole research question - we shouldn't be closing down options for students, but rather giving them the chance to explore and find the software or system that will best support their own way of conducting study or research.
If this approach is of interest, details of the class are at http://training.cam.ac.uk/cul/event/543865, and you can download and re-use/tweak my slides and handout from that page too.
All good wishes,
Emma.
--
Dr. Emma Coonan, M.Sc.
Research Skills & Development Librarian
Cambridge University Library
Tel. 01223-747457
--
"Librarian is a service occupation. Gas station attendant of the mind."
(Richard Powers)
On 31/07/2013 10:07, Hazel Kent wrote: