Home » Formatting Nightmares: A Guide to Proper Citation Styles

Formatting Nightmares: A Guide to Proper Citation Styles

Writing assignments can be challenging for any student, but it can be more challenging when you have to show your complex world of citation styles available in the UK. Writing assignments with proper citing of your sources is very important for avoiding plagiarism and academic honesty. Or we can say, that citation is a path of giving credit to someone for their credit and unique work that is used to support your research on that topic.

Some of the students who write their assignments by themselves, know where and how to use citations. Others take assistance from Assignment Writing Services. Due to their busy schedule and other commitments, they take Assignment Help UK so that they can easily get their fully completed assignments at home without any delay. UK Assignment Service is available 24/7 for these types of students to help and satisfy with their results.

In this blog, we are going to know some of the commonly used citation styles in making any assignment. With citation style names, you will get to know its examples and offer tips to help you avoid formatting nightmares that plague your academic work. 

  • Harvard Citation Style:

This citation is used mostly in almost every university for their assignments. It is an author-date system that highlights in-text citations and reference lists at the end of your assignment. Here is how to format citations in Harvard Style:

  1. In-Text Citations: 

When you refer to a source within any text in your assignment, include the publication year in between and the author’s last name. For example: (Katte, 2017)

  1. Reference List:

Make a list of all your sources at the end of your assignment, in alphabetical order by author’s last name. Make sure to add the author’s name, title of that work, publication year, and other publication details. For Example: Kaitlyn Katte, (2017), The Art of Writing Perfect, USA: Publisher.

  • APA Citation Style:

The American Psychological Association (APA) style of citation is mostly used in assignments in any university, especially in the psychology field, and social sciences. Here’s how you can use format citation in APA Style:

  1. In-Text Citations: 

When you refer to a source within any text in your assignment, include the publication year in between and the author’s last name. For example: (Katte, 2017)

  1. Reference List:

Make a list of all your sources at the end of your assignment, in alphabetical order by author’s last name. Make sure to add the author’s name, title of that work, publication year, and other publication details. For Example: Kaitlyn Katte, (2017), The Art of Writing Perfect, USA: Publisher.

 

  • OSCOLA Citation Style:

The Oxford Standards for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) is very important for students who are studying law, especially in the UK. It has different rules for citing legal documents. Here’s how you can format citations in OSCOLA style:

  1. Footnotes:

OSCOLA uses footnotes instead of in-text citations, each citation will be numbered consecutively in your text in the assignment, and the full citation will be provided in an equivalent footnote. 

  1. Bibliography:

At the end of your assignment, write down a bibliography that will list all the legal sources you’ve represented, the guidelines for OSCOLA are given below. For Example: Smith v Jones (2018) UKSC 42, (2019) 1 AC 123. 

Here are some tips to avoid Citation Nightmares

  1. Be Consistent: Choose any one citation style and stick with it throughout all your assignments.

  2. Use Citation Tools: There are some citation management software’s available to help you generate citations and manage your references. 

  3. Always check university guidelines: Always ask your university about specific guidelines for your citation styles, maybe they have any extra requirements. 

  4. Proofread: Errors in the used citations can be costly for you. Always proofread your references and citations carefully.

  5. Practice: The more you practice citations, the better you will become at it. Get help from your university or library if you are unsure about it. 

Here are some reasons why you should use citations in your assignment 

  1. It allows your teacher to fast-check the assignment.

  2. Improve your research and writing ability.

  3. Increase your overall credibility.

  4. Verify the Published task without any difficulty. 

 

Know exactly when to cite sources

Skilled assignment writers like you, know when they need to cite sources and when to ignore the assignment. As a general rule, you will have to cite all sources of information you use that is not your original idea. Even if you are summarizing or paraphrasing your assignment from the source, you will have to credit the original author.

This thing looks unique when someone’s else ideas are considered as common knowledge. Common knowledge is something people automatically have to know based on their general knowledge. 

Conclusion

Mastering the art of proper citation styles in the UK is just not about sticking to tight rules, it is evidence of commitment to your academic excellence. Whether you use Harvard, APA, or OSCOLA, attention, and consistency are very important factors in any assignment. The formatting nightmares of any citations mostly burden university students and with this, students learn the practice, the dedication, and the positive use of any citations. Remember that each assignment has its requirements, that’s why it is important to ask your university teachers if you find any difficulty. Removing plagiarism and providing credit to original authors with that idea helps you not only in completing academic responsibility but also in giving respect to the author’s community.

 

So, when you feel burdened in formatting citations in your assignments, grab the opportunity to show your academic progress. The details provided in this blog will help you to be committed to proper citation, and complete your assignments with confidence. Create high-quality assignments with a dedication to your well-defined citations. When choosing citations for your assignment, choose an appropriate style for your discipline, follow the rules, and be hard-working in your work. Proper citations not only increase the credibility of your assignment but also show your respect for teachers and academics.