Referencing is an essential aspect of academic and scholarly writing that ensures proper attribution of sources, demonstrates research integrity, and helps readers find the materials used to support the writer's arguments. Referencing is the practice of acknowledging the sources of information used in a piece of academic or scholarly work. When conducting research, writers often consult various books, articles, websites, and other materials to gather information and support their arguments. Why Referencing? Giving Credit to Original Authors: Referencing allows writers to acknowledge and give credit to the original authors or creators of the information, ideas, or quotes used in their work. It demonstrates academic integrity and ethical research practices by recognizing the contributions of others. Allowing Verification and Further Exploration Avoiding Plagiarism Demonstrating Extensive Research Following Academic Standards: Different academic disciplines and institutions often have specific referencing styles they prefer (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). What is Citation? Citations can appear as in-text citations, which are brief references within the body of the paper, or as footnotes/endnotes, depending on the citation style being used. In-text citations are more common and are typically used in styles like APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association). When a writer includes a citation in their work, they are essentially pointing readers to the exact source from which the information was obtained. This is typically done by mentioning the author's name, publication year, and, if applicable, page numbers. Citation, in the context of academic or scholarly writing, refers to the act of providing a reference or acknowledgment within the text to indicate the source of specific information, ideas, or quotes used in the paper. Citations are used to give credit to the original authors or creators of the information being used and to allow readers to locate the full reference in the bibliography or reference list. Popular Referencing Styles There are different referencing styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), Chicago, Harvard, and others. Each style has its own specific format and guidelines for citing different types of sources, including books, journals, websites, interviews, and more. These styles dictate how to present the author's name, publication year, title, publisher, page numbers, and other relevant details in a consistent and standardized manner. What is APA Style: The American Psychological Association (APA) introduced the seventh edition of its Publication Manual in 2019, which brought some changes and updates to the citation and referencing guidelines. Here are examples of how to format references in APA style for various types of educational research sources according to the seventh edition: Examples of APA Styles Reference entry for a journal article: John