 Referencing is a consistent method of acknowledging another person's ideas which you have used in your own writing. There are three reasons why this is so important. It gives others credit for their ideas, it shows your work or demonstrates your understanding of the topic and it helps with discoverability. By referencing an idea from a journal article, book or any other source, you give credit to the author and acknowledge their original idea. You also ensure you avoid plagiarism, which is taking other people's ideas, sounds, words or images and passing them off as your own. Plagiarism is treated very seriously at university, but proper referencing will protect you and your work. Referencing is evidence of your reading and understanding of a topic and shows your learning. It also helps you to discuss issues and think critically. Using and expanding on other people's ideas is a vital part of academic writing, whether you are agreeing, disagreeing or just discussing the arguments. The final reason why you should reference is discoverability. By referencing your work properly, you make it easier for others to locate the sources you used, which in turn helps them learn more about the topic. It also assists others to verify that you have used those sources accurately. To learn more, see our online referencing guides or ask our librarians.