That\u2019s fine if this is your strategy for one or two references.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s really not so fine if this is your strategy for the 500 or so which make up an entire PhD!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Fear not \u2013 here are PGPR\u2019s five top tips for staying on top of your references from the outset.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 1. Start an account with a referencing software <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is essential. I know the software might seem alien and off-putting at first, and sometimes these systems are pretty clunky, but hand on heart, I think the best move I ever made as a researcher was to get to grips with EndNote from month one of my PhD.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Think of your referencing software as an online library where you store all the details of the reading you\u2019ll do over the course of your thesis\/paper\/project. Most of them are simple to use once you\u2019ve got used to them. Google and YouTube are also crammed full of helpful tips and videos for working these programs, or you can book an appointment with your uni librarian, who will walk you through it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As stated, I use (and am a fan of) EndNote Web, which is free, but there are plenty of other choices out there, including the paid version of Endnote<\/a>, Zotero<\/a> and Mendeley<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Reading\u00a0some<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0these<\/a>\u00a0blogs\u00a0might<\/a>\u00a0help\u00a0you<\/a>\u00a0to decide which to use. Or ask your PhD supervisor which they would recommend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. During the lit review, record each reference, with notes, as you go <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of the first steps of any research project, big or small, will be doing a lit review. This is good as it means you can get to grips with your new software early in the process and become confident with it. Every time you read a paper, chapter or web page, import or record its details in your software and make some notes. These notes will help you remember which paper is which when you come back to them in a few months. You can also keep different reference records in different folders for different projects, which will help you locate that finding you know you read somewhere at a later date.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Top tip: If you\u2019re unsure what details you need to record, look for the paper in question in Google Scholar and then click the \u2018cite\u2019 button. This will tell you all the details you need to know (for journal articles, this will be title, authors, year and doi as well as publication name, volume, edition and page numbers), which you can then either import or copy and paste into your software.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3. Use your software system as you write <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Now that all your references are neatly filed in your software, do ensure that you use that software to insert the in-text references as you write. If you use EndNote, you need to install a plug-in which then shows up in Word. Click \u2018insert citation\u2019 each time you need to do just that, and EndNote will format the in-text citation for you and put the full reference at the end of the document.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Inevitably, as you write, you will need to look for more references as questions arise, or to respond to feedback from your supervisor or peer reviewers. By this point, you will be confident with your software, so just keep adding to it as you go, being disciplined about recording all those details and notes with every paper you need. Then use the software to insert the new reference as you write.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 4. Find out which referencing system you need to use for this piece and set that in your software <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There are several systems for citing references in scientific papers, which include APA, Harvard, Vancouver and so on. These all differ slightly from each other and, to make matters even more confusing, differ within themselves as well. Harvard referencing<\/a>, for example, is an umbrella term which is interpreted differently depending on which institution you\u2019re at, while APA has 7 versions<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The intricate differences in these systems can lead to further confusion if you haven\u2019t been staying on top of your references throughout the process. But this is where referencing software is so handy. If all the references in your thesis are linked to your software, you can change which referencing system the software uses to present those references, switching from APA7 to Vancouver at the touch of a button. This job would take days and days by hand and runs the risk of you throwing your laptop out the window in frustration.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 5. Contact PGPR for help<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you\u2019re reading this blog thinking, well, that\u2019s all very useful but I\u2019m already two years into my thesis and it\u2019s all too late, don\u2019t worry! PGPR can help. Our expert reference checkers can ensure that every in-text and full-length reference is formatted correctly for the system you\u2019re using, locate any missing details and even cross-check your thesis to ensure that every in-text citation appears in the bibliography and vice versa. We even have some crazy people on our team (Hannah and Shannon<\/a>) who enjoy this work! So just hand it over to us and you can get back to uncovering more thrilling new findings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We\u2019re always happy to help. Just get in touch via the form below.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"An](\"http:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/birmingham-museums-trust-5EUh-tq31eA-unsplash-1024x584.jpg\")
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Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/k-mitch-hodge-wZfndoCA1rA-unsplash-695x1024.jpg\")
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Photo by K. Mitch Hodge<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n