When you are completing a research task, essay or analysis of a text, it is often expected that you include quotes from authors, facts or ideas from the sources you have used.
Sources of information can be a text book, fiction book, website, journal article or other online material.
You will be expected to support your ideas with evidence from others which will in turn strengthen your arguments or research. It also allows others to locate the sources of your information.
Acknowledging the sources of information is an important academic skill and is done through the process of citation and referencing.
When you are completing an essay, analytical article, assessment task etc and you are about to introduce an author's ideas, it is important that you insert the following into your text - author, year of publication and page no.
For example: According to Gundry's (2024, p13) discussions on the gut biome 'the microbiome's ecological stability is of utmost importance.'
(direct quote = taken word for word)
Stable microbiomes can help people recover quickly from infections. (Gundry, 2024)
(paraphrase = describing in your own words what the author said)
A I Citations
Before you cite the use of AI for a task, please read the following in regards to citing AI in a Reference List or Bibliography.
It is also important to remember, that while an AI program such as copilot may include a reference list the reference to the information may be inaccurate.
Also -
Generative AI - APA 7th Referencing - Library Guides at Victoria University (vu.edu.au)
The following link takes you to the APA Style Guide for citing the use of AI in a class task or assessment.
Here is an example for citing AI in a Reference List or Bibliography.
Example:
Author of AI model used. (Year of AI model used). Name of AI model used (Version of AI model used) [Type or description of AI model used]. Web address of AI model used
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/
The full transcript of a response can be included in an appendix or other supplementary materials.
Plagiarism occurs when you copy the information from others and don't acknowledge it with a citation, reference list of bibliography.
Brock University 2014, What is plagiarism and how to avoid it, online video, 2 September, viewed 4 November 2019, <https://youtu.be/Pmab92ghG0M>. Duration: 2 mins.
Click on the image above to go to a handy article on plagiarism from Bloom's Literature database.
The online reference generator can be used to generate citations for reference lists and bibliographies. The Online reference generator can be used for print texts and digital or online texts.
Clonard College used the APA (American Psychological Association 7thed.) for citations.
Click on the tab below to go to the Online Reference Generator.
Reference List
Each citation you have included in your assignment or essay must have a corresponding entry in a Reference List. Remember, citations are direct quotes or paraphrases from your sources. At the end of the assignment on a separate page with the heading Reference List, present the sources in alphabetical order by author’s surname (or title for sources without an author) using the APA style.
Bibliography
A Bibliography is a list of sources that you have consulted when researching an assignment. It might also include everything in the Reference List. You can use the Online Reference Generator to create a bibliography. Remember, your Bibliography must be set out in alphabetic order.
An example of a bibliography in alphabetic order and with each entry indented.
Creating a Bibliography Task Sheet
Tips on how to create a bibliography with a suggested activity.