As you write your essays, it's important that you acknowledge the books, journal articles, and any other sources you consult in the course of your research. You do this to show your lecturers what you've read, and most importantly to respectfully nod to the work and ideas of other people; this is a matter of academic integrity.
Failure to acknowledge your sources implies a) that you haven't done any background reading or research, and b) that all of the ideas you put forward are your own. If you consult sources and draw on the ideas of other people but don't acknowledge them, it's plagiarism. Always, always cite and reference your sources.
Plagiarism is a very serious offence and allegations of plagiarism may be referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the University. See DCU's academic integrity policy for more information.
The style guide we recommend is Cite Them Right Online
Cite Them Right is accessed on and off campus via the A-Z Databases tab on Library Search. Providing the most up to date and accurate information, this is a really important resource for all your referencing needs. You can:
Email: emma.stapleton@dcu.ie
O'Reilly Library, DCU Glasnevin
Want to know more about citing & referencing?
... And how to avoid plagiarism?
We're here to help, see our list of citing and referencing supports below!