Library Guide for English Literature

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. Learn more about when and how to cite and reference your sources in this video:

Cite Them Right Online

Cite Them Right online is a referencing tool that can be accessed via the A-Z Databases tab on the library homepage. 

It is essentially a style guide that shows you how to lay out your citations and references using the most up to date and accurate information available. It offers support for most of the well-known referencing styles and includes a guide to citing and referencing in MHRA style and MLA style. 

Using Cite Them Right you can:

1. Create footnotes and bibliographies for a wide range of sources
2. Build accurate references by following the on-screen examples
3. Cut and paste the references you create into your assignment

Your school or faculty may provide you with their own MHRA style guide i.e. this Condensed Guide to MHRA style provided by Dr Anne Markey for the Open Education Unit. Refer to your school or faculty guide first, where provided, followed by the complete MHRA Style Guide or the MHRA quick guide available on the MHRA website. Use Cite Them Right online if further clarification is needed. MHRA style can follow two different systems of citing and referencing sources: MHRA (footnote) style or MHRA (author-date) style. Check with your lecturer if you're unsure which one to use. See our short videos below for a demonstration of how to apply each system

If your school or faculty provides you with their own MLA style guide, refer to this guide first. If you haven't been provided with a school guide, or if you're seeking further clarification on how to cite and reference a particular source, refer to Cite Them Right or the MLA Style Centre. See our short video below for a demonstration of how to cite and reference a journal article, using Cite Them Right as your style guide.