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Serena: Smart information use: Using information and referencing: Home

Introduction

 

 

When you create a design or prototype, you will need to incorporate the information you have found into a report, paper or product.

Below, and under Communicating and Publishing, you will find answers to questions such as:

  • Where can I find information about creating a prototype? See also Search and Find
  • Where can I find information about methods for testing prototypes? See also Search and Find
  • Do my test results align with existing information about similar solutions or theories related to the mechanisms on which the prototype is based?
  • What copyright rules apply to prototypes?
  • Can I use a Creative Commons licence?

You will get tips on how to find and apply this information, and how to cite sources correctly.
You will also learn what reference management software is and how to use it.

Using information

In the following two videos, you’ll learn how to use information more effectively.
By applying the KAVV method, you’ll be able to summarize information more efficiently.

KU Libraries. (9 March 2021). How to Read a Scientific Article [Video]. You Tube. https://youtu.be/R289jvNoUBA

 

UMNLibraries. (2014, November 21). Tutorial: How to Read and Comprehend Scientific Articles [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2K6mJkSWoA

How to write a summary in English

Summary checklist:

The first sentence tells the article title in quotation marks.

  

The first sentence uses a verb in simple present (discusses, explains, describes)

  

The first sentence includes the writer/author and the main idea/claim/topic.

  

The summary clearly shows the main points of the article with transitions like “first of all” and “next.”

  

The summary tells the main points in the same order that they appeared in the article

  

The summary uses the student’s own words and does not copy from the article.

  

The ideas of the article are clear in the summary. (1-2 sentences of supporting details can be added if the idea is not clear.)

  

The summary does not include unnecessary details.

  

The summary is objective; it does not include the student’s opinion.

  

Optional: the summary concludes with a sentence to summarize the main points.

  

The grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure are good.

  

Steps to write a summary:

  1. Read and understand the article. You need to read more than once. 
  1. Read critically: use two highlighters to identify main ideas and supporting details. Draw lines to separate the article into sections. If the article is hard or long, you can also do these two optional things: make margin notes and cross out ideas that are not important. 
  1. Make a list of the important ideas in your own words. This outline is a great way to make your summary easy and to avoid copying from the article. 
  1. Use your outline to write your summary. 
  1. Remember the characteristics of a good summary:

Clearly organized with transitions

Short but not too short

Ideas are clear. A little detail can be added, but not too much.

Do not add your opinion!

Example first sentence of a summary:

In the article “A Goal of Service to Humankind,” Doctor Anthony Fauci discusses the three principles that guide his life as a physician.

APA

APA infographic – What should I use and when? 

Click on the image for a larger, interactive version.

More resources

APA7 in Word

De APA Guidelines explained: Generatieve AI 

Libguide Hanze 

APA with Discovery Tool and Google Scholar

In some search tools, such as the library’s Discovery Tool, Google Scholar and various databases, there is a feature that allows you to generate an APA citation. When you search using these tools and view an individual result, you will often see a button labelled “Cite” (represented by quotation mark icons). Although the APA citation is often not entirely accurate, this feature can be very useful if you are unable to find all the information about the source or are unsure, for example, who the authors of the source are.

Referencing

Why is it important to reference information sources?

  • You give credit to the authors for their work.
  • You show that you haven’t made up the information.
  • You demonstrate that you are using reliable sources.
  • You highlight the connection between your work and the work of others.
  • By using multiple sources, you show that you have explored the topic in depth.
  • You make your work verifiable for others.
  • You point readers to various publications on the topic that may be of interest to them.
  • You avoid committing plagiarism.

How should you reference information sources?

Depending on your field of study, you will use one of the following referencing styles:

  • APA
    This referencing style is used in nearly all courses at NHL Stenden, except for law and ICT programmes.

  • Leidraad voor juridische auteurs
    This referencing style is used in law programmes.

  • IEEE
    The IEEE referencing style is used in ICT programmes at NHL Stenden.

Links to practical tools for each referencing style are provided below.

IEEE

If you wish to reference using the IEEE style, you can, for example, make use of KU Leuven’s comprehensive guide Referencing in IEEE Style.

Reference management software

Reference management software allows you to collect, edit and share your references and related articles all in one place. Reference managers often have the option to export references from online sources directly into the manager (so you don’t have to enter them manually, as you would in Word: click here for APA7 in Word).

For various reference management tools, visit: Reference Software | NHL Stenden