Science - Year 8 - First Hand Investigation: Referencing & Research tips

As you gather your information you must ensure the source is both valid and reliable. If it is not, do not use it. A source is valid if the information relates to the topic being investigated. 

A source is reliable if:
• the author of the article's credentials (i.e. the author is qualified in this area). For example, was the author a teacher, a scientist in that field, etc?
• whether the purpose of the article is not resulting in bias
• whether the site or publication is reputable, i.e - gov.edu, biology textbook
• whether it is current ( check date)

Watch the short video below for an understanding of reliable and valid information sources: 

References are important for acknowledging credible sources of information used throughout the research process. At St Patrick's College, we use the APA Referencing system. In this system, cite both the author and publication year within the text (this is known as an 'in-text citation'), and then include the full details in a reference list on the last page of the report.

As you conduct your research, use the St Patrick's College APA Reference Guide to help you correctly format your referencing.
 

Need help? The Library Team can check your referencing and help you with anything you don't understand. Submit a Library Helpdesk Ticket and we'll be in touch.