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Hi All,
I have already submitted my project but I am afraid I may have messed up my referencing. I was following number style referencing but then I read on OBU’s info. pack 2013-14 pg.38 “You must use the Harvard Referencing System for your referencing in your Research Report”. I did not want to take a chance with numbering format and changed my referencing at the last minute. I managed to fix all my references except annual reports. I was not sure how to reference annual reports in in-text citation as
In 2011, ABC company profit margin improved from 6% to 8.5% due to increase in sales (Annual report, 2011)
Also, sometimes I have used multiple sources in the same paragraph and to avoid making my work to clustered, I put the references at the end something like:
(Annual report, 2011) & (Dawn, 2011)
Have I screwed up my chances and attempt to pass? I am beating myself up now that even I did so much research, I still end up messing my project in the end. This is my second attempt btw.
But @iisookvi you would’ve been fine the way it was as we discussed on the Forum Harvard Referencing. Yep I see why you changed it but believe me I know it says in the Guidelines about strict Harvard – that’s because it is the ‘Gold Standard’ and no Uni is going to dissuade students from using it. (I suspect the referencing guidelines are given to all students both on campus and distance learners but they are a little more lenient with the RAP because you don’t all have on the spot good mentors to guide you through the ‘Referencing Maze’). Provided you have been consistent, systematic and referenced fully then it is fine.
The end of paragraph referencing is not a good idea as you cannot see exactly WHAT is being referenced. If you have only done it once or twice you may be all right but if you have done it lots of times and if there are lots of these types of references at the end of sections it may drive the marker nuts….
No point in beating yourself up I suppose now. I hope you pass 🙂 but if not you know for next time – and although personally it doesn’t matter to me if students ignore my advice (democracy is about freedom to choose afterall!) – this really was a case that ‘Nanny knows best’ Do let us know how you get on as I really do hope your efforts are rewarded this time and you are spared the nausea of a 3rd attempt. 🙂
OMG – I know you are right. I should have listened to you but Bsc. info pack threw me off. I cant believe I have done this. And no I counted, I have done it 11 times in financial analysis out of 80 plus references in my entire report. Where I could I did avoid it but in a lot of paragraphs because I was summarizing, I didn’t.
I feel extremely regretful now. This attempt was very important for me. These are going to be the longest 4 months of my life 🙁
I am so sorry to hear this 🙁 Yes sometimes the Guidelines are a bit ambiguous and confusing in places and this is a classic case… I don’t know what advice to give. I’m not sure if the submission period has now closed but if it is tonight I.e. it is still open and you still have a version of your RAP with the numerical referencing you could contact the OBU admin team and say you loaded the wrong RAP file attaching the correct one with your email. I fear it may be too big to go as an email attachment and they might refuse to accept the last minute substitution but if you try to explain that the Guidelines confused you, they may agree to accept it . Worth a try as it would be better than 4 months of agonising!
@isookvi. Just noticed it closed about 50 mins ago. Try anyway if you still have that original file – worst case scenario they say no but they might, just might, be sympathetic…. so worth a try
I do hve the original file but its incomplete. Nothing I can do about this now. I hope marker understands my referemcing. Here is me hoping against hope for the next 4 months 🙁
OBU should include numbered referencing in Info pack, it is actually a mixture of Vancouver style and Harvard style and markers are accepting it from quite long time, only mentors know this. Why this ambiguity? Why not OB expressly include it in info pack or clearly say in info pack that this numbered style will be marked fail. This would save student like @isookvi from making costly mistake.
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