Learning about research and information from the Covid-19 pandemic. No.6 Research builds on earlier research so remember to reference.

Research and referencing

Have you heard the story of how Pythagoras came up with his new theorem while bathing and jumped out of the bath crying "Eureka"? (See the start of the TED-Ed video below if you want to hear the story).

Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that it worked like that and neither does any research and discovery which is carried out today. It is thought Pythagoras travelled widely and is highly likely to have been influenced by the architecture and construction work in places like Egypt and Babylon where he would have seen the principle working in practice. He may have been the first to prove it, however.

Research always builds on earlier research.. Scientists won't suddenly just come up with a treatment or vaccine for Covid-19 by sitting on a beach somewhere waiting for inspiration, they will be using previous research on subjects like viruses (especially Coronaviruses), the human immune system, DNA and what was done in previous pandemics for example, as well as testing new vaccines. The idea of using the blood from someone (full text is available on Gale Infotrac/ FE News) who has recovered from Covid-19 and giving it to someone who has the disease was tried in the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 when they did not have a vaccine. The Covid-19 scientists may have been using some trial and error with this idea too but the idea was based on something that worked in the past. Scientists are currently sharing information regularly and if you look at any of the Covid-19 research sites (e.g. Cambridge Fighting COVID website and the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium) you will see academics quoting and referring to other scientists' work as well as talking about the work they are doing themselves. They show how they have used previous research and other researchers' work.

How is this relevant to my research?

• It is always good academic practice to cite in text and reference everything you read and refer to in your assignments or presentations. Not to do this is plagiarism.
• Referencing shows you have read widely and if you show how it backs up your conclusions, your arguments are more likely to be objective and credible.
• References help someone reading your work follow the research back and give them other places to go for their research (just as you can use references in an author's bibliography for research).
• Your lecturer may disagree with your point of view but if you can show where you have found your information you are unlikely to be marked down.
• Referencing saves you copying and pasting large swathes of text (and going over your word count!) into your assignment as you can refer to some research, cite it and just summarise the relevant points in your own words. (Those who want to know more can check using the reference).
• Cite the author and year of publication throughout your assignment and then the full reference at the end (listed in alphabetical order by author).
• ARU and UCP use the Harvard referencing system and their website has examples for all sorts of resources you may use.
• The LRC has a referencing tutorial with quizzes you can do in the How do I? section of the LRC web pages on the Student Portal.