Writing tips

Referring to and managing your sources

In this section, we tell you what we expect of a Nyenrode student when it comes to referring to and managing sources, and preventing fraud when writing assignments, reports, and theses. It is important to always indicate which source was used, even when you express the information in your own words. The best way to prevent (accidental) plagiarism, is to keep track of your sources from the beginning of the assignment or thesis.

Referring to sources in APA style

Nyenrode adheres to APA referencing style. When you are writing a report or thesis it is essential you refer to your sources in the proper manner. Learn how to refer in APA style.

If you are not familiar with APA style, you can follow this tutorial: The basics of APA style. It shows you how to refer to sources and provides examples of references. It is based on the Publication Manual by the American Psychological Association.

Nyenrode guidelines

All assignments and theses need to follow the APA guidelines. We have created a guide with the more commonly used references:
Nyenrode Guidelines for All Written Assignments

Tips

Specialized software is freely available and designed to help you collect, manage and share sources and make proper references. For example, look at Zotero or Mendeley.
In Microsoft Word, you can automatically generate a bibliography (or other similar document requiring citations) of the sources you used to write your paper. You can find more info here.
Many online databases and search engines – such as Discover!, EBSCO and Google Scholar) have a 'Cite' function, allowing you to easily download the reference to your source in APA style.

Please note: Although these programs can be a real help, you need to always check your own references. For instance, it is quite common for Dutch names to be misrepresented in international sources. Tip! Check this Online Dictionary for 28 Languages.