The Dos and Don’ts of Referencing in CIPD Level 5 Assignments

As a CIPD Level 5 student, referencing is essential to your assignment writing process. Referencing is a way of giving credit to the sources you have used in your work and demonstrating that you have conducted research from credible and reliable sources.

It is essential to reference correctly because failure to do so can lead to accusations of plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence that can result in a failing grade or even expulsion from your course.

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The following are some dos and don’ts of referencing in CIPD Level 5 assignments that you should keep in mind,

Dos

        1. Use a recognized referencing style

The CIPD recommends using the Harvard referencing style for your assignments. This style is commonly used in academic writing and is recognized by universities and educational institutions worldwide. The Harvard style uses in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your work. Using a recognized referencing style ensures consistency in your citations and avoids losing marks for errors.

Example: (Kim, 2019) for in-text citation and Kim, J. (2019) for the reference list.

         2. Cite all sources of information

You should reference all sources of information you have used in your assignment, including books, journal articles, websites, and other sources. Ensure you include all relevant information, including the author’s name, publication date, title, and page number. You should also reference any data or statistics used in your work.

Example: If you are citing a book, your reference would look like this:

• In-text citation: (Johnson, 2015, p. 56)
• Reference list: Johnson, T. (2015). Human Resource Management. London: Kogan Page.

         3. Use in-text citations

In-text citations acknowledge the source of a direct quote or paraphrase. For example, they should include the author’s surname and the year of publication (Kim, 2015). In-text citations are important because they show the reader where the information came from and allow them to find the source in the reference list.

Example: In-text citation for paraphrasing – According to Kim (2015), recruitment technology has become increasingly popular.

        4. Include a reference list

A reference list should be included at the end of your assignment. This should consist of all the sources of information that you have used in your work. The reference list should be arranged alphabetically by the author’s surname. Ensure you use the correct formatting and punctuation for your reference list.

Example:

• Book: Kim, J. (2019). Human Resource Management. London: Routledge.
• Journal article: Johnson, T. (2017). Recruitment and selection. Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 56-65.
• Website: CIPD. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.cipd.co.uk

         5. Check your referencing

Before submitting your assignment, check your referencing to ensure it is accurate and complete. You can use online referencing tools like Cite This For Me or RefME to help you with this. These tools can help you to create a reference list quickly and accurately.

Example: Use an online tool like Cite This For Me to automatically generate your reference list.

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      6. Follow Alphabetical Order

Arrange your reference list in alphabetical order by the author’s surname. This makes it easy for examiners to verify your sources.

Don’ts

  1. Copy and paste information.

Copying and pasting information from a source without acknowledging the source is a form of plagiarism. You should always paraphrase information in your own words and acknowledge the source. Make sure that you use quotation marks when you are

Directly quote a source and include an in-text citation.

Example: Original text – “Human resource management is the process of managing human resources to achieve organizational objectives.” (Kim, 2015, p. 12)

• Incorrect: Human resource management is managing human resources to achieve organizational objectives. (Kim, 2015, p. 12)
• Correct: According to Kim (2015), “Human resource management is the process of managing human resources to achieve organizational objectives.” (p. 12)

 2. Use outdated sources

It is essential to use up-to-date sources when conducting research for your assignment. Outdated sources can contain inaccurate information or may not reflect the latest developments in a field. You should aim to use sources that have been published within the last five years unless the information is considered to be a classic or seminal work in the field.

Example: If you are researching the latest trends in talent management, it would be best to use articles or books published within the last five years to ensure that you reference current and relevant information.

 3. Use Wikipedia as a source.

Wikipedia is a crowdsourced encyclopedia that anyone can edit, making it an unreliable source of information for academic writing. You should avoid using Wikipedia for your assignment and use credible sources such as scholarly journals, books, or reputable websites.

Example: Instead of referencing a Wikipedia article on performance management, you could use an academic journal article on the same topic.

  4. Reference incomplete information

When referencing, ensure you include all the necessary information, such as the author’s name, publication date, title, and page number. Failure to include this information can make it difficult for the reader to locate the source.

Example: Incomplete reference – Kim. (2015). Human Resource Management. London.

• Correct reference – Kim, J. (2015). Human Resource Management. London: Kogan Page.

     5. Don’t Mix Referencing Styles

Stick to Harvard referencing throughout your work. Mixing styles (e.g., APA or MLA) will result in inconsistent formatting.

   6. Don’t Fabricate References

Never invent sources to support your argument. Examiners can verify references and false citations can lead to penalties.

  7. Use incorrect punctuation

Incorrect punctuation can make referencing confusing and challenging to read. Make sure you use correct punctuation when referencing, such as commas to separate multiple authors, italics or underlining for book titles, and quotation marks for article titles.

Example: Incorrect punctuation – Johnson T. 2017 Recruitment and selection Journal of Human Resource Management 20 2 56-65

• Correct punctuation – Johnson, T. (2017). Recruitment and selection. Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 56-65.

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Accurate referencing is essential in CIPD Level 5 assignments to validate information and support arguments with credible sources. Proper citation enhances credibility by following best practices, such as citing all sources, using reliable references, and avoiding Wikipedia. Since referencing requires practice, seek guidance from tutors or institutional guides to improve your skills and uphold academic integrity.