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Secondary Citations

Faculties: BW, SW

In general, the rule is: Always look for the best source. This is usually the source where the knowledge originated – the one that was published first, empirically researched first, or first summarized. A simple search in Google or in the OPAC is often not enough. Instead, you need to use more comprehensive research and acquisition strategies.

Contents

Illustration: A person searching for literature in the library

The usual research

While working with sources, you usually need to search databases, browse through journals, or request an interlibrary loan. Sometimes you also need to obtain literature from the university library in Erlangen or Nuremberg. If you need support with literature research or acquisition, our library will gladly assist you.

See also our articles Effective research: Tips and tools for beginners and Starting your research.

Exceptions for secondary quotes

If your efforts do not succeed, or if obtaining the literature would involve an unreasonable amount of effort, you may exceptionally use second-hand knowledge with the note “quoted in” (abbreviated as “qtd. in”). In this case, you take the relevant quote that you do not have access to from the work that you do have. It can look like this:

Example: Solution-oriented brief therapy is based on the insight that the “big, timeless therapies usually drag on until the patient realizes that the treatment could last a lifetime, and gives it up” (Watzlawick et al., 2001, p. 137, qtd. in Berklin, 2010, p. 56).

In the reference list, only “Berklin, 2010” is included – in other words, only the work you have consulted. Under no circumstances should you quote Watzlawick without mentioning Berklin if you have not personally examined Watzlawick’s work.

You should only use this approach in an emergency, as the quote from the work you have may appear in a completely different context in the original.

Frequently asked questions

What is a secondary quote?

In a secondary quote, you cite content from the source available to you, while that text in turn quotes from the original work.

What should I keep in mind with a secondary quote?

Both sources must be mentioned in your secondary quote. The authors of the original literature appear first in the reference. You should only resort to secondary quotes in exceptional cases.

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What is Plagiarism?

Definition Plagiarism refers to the use of texts, ideas, or research results without proper citation. It is considered plagiarism even if you incorporate a thought or idea (so-called content plagiarism) or even a word-for-word formulation (so-called verbatim plagiarism) in an academic text without citing the authors (Commission “Self-Control in Science” of the University of Bayreuth, …

Faculties: all

Contributors: Autorengruppe Leitfaden efi, Carola Gröhlich, Susanne Heidenreich, Maria Noll, Ingo Palsherm, Erika von Rautenfeld, Schreibzentrum, Dzifa Vode

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What Do I Have to Prove?

Empirical statements An empirical statement is usually based on (external) empirical research. A source reference is absolutely necessary here. Example: „The suspect rate among 14- to under 18-year-olds decreased from 7.0 % in 2007 to 5.5 % in 2015“ (Police Crime Statistics, 2015). If the empirical statement is based on your own observations or research, …

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Contributors: Manfred Garhammer, Carola Gröhlich, Susanne Heidenreich, Maria Noll, Erika von Rautenfeld, Schreibzentrum, Dzifa Vode

This article was published in August 2025 and last updated in March 2025.

Faculties: BW, SW

Contributors: Carola Gröhlich, Susanne Heidenreich, Maria Noll, Erika von Rautenfeld, Schreibzentrum, Dzifa Vode

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