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.

Also refer to our articles Effective research: Tips and tools for beginners and Starting your research.

Exceptions for citing secondary sources

If your efforts do not succeed, or if obtaining the literature would involve an unreasonable amount of effort, you may exceptionally refer to knowledge gained from secondary sources with the note “quoted in” (abbreviated as “qtd. in”), or “as cited in”. In this case, you take the relevant quotation that you do not have access to from the publication that is available to you. It can look like this:

Example: Solution-oriented short-term therapy is based on the insight that “major therapies without a time limit 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

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Definition

Plagiarism refers to the use of texts, ideas, or research results without proper citation. It is considered plagiarism if you incorporate a thought or idea (content plagiarism) or even exact wording (verbatim plagiarism) in an academic text without citing the authors (Commission “Selbstkontrolle in der Wissenschaft” of the University of Bayreuth, 2011, p. 14).

Consequences of plagiarism

Plagiarism can result in a fail. It does not matter whether the plagiarism was intentional or accidental.

“Always ensure, when using ideas and formulations, that you properly document the source of quotations and distinguish between verbatim and paraphrased content.”

– Ingo Palsherm

Most plagiarism happens unintentionally and unconsciously.

But: “Ignorance is no excuse!” So, work carefully from the very beginning!

See also the article Avoiding Plagiarism When Using AI Writing Tools.

Frequently asked questions

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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, a source reference is not required, but you should document the research process to allow assessment of its validity. It is not necessary to refer to sources when mentioning undisputed statements and general knowledge in your field.

However, as soon as you give specific information (such as percentages), you do need to refer to sources.

Analytical statements

When you make analytical statements based on your own reasoning, a source is not required. For example, you can draw the following conclusion if you previously presented refugee numbers with sources:

Example: “The signifcant variation in numbers of refugees with secured residence status in Germany and Hungary show that the two countries pursue different goals in their refugee policies.”

However, if you refer to a hypothesis proposed in literature, you must prove it with a source. This is always necessary when there are multiple, sometimes conflicting positions.

If you refer to the ideas of other authors and draw your own conclusions from them, you must make it clear where your own thoughts begin.

If it is undisputed basic knowledge in the field, a source is not required.

Therefore, the often-given advice in guides is not always correct: “Prove everything that does not come from you”.

Normative statements

With a normative statement, you indicate that a behavior or procedure conforms to or should conform to a generally accepted norm. Note: if this statement represents your own opinion, you must justify it. Your reasons should not be based solely on gut feeling.

Example: “In my view, a humane refugee policy should reconsider the distinction between economic refugees and political refugees, because …”.

You can include such statements in the conclusion when you make your own recommendations for action.

Make sure to clearly separate these from empirical and analytical statements.

Frequently asked questions

Der Beitrag When Do I Need to Cite? erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.