Referencing and academic conventions: acknowledging primary and secondary sources consistently, integrating quotations accurately, including a bibliography and word count, and meeting the conditions of authenticity SQA requires of submitted coursework.

What this dot point is asking

A dissertation is submitted coursework, so it must meet academic conventions as well as make a good argument. That means acknowledging every source, integrating quotations accurately, stating a word count, including a bibliography, and certifying that the work is the candidate's own. SQA does not prescribe a single referencing style, but it requires consistent, honest acknowledgement of sources. These conventions are not decoration: a dissertation that breaches them can be penalised or, in the case of plagiarism, fail.

This dot point is about referencing and presentation: how to acknowledge sources, integrate quotations, and meet the authenticity conditions of submitted coursework.

The answer

Reference every borrowed word or idea, primary and secondary, in a consistent style chosen by your centre (in-text references or footnotes), integrate quotations accurately into your sentences, state the word count, and include a bibliography listing every source used. The work must be your own, with all quotations and ideas from others acknowledged, because submitted coursework must meet SQA's authenticity conditions. SQA does not require a particular referencing system, so the rule is consistency: pick the centre's style and apply it the same way throughout. Good referencing serves two ends at once: it meets the rules, and it displays the breadth of reading and the honesty that the dissertation rewards.

Acknowledge every source

Every quotation and every borrowed idea must be acknowledged, whether from a primary text or a critic. Use the centre's chosen system (in-text author and page, or footnotes) consistently. Unacknowledged use of someone else's words or ideas is plagiarism, which is treated seriously in submitted coursework, so when in doubt, reference.

Integrate quotations accurately

Quote accurately and embed short quotations into your own sentences, so the analysis flows and the reader can see exactly what is yours and what is quoted. Long block quotations eat the word count and tempt you into letting the text do the talking; short embedded quotations keep your analysis in control. Reference each quotation in the chosen style.

Present the dissertation properly

Besides the argument, the finished dissertation needs the apparatus of submitted coursework: a word count within 2,500 to 3,500 words, consistent references throughout, and a complete bibliography. Check these before submission, because a strong argument can be undercut by a missing bibliography, an over-length count, or inconsistent referencing that the marker has to untangle.

Examples in context

A candidate quoting a novel writes the sentence so the quotation is embedded ("the narrator's claim that she 'never lies' is itself a lie"), then references it in the centre's style, perhaps a footnote giving author, title and page. When they bring in a critic, they quote or paraphrase, then reference that too, so the reader can see which words are the critic's. At the end, the bibliography lists both novels and every critical work consulted, and the word count sits within the limit.

The dissertation thus meets the conventions without distracting from the argument: references are consistent, quotations are accurate and embedded, the bibliography shows the reading, and the work is unmistakably the candidate's own. The conventions support the scholarship rather than competing with it.

Try this

Q1. What four things besides the argument must a finished dissertation include? [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. Consistent acknowledgement of sources, accurately integrated quotations, a word count within the limit, and a complete bibliography.

Q2. Since SQA prescribes no referencing style, what is the rule? [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. Consistency: adopt the centre's chosen style and apply it the same way to every reference throughout.

Q3. Why must paraphrased ideas from critics be referenced, not only direct quotations? [1 mark]

• What the marker wants. Because unacknowledged use of another's ideas, not just their exact words, is plagiarism in submitted coursework.

A note on sources

This guide is AI-written and not individually human-reviewed. The referencing and authenticity requirements follow SQA's coursework instructions; verify current detail against the coursework instructions and your centre's guidance at sqa.org.uk.