How many references do you use?

Catseyez

Hi,

a post on another thread has got me wondering about how many references people use for their assignments.

I'm studying social work and we were told that we should use at least 5 or 6 references. I used about 7/8 on a 2000 word essay and about 12 for a 3000 word essay. Both essays received good marks (a 2:1 and 1st).

I just read in another thread that someone used 30 refs for a 3,000 word essay! :eek:

What do other people do?

Catseyez x

elisebutt65

That was me - LOL

I use 1 ref for every 1-150 words. I don't make a point of counting them - that's just the way it works out.

We were told that between 20-30 when you're into your 3rd year is sufficient for a 3000 word essay and it's ok to use less when you're in 1st and 2nd years but you should really be into synthesizing and critiquing other peoples ideas by the time you get into your final year.

I also use them to prove or disprove a point I'm trying to hammer home.

And I average about 74% at the mo on my essays;)

Catseyez

Yes, it was because of your post Elsie! :rotfl:

Well I'm currently in the first year, so we might be advised to use more references in the future. Not that I mind, I think they give weight to an argument.

crazy_guy

I think it all depends on the subject tbh, just checked my old essays, in first year i used around 20-30 references.... and my latest essay used 90:eek:

studentphil

I have counted up journal articles and somewhere between about 15 and 25 is about standard for about 5000 words.

Bamber19

Most of my essays have about 20-30 references and they're normally 2000 word limit with the odd exception of 3000 or 1500, but i have to put in case references aswell so if you took them out i'm normally probably down around 5 - 10 but i tend not to quote so much from books and instead write my own interpretation of what's been said, but i have read essays by other people on my course where they've quoted loads and had 50-60 references

Tallulah22

i tend to use tons of references for my essays maybe 20-30 for a short essay

melancholly

this really depends on what the essay is though, surely?

if you're in a very contentious area, the first paragraph will say some people say a=b (e.g. refs 1 to 4) and others say a=c (e.g. refs 5 to 8) - then you have lots in one or two sentences. other essays might be better if a few key references were explained in more detail with methods being contrasted.

in a 2000 word essay, 50 references would probably swamp most arguements (unless it's a situation where one point has 5 refs) and the essay would read like a list of papers rather than a structured arguement where you make your own points.

if i mark something where someone has quoted 2 main text books and nothing else, then it's pretty poor, but equally good marks aren't obtained by throwing information at a question - it's using the references in a sensible way that matters!

i'm now writing up papers and they tend to have 80 references or so in them but that is dictated by the area i'm in and the methods i refer to - write the essay and illustrate your points with well chosen references, don't just try to get a whole load in for the sake of having a bigger list.

studentphil

I would not know where to find 80 different texts to refrence let alone use them.

parmaviolette

It really does depend on the subject (you'll like this bit Phil), I'm a philosophy student and I've had good 1sts with about six or seven references. These essays would have been 2500 words I think.

aurora_borealis_2

PhD - 352 references. And yes, I read them all

There is no set number ... it depends on how many points you need to back up/critique.

It depends on subject, writing style and argument.