Referential Integrity
Posted on Sunday 22nd of October 2006 03:35:26 PM by Maximinus
No, this isn't a database-related rant. It's about an essay I've got to write for part of an online paper in my degree course.
In particular, it's about referencing. Part of the assignment sheet states that we must cite at least 3 examples from the class discussion boards. That's going to be hard enough, finding three posts (other than my own, since I'm guessing that's not allowed) worth citing - partially because of the lack of existence, and partially because it's only possible to view one message at a time - not even an entire thread.
To make matters worse, however, we've got to follow proper APA-style referencing. Not sure how to go about referencing postings to the class discussion board, I took a look at the official CPIT APA referencing guide. This guide first states that "at best," discussion board postings can be cited in-text as "personal commumication" only - then goes on to say that it can be referenced, and provides an example of the format to follow! So do I reference in-text only as "personal communication," as a "normal" reference using the format provided in my reference list, or as a "personal communication" AND in the reference list?
It'd be nice if they could be consistent, and if we'd been told whether the postings should be cited as "personal communication" or "real" sources.
(Yes, that's where the title comes from - consistency and integrity of references. See? Nothing database-related.)
Addendum:
I later found a mention in the assignment sheet that we were to reference them "in the same was as content downloaded from the web" - thus providing a third alternative. Since it was actually on the assignment sheet, though, I went with this one.
In particular, it's about referencing. Part of the assignment sheet states that we must cite at least 3 examples from the class discussion boards. That's going to be hard enough, finding three posts (other than my own, since I'm guessing that's not allowed) worth citing - partially because of the lack of existence, and partially because it's only possible to view one message at a time - not even an entire thread.
To make matters worse, however, we've got to follow proper APA-style referencing. Not sure how to go about referencing postings to the class discussion board, I took a look at the official CPIT APA referencing guide. This guide first states that "at best," discussion board postings can be cited in-text as "personal commumication" only - then goes on to say that it can be referenced, and provides an example of the format to follow! So do I reference in-text only as "personal communication," as a "normal" reference using the format provided in my reference list, or as a "personal communication" AND in the reference list?
It'd be nice if they could be consistent, and if we'd been told whether the postings should be cited as "personal communication" or "real" sources.
(Yes, that's where the title comes from - consistency and integrity of references. See? Nothing database-related.)
Addendum:
I later found a mention in the assignment sheet that we were to reference them "in the same was as content downloaded from the web" - thus providing a third alternative. Since it was actually on the assignment sheet, though, I went with this one.
Currently feeling: Baffled
Currently listening to: Betty Curse - Beautiful Together
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