Checking meaning
Open the primary source and locate the cited passage. Check the sample, study conditions and actual finding. A title or another article’s short summary may be insufficient for accurate citation.
Quotation and paraphrase
Format direct quotations under the required standard and cite the source. Paraphrases must preserve the author’s meaning and include a reference. Reordering words does not turn another person’s finding into your own. Oxford University treats proper acknowledgement of borrowed ideas and text as a basis of academic integrity.
Bibliographic details
Check names, publication title, year, journal, volume, issue and pages. Verify a stable URL or DOI for electronic sources. Remove duplicates only after checking in-text citations. Recheck tables and figure captions after renumbering.
Working process
For disputed passages, record the page, statement and supporting evidence found. Do not resolve contradictions by guessing. If the primary source is unavailable, check whether secondary citation is permitted by your institution. Every used source should be easy to locate.
Checking the statement against its source
Start with statements underpinning the argument: definitions, numerical information, methods and result comparisons. Open each cited publication and find the relevant passage. Check that its author actually makes the statement attributed to them.
Check “always”, “first” and “proven” claims especially carefully. The original conclusion may apply to limited material or include qualifications. Moving a result to another context without explanation changes its meaning even when the reference is correctly formatted.
Quotations, translations and paraphrases
Keep direct quotations exact and format them as required. If translating a passage yourself, check how your institution expects this to be marked. Paraphrase in your own words while retaining the reference and original qualifications.
Separate your own notes from source extracts immediately. Record the page or another locator while reading. Months later, an unmarked phrase can be mistaken for your own wording. Careful notes reduce errors at the final stage.
Cross-checking references
Check both directions: every in-text citation needs a reference entry, and every listed item should serve its intended purpose. Compare entries with similar authors and years to avoid confusing publications. Use exact titles and verifiable details.
A reference manager simplifies formatting but does not guarantee imported data accuracy. Review authors, titles and pages after automatic updates. Check Cyrillic, transliteration and URLs separately. Change citation styles before final proofreading.
Checks after final revisions
Renumbering citations, deleting a paragraph or adding a table can break previously checked links. Recheck key sources after the final substantive revision, including references in captions, notes and appendices.
Keep accessible source copies or stable links for your own work. Do not replace an unavailable publication with another similarly titled one. Resolve uncertain citations before final delivery. Being able to locate important evidence quickly supports substantive discussion at the defence.
