how many references for 6000 word essay

How Many References Do I Need?

One of the crucial aspects of writing an academic paper is the number and quality of references you include. References not only provide support for your arguments but also show that you have engaged with the existing body of knowledge on your topic. However, determining the right number of references for your academic paper can be tricky. Too few references might suggest that your research is not well-supported, while too many can overwhelm your paper with unnecessary citations.

In this article, we’ll explore how many references you should include in an academic paper, factors that influence the number of references, and tips for how to use references effectively.

Table of Contents

General Guidelines for the Number of References

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how many references you should include in your academic paper. The appropriate number of references depends on several factors, including the type of paper you’re writing, the discipline you’re working within, and the scope of your research. However, there are some general guidelines that you can follow.

1. Research Papers

For standard research papers, the number of references often ranges between 20 and 50 . This range is typical for papers that are around 4,000 to 6,000 words . However, depending on the depth of your research and the complexity of the topic, you might require more or fewer references.

• A 5,000-word research paper might include about 30-40 references.

2. Theses and Dissertations

Theses and dissertations are more comprehensive than standard research papers, and they often require a much larger number of references. Depending on the length and scope of your thesis or dissertation, you might include anywhere from 100 to 300 references or more.

• A 60,000-word PhD dissertation might include 200-300 references, encompassing a wide range of primary and secondary sources.

3. Literature Reviews

Literature reviews generally require a higher number of references compared to other types of academic papers. This is because the purpose of a literature review is to summarize and analyze existing research on a specific topic. A literature review may include 40 to 100 references or more, depending on the breadth of the topic and the number of studies available.

• A 10,000-word literature review might include 80-100 references, especially if the topic has been widely researched.

4. Shorter Essays

For shorter essays, such as those assigned in undergraduate courses (around 1,500 to 3,000 words ), you might need fewer references. In this case, 10 to 20 references is usually sufficient, depending on the topic and the level of analysis required.

• A 2,000-word essay might include 12-15 references.

Factors That Influence the Number of References

The number of references you include in your academic paper can vary depending on several key factors:

1. Discipline

Different academic disciplines have different expectations when it comes to referencing. For example:

• Humanities (e.g., literature, history, philosophy): Papers in the humanities often rely heavily on primary and secondary sources, and may include fewer references than papers in social or natural sciences.
• Social Sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, political science): Social science papers tend to use a larger number of references, especially when integrating various theories and empirical studies.
• Natural Sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics): Papers in the natural sciences typically require a significant number of references, particularly when reporting on empirical research or reviewing existing scientific literature.

2. Type of Paper

The type of paper you’re writing (e.g., research paper, thesis, review article, or essay) will greatly influence the number of references you need. As mentioned earlier, literature reviews will generally require more references than research papers, while shorter essays may require fewer.

3. Scope of Research

The breadth of your topic will also impact the number of references. If your topic covers a broad area, you may need more references to address different perspectives or aspects of the subject. Conversely, if your topic is narrowly focused, you may be able to justify using fewer references.

Example : A paper on “climate change” might require a large number of references due to the vast amount of research on the topic, while a paper on a specific aspect of climate change, such as “the impact of climate change on arctic fox populations,” might require fewer references because of its narrower focus.

4. Depth of Analysis

Papers that require a deep, critical analysis of a topic will often require more references than papers that are more descriptive or introductory. In-depth analysis typically involves comparing studies, discussing different viewpoints, and building a strong evidence-based argument, all of which require a robust reference list.

5. Instructions from Your Instructor or Journal

Always check the guidelines provided by your instructor or the journal where you plan to submit your paper. Some journals may have specific requirements regarding the number of references, and your instructor may provide recommendations based on the length of the assignment.

Quality vs. Quantity: A Delicate Balance

While it’s important to include an appropriate number of references, the quality of your references is more important than the sheer quantity. A paper with 50 references is not necessarily better than one with 30 references if many of those references are irrelevant or of poor quality.

Guidelines for Ensuring Quality:

• Use Recent and Relevant Sources : Ensure that your references are up-to-date and directly related to your topic. In fields that are rapidly evolving (e.g., technology, medicine), using recent studies is particularly important.
• Balance Primary and Secondary Sources : In research-heavy fields, primary sources (e.g., original studies, experiments) are often more valuable than secondary sources (e.g., reviews, opinion pieces). Ensure a good balance in your reference list.
• Avoid Over-Referencing Common Knowledge : Not all statements need to be cited. Avoid over-referencing widely accepted facts or common knowledge within your field. Instead, focus on citing sources that provide critical evidence or support for your argument.

How to Use References Effectively

To ensure your references contribute meaningfully to your academic paper, follow these best practices:

1. Integrate References Smoothly

• Integrate your references into the text in a way that supports your argument. Avoid simply listing citations at the end of a paragraph; instead, explain how the cited work relates to your point. Example : Rather than writing: Climate change impacts biodiversity (Smith, 2019; Jones, 2020; Taylor, 2021). Write: As Smith (2019) suggests, the rising temperatures due to climate change are disrupting ecosystems, leading to a decline in biodiversity. This view is supported by Jones (2020), who found that species in tropical regions are particularly vulnerable to these shifts.

2. Cite Multiple Sources When Appropriate

• When making a broad claim or presenting widely accepted findings, it’s often appropriate to cite multiple sources to strengthen your argument. However, avoid citing too many sources for minor points—this can clutter your writing. Example : If multiple studies have shown that exercise improves mental health, you could write: Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of regular exercise on mental health (Brown, 2018; Green, 2019; Miller, 2020).

3. Avoid Overloading Your Paper with References

• While it’s important to support your arguments with citations, overloading your paper with too many references can be distracting. Focus on citing the most relevant studies that directly relate to your research.

There is no fixed number of references that guarantees a well-researched academic paper. The appropriate number depends on the type of paper, the depth of research, the academic discipline, and any specific guidelines provided by your instructor or journal.

In general:

• Research papers typically include 20-50 references.
• Theses and dissertations may require 100-300 references.
• Literature reviews often include 40-100 references or more.
• Shorter essays may only need 10-20 references.

Ultimately, the key is to strike a balance between quality and quantity —using enough references to support your arguments while ensuring that each reference is relevant, credible, and essential to your research.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

Mr. Greg’s English Cloud was created in 2020 during the pandemic, aiming to provide students and parents with resources to help facilitate their learning at home.

In his spare time, he likes to compete in powerlifitng events and the odd strongman event!

Whatsapp: +85259609792

[email protected]

The Critical Turkey

Essay Writing Hacks for the Social Sciences

How many sources should I use in my essay?

Possibly the most frequently asked question when it comes to social science essay writing (certainly in first and second year courses) is how many sources should be used in an essay. This is a very legitimate question, especially if you don’t have much essay writing experience to start with. But the answer is not very straightforward. It depends. Rather than providing a fixed number, this blog post lays out what it depends on, and what kinds of parameters play a role in determining the number of readings.

The purpose of referencing

First, however, a short reflection on why you need to use references in the first place. Anchoring this discussion to its purpose will help you gain a deeper understanding of the issue, and the rest will make more sense. It is tempting to see this as a tick-box exercise of a specific number of readings you need to cover. But providing references goes deeper than that.

What distinguishes academic writing from other forms of writing is that indeed, it builds on what others have written before, and makes explicit reference to it. This is because social science is ever-evolving. When we write about social class today, we stand on the shoulders of giants , scholars like Marx, Weber, or more recently, Pierre Bourdieu. And those are only the big names. Hundreds of other authors have dedicated their scholarly lives to academic research, and added bits and pieces to an ever-evolving body of knowledge, be it on social class or any other topic we write about.

Providing references to their work pays tribute to this. It is a sign of respect for the work of others. But it also a way of showing your own awareness of the different debates and different perspectives in the field. And it is a way of showing where your position is. For example, if your analysis of class follows a Marxist tradition, this will show in the readings you use, as you will be drawing primarily on authors that have also followed this tradition (and probably some original Marx as well).

Rather than this being a tick-box exercise, then, referring to the work of others has a deeper meaning. It is about who you are, and where you see yourself, as a budding scholar. And you might not think of yourself as a budding scholar (yet?), but hey, we all have to start somewhere.

Parameter 1: Your ambition

And this brings us to the first parameter, your ambition. If all you want is write a reasonably well-informed essay that achieves a solid pass and a not unreasonable grade (a perfectly legitimate ambition. In our school this corresponds to a grade in the 50s range), fewer sources will do. You still need to demonstrate you have read, and are building on the literature, but there is less emphasis on integrating, for example, different perspectives. If, however, you want to demonstrate that you really know some stuff, and are aware of at least some of the different perspectives (in our school, a 60s essay), you will typically use a few more sources, integrate a few more perspectives, and a little more data and evidence. If you are aiming for those really high grade ranges (in our school, 70 and above), you want to show more of an ‘overview of the topic’, an awareness of a slightly bigger part of the body of knowledge that exists, which will result the use of additional sources, and an extended bibliography.

Okay, I know you want numbers. Here we go then. Let’s say this is a typical 1,500 to 2,000-word essay, first or second year, Social and Political Science at Edinburgh University (if you’re at another school or university this might be different. Even some individual courses might be different. Always check for local conditions): a typical 50s essay here will probably use four or five sources; in the 60s, it tends to be around five to ten, and typical 70s or above essays use probably somewhere between eight and 15 substantive sources. These are rough estimates, though. And importantly, these numbers are not deterministic. You could write a brilliant essay based on just five or six sources and still get that first. Or you could use 15 sources in your essay, but if your argument is off, or your writing is incomprehensible, or the sources aren’t very good, you might still only get a 50s grade.

Parameter 2: The kind of question

The second parameter to consider is the kind of question you are addressing. There are two main distinctions to make here: first, whether the question is mostly on a specific theory or on a topic. More theoretical questions tend to need fewer readings. For example, it could ask about a specific concept by a specific author, say Foucault’s concept of power/knowledge, or Mead’s idea of the Self. Rather than looking at several different viewpoints, this kind of essay question is asking you to engage in detail with only one author’s perspective. This means there is less importance on breadth of reading (expressed in a higher number of readings). However, this does not necessarily make things easier, as there is instead more emphasis on depth of reading. You need to engage thoroughly with that one text, more that you would otherwise. And even though the emphasis is on one author’s theory, depending on your ambition, you still want to consult additional literature, and see how other authors have interpreted and contextualised this particular theory.

If the essay question is on a specific topic, on the other hand, say globalisation, gender inequalities or social class, there is usually more of an emphasis on the breadth of reading, and of you demonstrating awareness of different perspectives and interpretations. This tends to result in a higher number of bibliography entries.

The second aspect of the ‘kind of question’ parameter you need to consider is how many dimensions the question has. In the above example, if the question is about one theorist, you will typically need fewer readings than if the question is asking you to compare theories, for example, compare Foucault’s notion of how power and knowledge are connected to what Marx and Engels wrote about the issue. Both might be 2,000 word essays, but the number of readings is likely to be twice as many if you add this comparison.

The same goes for topic questions. These, too, can involve several dimensions. A question that asks about the impact of globalisation on cultural practices in Japan is more likely to be focused on a selected number of core readings. If a similar question asks about the impact of globalisation on culture, the economy and politics in Japan, this multitude of dimensions will require additional readings for the additional dimensions.

Parameter 3: Quality of sources

Another parameter that determines the number of sources you need to use is the quality of your sources, and the kinds of sources you use. Once again, two distinctions are important here. First, there is a difference between core readings, and ones that are more peripheral. The core readings should indeed provide the core of your argument, and the basis for the essay to build on. They are usually provided in the course material, either as essay readings, or for the respective lectures or course units the essay builds on. The decisive point, however, and what defines these as core readings for the purpose of your essay, is that they touch on the core of what the essay is about. Peripheral readings are ones that provide examples, additional material, data and illustration. They help your essay branch out, and cover just that little bit more ground. The point, however, is that they are additional, and if push comes to shove, you could probably do without them. The core readings, in contrast, are indispensable.

This distinction is important for how you count your number of readings. Core readings count fully; peripheral readings, not quite so much. This can become a problem if your bibliography is overly weighted towards peripheral readings. If you have, say, ten readings in your bibliography, but only one or two are on the core of the topic, this will be insufficient, despite the relatively high number of readings. If we take the above example of the effects of globalisation on Japanese culture, if only one or two readings are on globalisation, and ten others on examples, this might leave the core a little hollow, and the discussion of globalisation in a more general sense might just not have sufficient substance. I have used the word ‘might’ here, because this does depend on the kinds of readings, and there is a chance that this bibliography actually does work. The important point is that this is something you need to pay attention to, and ultimately it is your judgment call.

The second distinction of the kinds of sources is between academic and non-academic sources. As a rule of thumb, you should be very careful about using non-academic sources in the first place. All of the above is written on the assumption that we are talking about academic (i.e. peer-reviewed) journal articles and books. Under certain circumstances, however, it is possible to use non-academic sources, such as news articles or blogposts, mostly to provide current examples and illustration of whatever you are writing about. If you do use such sources, however, they should never be seen as a replacement for academic sources. And when you count how many sources you have used, you should simply take these out of the equation. If you have used, say three academic sources and 15 non-academic sources, in the eyes of your marker (at least if I am that marker) you have only used three sources, plus some additional, peripheral, illustrative material. This is not to say that this additional material cannot also be very useful. But as discussed above, academic essay writing starts with an acknowledgment of what is already out there in terms of academic literature and research, and is based on the body of knowledge that has evolved over time on a specific topic, not on yesterday’s news.

Parameter 4: specific instructions

The last parameter to consider can throw the entire calculation over board. It is whether the essay question comes with specific instructions. Such instructions could be, for example, that an essay in social theory really only needs to engage with this one theory. This gives you permission to limit the number of readings. However, be careful here, as this can be a false friend. Reading additional secondary literature on the theory might actually help you understand it better.

Or you might be encouraged to use news articles to provide examples for your discussion. This can potentially lead to a much higher number of bibliography entries. But as discussed above, this should not replace academic literature, and the latter should always form the basis and core of your discussion.

These four parameters are what I think are the most relevant determinants for the number of readings you need to use in your essay. But maybe I missed something? What other considerations do you think are important? Or maybe you disagree with some claim made in this article? Do let me know in the comments below.

4 thoughts on “How many sources should I use in my essay?”

These articles are so, so helpful. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much! This helps me a lot : )

This is so helpful and clear, thanks a lots

Thank you – a fresh perspective used to compliment and invigorate my assessment schedule.

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6000 Word Dissertation Structure – A Detailed Guide (Updated 2024)

May 12, 2024 | 0 comments

May 12, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

Writing a 6,000-word dissertation can be daunting. A clear structure and plan make the dissertation easy to read and understand. A detailed guide for students is essential in ensuring they understand what they must do and how they should do it.

A 6000 word dissertation structure should include an introduction, literature review, methodology, research findings, discussion, and conclusion.

The introduction should provide an overview of the topic of your dissertation, introduce the research question, and explain why it’s important.

Your dissertation’s literature review chapter should discuss the sources and theories relevant to the topic.

The methodology should describe the methods used for researching the topic, including any ethical considerations that need to be considered.

Research findings should present any data or evidence collected from your research activities.

Discussion should interpret your findings, conclude your study, and consider any limitations of your work.

Lastly, the dissertation conclusion will summarise your work and suggest potential implications of your findings for further research or practice. This detailed guide will help students ensure their 6000-word dissertation is well-structured, comprehensive, and coherent.

Remember to see our guide on Effective Strategies for Master’s Dissertation Literature Review for comprehensive advice on searching literature, analyzing sources, organizing your review, and synthesizing the information to support your research.

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How do you write a 6000-word dissertation?- Detailed Guide for Students

Writing a 6000-word dissertation can be daunting, but it is achievable with careful planning and dedication. Setting realistic goals and sticking to them is important to complete the assignment on time.

First, create an outline of your dissertation so that you understand how it will be structured and what topics will be covered. Once the outline is complete, break down the sections into smaller tasks, which can be completed one at a time over several weeks.

As you write each section, take time to review and refine your ideas to ensure clarity and conciseness. Additionally, find reliable sources for your research topics to ensure accuracy.

Finally, once all the sections are written, please spend some time editing and proofreading your work before submitting it for evaluation. With proper planning and dedication, completing a 6000-word dissertation is possible.

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6000 Word Dissertation Structure

A 6,000-word dissertation structure has several components. The main body (Introduction and Literature review) should be around 4500 words, and this is where you make your arguments and present evidence to support your claims.

The literature review should typically be between 900 and 1200 words and require you to explain the existing research in your topic area. In some instances, 1800 words for the literature review is acceptable if the literature analysis and synthesis are detailed. The 300 words extra is understandable since it cannot extend the pages of your dissertation beyond the required word count.

Following the literature review, you should write the research methods chapter between 600 and 900 words.

Next, in the structure of your dissertation, an 1800-word discussion chapter should be written, which will make up the main body of the dissertation. This chapter should include a detailed data analysis, relevant findings, and any conclusions you have drawn.

Finally, you can write a conclusion summarizing your findings and recommendations for further research or action. By following this structure, you can ensure that all aspects of your 6,000-word dissertation are adequately covered.

For additional help formatting your dissertation according to your university’s style guidelines, review our Formatting Your Dissertation article on properly formatting elements such as sections, pagination, references, and appendices.

How Long Should A Literature Review Be In A 6000-Word Dissertation?

A literature review in a 6,000-word dissertation should be comprehensive enough to cover the research topic in detail. Generally, it should take up 15-20 percent of the total word count.

This means that for a 6,000-word dissertation, the literature review should be between 900 and 1200 words long. When writing the literature review chapter, it is important to provide relevant evidence to show how different sources relate to each other and your chosen research topic. Additionally, make sure you summarize and synthesize the sources effectively so that it is easy for readers to understand what you have written.

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How many references are enough for a 6000-word dissertation?

When writing a dissertation, you must properly reference the sources you use. The exact number of references needed for a 6000-word dissertation can vary depending on the subject and scope of research. Generally speaking, you should include at least 10-15 relevant, quality references in your dissertation.

This may include books, journal articles, online sources, official documents, or relevant materials supporting your argument. You should cite all sources correctly in the text and use a correct bibliography formatting style, such as APA or Harvard. Selecting the right number of references will depend on how much evidence or support you need for your arguments and what is appropriate for your topic and research question.

Make sure also to take a look at our article How Dissertation Writing Can Change Your Life for an insightful discussion on how completing a dissertation can boost your self-confidence and time management skills and prepare you for future success.

How Many Paragraphs Are 6000 Words?

6000 words equals around 20 pages of double-spaced or ten pages of single-spaced text. Depending on the formatting and font size chosen, it can also be slightly more or less. As for how many paragraphs this would be, it depends on the length of each paragraph. Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is that one page will contain around five paragraphs.

Therefore, you could estimate that there would be 100 paragraphs in 6000 words. However, this number can vary greatly depending on the content and the length of the paragraphs. For example, if you have very long paragraphs with lots of detail, you may only have 30-40 paragraphs in 6000 words. Similarly, if you have shorter paragraphs with fewer details, you may end up with more than 150-200 paragraphs in 6000 words.

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How many pages is a 6000-word dissertation?

A 6000-word dissertation typically consists of around 20 pages. This is based on a standard length of 275 words per page, with 1-inch margins and 12 12-point font size. Of course, the exact number of pages may vary depending on the specific formatting requirements set forth by your educational institution.

For example, if you are required to use a larger font size or wider margins, this could increase the number of pages needed for a 6000-word dissertation. Additionally, deciding to include images or graphs in your dissertation could affect the total number of pages you need.

Ultimately, you must review your institution’s formatting guidelines before beginning your dissertation so that you can estimate its required number of pages.

Check out our article, Mastering the Art of Crafting a Robust Dissertation Data Analysis , for valuable tips on effectively analyzing, interpreting, and presenting your important research findings.

How long does it take to write a 6000-word dissertation?

Writing a 6000-word dissertation is no small task! Depending on the research and preparation required, it can take anywhere from two weeks to several months. First, you must conduct thorough research, create an outline, and develop a timeline for writing the paper. After you have collected your sources and organized your thoughts, it is time to begin writing.

Depending on how quickly you write, you may be able to complete the drafts of your dissertation in one or two weeks. However, this does not include the time needed for editing and revising your work. You will likely spend at least a few days proofreading and making changes to ensure that your dissertation is error-free and meets all of the requirements set forth by your professor or institution. All in all, it can take several weeks to complete a 6000-word dissertation properly.

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6000 Word Dissertation Structure FAQ

What is the structure of a 6000 word dissertation.

A 6,000-word dissertation typically follows a standard structure that includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, conclusion, and references. Allocating word count to each section appropriately maintains balance and coherence.

How long will it take to write a 6000 word dissertation?

The time needed to write a 6000 word dissertation varies depending on research complexity, availability of resources, and individual writing speed. On average, completing the dissertation could take several weeks to a few months.

How many references for a 6000 word dissertation?

The number of references in a 6,000-word dissertation can vary depending on the subject and depth of research. A general guideline is to have  20-30 references for a dissertation of this length.

How long should a methodology be in a 6000 word dissertation?

The methodology section in a 6,000-word dissertation should be succinct but comprehensive, typically taking up 10-15% of the total word count. Ensure that you explain the research methods, data collection techniques, and analysis procedures in enough detail to support the study.

I am dedicated to creating engaging blog posts that provide valuable insights and advice to help students excel in their studies. From study tips to time management strategies, my goal is to empower students to reach their full potential.

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How Many References Should I have in an Essay?

Some teachers provide suggested guidelines for how many sources they want to see cited needed in an essay. If this is the case, students should follow this strictly. If teachers haven’t mentioned anything specifically, students should aim to hit around 6-8 references for every 1,000 words of content. This works to about 1 reference for every 200 words or roughly about 1 reference in each paragraph.

However, this is a general rule and should be considered the bare minimum. We’re not saying that every single paragraph of your assignment should have at least 1 reference. Instead, you need to consider the focus of references based on the subsection of the paper. It is important that you do not stuff in your references all in one place. You shouldn’t also make a conscious effort spread them throughout every section of your paper either . You should add in references organically where it would be needed by putting yourself in the shoes of the reader.

For instance, the literature review section is almost always going to need a higher focus on references . This is because the aim of this section is to establish existing ideas within your chosen topic. This in turn requires citations to the existing sources.

On the other hand, the findings, discussions, and conclusion sections are only going to need a moderate focus on references . These sections require you to make your own inferences based on the material you have researched. You should have partially covered the theoretical background for these in the previous sections. Hence there is a relatively lower need to cite sources here unless you are trying to further support your own findings and conclusions.

As we have mentioned in our guide on how to make introduction and conclusions for assignments, the conclusion section must not have new information that you haven’t covered (even if just partially) in the other sections. Instead, you should use this section to go over the key points to emphasize their implications further. In other words, you should not have any external references in the conclusions section .

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Can you use too many references in an essay?

Yes, having an excessive amount of references in-text dilutes the quality of your paper. Doing this is going to make your paper seem like a very long literature review. Instead, your professors want to see that you have read through existing literature and engaged with it to form your own ideas. We cover in this some detail in our guides on how to prepare a literature review and how to critically analyze information.

Having said that, it is generally better to have too many references as compared to too few sources cited. While both approaches are not ideal, in case of over-citing with proper interlinking of the points from different sources), it shows that you have taken the effort to look up multiple sources. So, while you would have fewer original ideas in this case, the actual content should be of a high quality.

On the other hand, having too few references gives the impression that you probably wrote the paper at the last minute. When we don’t rely on enough external sources, we are likely to end up with generic statements or going off on a tangent.

So, to get an idea of how many citations is too many, you should ask yourself the question of whether you have been able to include enough original content of your own as well. If you’re dealing with a topic which has multiple viewpoints with arguments and counterarguments for each, then it is fine to even have even two or three references clustered together in consecutive sentences. However, just make sure that you follow up these consecutive referenced sentences with what you have inferred from them.

How many times can you cite one source?

You can cite the same source multiple times, as long as you do it the right way, without making it seem like you have relied too heavily on the same source. Teachers expect to see that you have tried to explore different viewpoints on an issue. Simply citing the same sources over and over could make you susceptible to the same biases of those authors.

How do you reference the same author multiple times?

If you’re following the standard Chicago style , when citing the same source consecutively, the use of the word ‘Ibid’ is typically recommended. This word comes from the Latin word ‘ibidem’ which conveys the meaning of ‘in the same place’.

However, it is worth noting that the Chicago 17 th Edition does not favor the use of ‘Ibid’ and instead recommends shortened citations.

Other referencing styles like Harvard and MLA do not recommend the use of ‘Ibid’ and instead encourage shortened references instead. In the APA style, there is no specific recommendation to use ‘Ibid’ either. If you’re following one of these three referencing styles, then you don’t necessarily have to repeat the in-text reference for the source in each sentence. You just need to make it clear that you’re referencing the same source again.

Should Ibid be italicized?

The general consensus in academic circles at present is that foreign words which are used commonly do not need to be italicized. This includes Latin words like ibid., et al., passim, fait accompli and de facto, so you do not need to italicize these words.

Is there a comma after Ibid?

You should follow up the word ‘Ibid’ with a comma and include the page number if you have to be referencing different pages of the same source. If not, then there’s no need to have a comma after Ibid.

Can you have two citations in one sentence?

Yes, you can have two or more citations in one sentence. However, if you if do this, take care to phrase the sentence properly. To avoid making the sentence too long, you can break up the citations as shown below. Alternatively, you can potentially combine the references in parentheses as explained in the next section.

How do you cite two or more references within the same parentheses?

If you want to cite multiple references within the same parentheses, you should separate them by using a semi colon (;) in between. This is shown in the following example in which two closely related points from different sources are combined together.

Calculator for number of References Needed

Here’s a calculator to get a ballpark estimate of the number and type of references which you need for your assignment. Please follow the instructions below to get an idea of how to use this calculator.

Nandakumar, M. K., Ghobadian, A., & O’Regan, N. (2010). Business‐level strategy and performance: The moderating effects of environment and structure.  Management Decision . 48(6), 907-939.

Porter, M. E. (1979). How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review [Online]. Available from: https://hbr.org/1979/03/how-competitive-forces-shape-strategy [Accessed 14 November 2021]

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How Many References Should a Research Paper Have? Study of 96,685 Articles

I analyzed a random sample of 96,685 full-text research papers, uploaded to PubMed Central between the years 2016 and 2021, in order to answer the question:

How many references should you cite when writing a research article?

I used the BioC API to download the data (see the References section below).

Here’s a summary of the key findings

1- The average number of references for a research paper is 45 , with 90% of research papers having between 8 and 102 references. However, this number depends a lot on study design . For instance, a systematic review typically has 49 references while a case report has only 24.

2- As a rule of thumb, consider citing 1 reference for every 95 words (or 4 sentences) .

3- The more research you do will be reflected in the number of references you use in your paper, since high-quality articles usually have 5 more references than the median .

How many references does a typical article have?

The histogram below shows that most research papers have between 25 to 50 references, and only a few exceed 100:

Because the distribution has a right tail, the median number of references becomes a more reliable metric than the mean. Here are a few other numbers that summarize the data:

From this table we can conclude that:

The median research paper has 39 references, and 50% of papers have between 25 and 56 references. An article can have as few as 1 reference as a minimum, and 911 references as a maximum.

Next, let’s see if the number of references depends on the study design.

Should the study design influence the number of references you use?

The table below shows that:

1- Secondary study designs (systematic reviews and meta-analyses) have the highest number of references (median = 49), which is to be expected as these articles review a large body of information.

2- Experimental, quasi-experimental and analytical designs typically have between 35 and 39 references.

3- Descriptive designs (case reports and case series) have the lowest number of references (median ≈ 25), which also makes sense as these describe the clinical story of a single (or a few) patient(s) and generally have a very short literature review section.

How often should you cite in a research paper?

Some journals may specify the maximum number of citations allowed. For instance, Nature allows articles to have at most 30 references in the main text [ Source ]. So make sure to check the authorship guidelines of the journal where you want to submit.

That being said, often is the case where we ask ourselves: am I taking too much information from outside sources? or maybe too few? So I would argue that it would be useful to know, for a given article size, how many references to cite.

If we measure the length of all the articles in our dataset combined and divide it by the total number of references, we get the following numbers:

On average, 1 reference is cited for every 95 words, that is 1 reference for every 4 sentences. In terms of paragraphs, an article has approximately 1.5 references for each paragraph.

Here’s a table that shows the median number of references cited for each word count category:

Does using more references make your article better?

Hypothesis 1: It is well-known that citing more resources is usually associated with more in-depth research, therefore, we would expect high-quality articles to include a higher number of references.

Hypothesis 2: Some experts believe that a good writing habit is to keep the number of references to a minimum (see: Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers by Mimi Zeiger), so according to this hypothesis, high-quality articles should have, on average, fewer references.

Let’s find out what researchers are doing in practice and which hypothesis our data support.

In order to answer the question, I collected the journal impact factor (JIF) for 71,579 articles and divided the dataset into 2 groups:

• research papers published in low impact journals (JIF ≤ 3): this subset consisted of 34,758 articles
• research papers published in high impact journals (JIF > 3): this subset consisted of 36,821 articles

After controlling for study design, the group with JIF ≤ 3 had a median number of references of 37, while the group with JIF > 3 had a median of 44.

Remember that the median article overall had 39 references (as we saw above), so based on these results, we can conclude that:

High-quality articles, in general, have about 5 more references than the median article. So a comprehensive literature review and a more in-depth discussion section can make the difference between a good and an excellent research article.

• Comeau DC, Wei CH, Islamaj Doğan R, and Lu Z. PMC text mining subset in BioC: about 3 million full text articles and growing,  Bioinformatics , btz070, 2019.

Further reading

• How Old Should References Be? Based on 3,823,919 Examples
• Statistical Software Popularity in 40,582 Research Papers
• Programming Languages Popularity in 12,086 Research Papers
• Length of a Conclusion Section: Analysis of 47,810 Examples
• How Long Should a Research Paper Be? Data from 61,519 Examples

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Essay Referencing Guide

Writing an essay is never a walk in the park, especially if you are a freshman. Many students are surprised at first when they need to write an essay, because of all the demands that go with it. We are not just talking about doing research and writing at a very high level, but also about essay referencing. In the beginning, it’s difficult to wrap your head around a concept like that. Also, it can still seem pretty daunting if it’s been a while since you’ve done it.

Poor essay referencing is one of the main reasons why students lose points on their essays and receive lower grades, despite the strength of their arguments and their writing chops. Referencing your sources is a must in academic circles, because everything else is considered plagiarism. This means that every time you use a piece of data, images, graphics, or words from someone else’s paper or dissertation, you need to provide a citation and its matching reference. With that in mind, let’s take a look at our essay referencing guide that will help master the skill of referencing once and for all. Keep on reading to find out more.

What Is Referencing And Why Is It Important?

Essay referencing enables you to acknowledge the authors and their contributions, which have been used in your own work. Every essay ever written is underpinned by ideas, research, or finding of other writers, which is why it’s crucial that your essay contains proper citations. There are several reasons why referencing is so important. The most important ones are:

• You avoid plagiarism - this is probably the most obvious reason why you should reference the original authors. It’s perfectly fine to use someone else’s work and findings to act as a basis for your own writing, but if you fail to cite your sources, it is considered a very serious academic offense. Not only is it considered unethical, but you are also violating a number of intellectual property rights every author is entitled to. Pretty much every academic institution has a clear, and usually very strict, policy on plagiarism.
• It provides credibility to your work - regardless of what your essay topic is, there will be a whole raft of previous works available on it. Being able to do your research and pick the most relevant and compelling ones is a skill in itself, which is why essay referencing also gives additional credibility to your writing. It also allows you to bolster your own data with similar research already done by another author, which is something that essay writing service professionals adhere to at all times.
• It shows that you acknowledge research that was done previously - not only is this respectful to other authors, but also shows that you haven’t picked your sources randomly, and that you are well familiar with the subject matter and capable of extracting data that is the most useful and relevant to your essay.

Essay Referencing Systems

Referencing is required for just about every single piece of academic writing, and that includes essays. Now, unfortunately for students, there is no universal referencing system. Instead, there are several different ones that are used in the academic community. Ideally, you get to choose which one to use, but in most cases, the choice is made for you by a specific publication or academic institution you are attending. The most common essay referencing systems are:

Lately, Harvard, which is also knowns as the Author Date system, has been the most prevalent system for essay referencing. It uses short citations inside the text itself, unlike most of the other systems which rely on footnotes at the end of the paper.

When to Use References

Generally speaking, you always need to cite the original author of the work you are using, be it a book, industry publication, or even a website. Now, in order to avoid confusion as to what qualifies as using someone else’s work, we have put together a short list that lets you know when you should reference. You should reference in case you are:

• Directly quoting someone else’s work, regardless of the publication type
• Using a famous quotation
• Paraphrasing someone else’s writing and findings
• Summarizing data points and ideas from someone else’s paper, book, or article
• Using charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, images, or statistical data published by another author
• Using someone else’s idea

That pretty much covers all cases where essay referencing is required. Now, if you are writing from your own experience, using personal anecdotes, opinions, or experiments, you won’t need to reference anything. The same goes for stuff that is common knowledge or a generally accepted fact.

How to Reference

One of the most common mistakes students make when it comes to essay referencing is to write a list of references at the very end of the writing process. In that case, you will need to go through the entire paper and try and find the works which you have cited, which can take a lot of time, and can be very tedious. Instead, try writing down your references as you go along. That way, by the time you are done writing, you will have a complete list of references, and you won’t have to worry about missing any of them, and getting accused of plagiarism.

For every reference, you will need the following details:

• Name of the original author
• The edition, in case it’s not the first
• The year the work was published, as well as the city
• Publisher’s name
• Name of the article if it’s an article, page numbers, or numbers
• In case it’s an online resource, provide the address, as well as the date you accessed the source
• Page number if you are quoting the source directly

Obviously, each referencing system has its own specifics, but for the most part, this is what you should expect to provide for each reference.

How Many References Do You Need?

While there are no strict rules when it comes to the number of references in your essay, there are some general essay referencing guidelines that you’ll want to follow. For example, you might want to include one unique citation per every 150 words of your essay. Of course, you can cite one source more than once, but you should also aim to get data from multiple sources in order to make it more diverse and compelling. Also, you’ll want to include different opinions and view the topic from multiple angles when coming up with your own conclusion.

Depending on essay length, you’ll want to include the following number of references in the reference list:

• 1500-word essay - 10 references or more
• 2000-word essay - 13 references or more
• 2500-word essay - 16 references or more
• 3000-word essay - 20 references or more
• 3500-word essay - 23 references or more
• 4000-word essay - 26 references or more
• 5000-word essay - 33 references or more

While putting together a list of references for your essay requires a lot of work and focus, once you learn all the ins and out of essay referencing, it becomes much easier. We hope that you have found our guide helpful, and that you will start implementing the tips we have shared when writing your next essay.

Written by Michael Writer

Publish Date: August 19, 2022

Michael Writer

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