Creating accurate references can be a minefield for students submitting their dissertations and theses.

To help make sure that work is consistent in style and presentation, GlobalPAD at the University of Warwick, has launched a new app - MasterCite - that can help students and researchers improve the way they use references and citations.

Key features include:

 

The app gives guidance on how to use three different referencing systems that students may be required to use by their institution: APA 6, MLA and Chicago 16th. All of these are commonly used by academic institutions.

The app uses a colour coding system to show how to order elements of the reference such as author, publication and issue number, and title and where to use different typefaces such as bold or italics. There is also an FAQ section that covers issues commonly raised by students in relation to referencing, and highlights the importance of avoiding plagiarism.

Daniel Dauber, who has developed the app for the Centre for Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, says: “We designed this tool in response to requests from our students, who often find it hard to navigate their way through the different referencing systems.

With all three of the systems that we have featured, consistency is key. With this app on their phone, students can focus on getting the content of their work right without needing regularly to reach for reference style guides or search online. Over time, users will start to learn the systems and feel more confident in how they use them.

We’ve even included a game within the app so you can test how good you are at recognising and using the different citation styles!”

He adds: “The three systems we have included in the app are those most commonly used by institutions at the moment. We’re planning to continue development with additional guides and features over the next few months.”

MasterCite is currently available for iOS, via iTunes, and costs just 69p. To find out more, or to download the app, go to the iTunes App Store.