Estimated study time: 9 minutes
Learning objective: Select credible sources and reference external knowledge appropriately.
Use references when you rely on external scientific, professional or legal information. Appropriate sources may include peer-reviewed literature, recognised textbooks, manufacturer instructions for use, local Standard Operating Procedures, IBMS and HCPC guidance, national guidance and relevant professional standards.
| Stronger sources | Use cautiously or avoid as main evidence |
|---|---|
| Current official professional or regulatory guidance. | Wikipedia or general revision sites. |
| Peer-reviewed articles and recognised textbooks. | Random blogs and social media posts. |
| Manufacturer instructions for the exact method or analyser. | Commercial claims without supporting evidence. |
| Current local SOPs and approved policies. | Out-of-date documents or superseded guidance. |
| NHS, NICE, UKHSA or other authoritative sources where relevant. | Unsourced artificial-intelligence output. |
Use the referencing style required locally. Vancouver style is common in biomedical science: sources are numbered in the order they appear, with corresponding details in a reference list. The purpose is not to fill the page with references; it is to support claims, acknowledge sources, avoid plagiarism and allow the reviewer to verify information.
Routine personal actions do not need a citation, but the SOP, guideline or scientific claim that informed the action may need one.
Learner activity
Choose one claim from a current draft and identify the best available source. Record why that source is more appropriate than a general website.
Key points
- Use the best source for the claim.
- Check currency, relevance and authority.
- Reference external knowledge and documents clearly.