• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

IELTS with Fiona

IELTS Made Easier

Members Academy
Log in

  • Home
  • Resources
  • Lessons
  • My courses
  • FAQs
  • About me
  • What’s New

Should I refer to research articles in IELTS Writing Task 2?

By ieltsetc on July 28, 2017 0

IELTS Writing Task 2 How to refer to research articles

Many websites and tutors teach their students to invent false evidence from articles/journals in order to support their arguments in their IELTS WritingTask 2.

They recommend this as a strategy to sound more convincing, authoritative and academic.

However, I would argue that you will sound MORE convincing, authoritative and academic if you don’t refer to random fake articles that you just made up! 

I will outline my reasons below.

After a week of marking Task 2 essays where candidates kept referring to fake articles they had made up (invented), I posted this piece of advice on Instagram.

I wanted to keep it short and sweet, so I didn’t explain my reasons for this advice.

Then one of my followers asked me this very sensible question:

‘You say it seems unreliable if the article says the name or date of some research. But why does the information WITHOUT references sound more trustworthy?’

Here is my explanation.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Preparation

Why do we use referencing?

When you go to university and write assignments, you have to refer to research that you’ve read. Why?

  • to show that you have read widely around the subject
  • to show your understanding and awareness of previous research
  • to add support to your own ideas
  • to show how your own ideas might differ from the research you have read
  • to avoid being accused of ‘plagiarism’ (copying other people’s ideas)

When you refer to someone else’s writing, you have to give details of what you’ve read in your Bibliography.  You have to be very specific, giving the name of the author, the name of the article, the date is was published, the name of the publisher and the exact page numbers, depending on how you’ve used the research in your assignment.

All of this is quite a skill, and when I spend many hours marking my Academic Skills Students’ assignments, it is probably the thing that I correct the most, and I am constantly asking the same questions in the margin – ref? date? page? first name? etc.

Being able to use referencing accurately and appropriately is an essential aspect of academic studies and there are whole classes devoted to helping students learn how and why we reference other sources. Indeed, whole books have been written on the subject.

This is all well and good.

 

What's different about IELTS?

Your university assignment can be anything from a 2000 word assignment to a 10,000 word thesis. It will probably take you weeks if not months, because you are specialising in your subject area and need time to read and select the most appropriate materials to include in your assignment.

Now, compare this to IELTS. You have 40 minutes to write your opinion on a random topic in 250 words. There is a world of a difference. How can the examiners expect you to have research ready to quote on absolutely any topic? They don’t. They just want you to show some awareness of the issues. That’s all.

So if you suddenly start talking about research that you’ve read in the Oxford/Cambridge/London Journal of Economics, I immediately start to think ”Really? Did you really read that?”

It’s almost as if you think I’m not intelligent enough to know that you made it up! I somehow feel like you’re trying to trick me.

 

Would you make up information to support your argument in a discussion?

I know people who do. Lots of people say ‘Well I read an article the other day which said….’ and I think ‘Really? Let me see the article. Who wrote it?’

They usually start to panic. Google’s great for that. But we all know that unless the source is RELIABLE (another whole lesson on this – see the CRAAP* Test below to help you work out if something is reliable) then we can’t trust it. It’s ‘fake news’.

So how can I trust what you’ve written if you can’t give me the full details?

My teacher said I should make it up!

Yes, I’ve seen lots of websites that recommend this too, sadly. Anything that you make up will sound false. Much better to sound authentic.

But I really did read an article!

If you have memorised all the details of the article you’ve read and it happens to be relevant to the question (and if you have, you deserve a 9!) then go ahead and write it all down. Though it still seems to be wasting words and time. And it’s not really showing me much of your English writing ability.

You’d be much better off saving yourself the stress by saying something a lot more general, like ‘Research has shown that…’. I am much more likely to listen to you and trust you.

And because I’m an intelligent person too, I will probably have heard of this research and therefore will know what you’re talking about and empathise with you. I might even be thinking ‘Hmm that’s a good point’!

How to refer to research

  • Research has shown…
  • As has been frequently shown…
  • According to a study published recently…
  • According to recent research… (NB ‘research‘ is uncountable, so there is no plural form and no ‘a’)
  • A recent report has revealed/shown/indicated (NB Present Perfect is a good tense to choose, though Present Simple is fine)
  • Research findings reveal/show/indicate that…
  • A survey/study was carried out/conducted which proved that…
  • In a recent report, it emerged that…
  • There is evidence to suggest that…

The CRAAP Test

Have a look at this great explanation and download a copy from the place where it was apparently invented!

http://library.csuchico.edu/help/source-or-information-good

And how do I know it was invented by them?

Well, when I googled ‘CRAAP Test’ I first got this website, and like all good academics, they properly referenced their sources!

http://libguides.library.ncat.edu/content.php?pid=53820&sid=394505

Why should you believe me?!

I teach Academic Skills at my local University, and do a lot of my own research, some of which has been published, so I have to get it right!

Read all about my ‘Blue Book’ research project about how students can improve their grammar through correction.

See how I reference REAL articles that I HAVE actually READ in this article: Have you hit an IELTS plateau?’

Here’s a real-world example of how people refer to research when they can’t remember the exact article, author and date:

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by IELTS with Fiona (@ieltsetc) on Oct 28, 2020 at 10:20am PDT

Not sure if you’re making mistakes in your IELTS Writing?

Get weekly feedback and all courses included in the Members Academy – it’s everything you need for IELTS in one place.

IELTS Made Easier
  • How to use formal language in IELTS Task 2
  • How long will it take to increase my IELTS score?
  • How to show concession in IELTS Writing Task 2
  • How to use conditionals in IELTS Writing
  • Grammar for IELTS: How to write complex sentences

Want to know what’s new?

If you want to hear all about my new lessons, podcasts, YouTube videos, challenges and courses, get your name on my email list (oh you’ll also get my free 28-Day Planner).

Sign up for the free 28-Day Planner.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Would you like to support my website?

In order to make sure you get a fantastic experience on my website I don’t use any advertising, and all the costs are paid for out of my own pocket.

If you’d like to help me keep these materials free for everyone, you are more than welcome to buy me a coffee! Many many thanks in advance.

Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee

Categories

  • Academic Writing Task 1
  • Grammar
  • GT Writing Task 1
  • IELTS Advice
  • IELTS General Training
  • IELTS Listening
  • IELTS Reading
  • IELTS Speaking
  • IELTS Vocabulary
  • IELTS Writing Task 2

Tags

Academic Reading P1 Academic Reading P2 Academic Reading P3 Agriculture Animals Buildings choosing from list Civilisation Crime education Finance gap-fill listening gap fill reading Gap Fill with answers grammar GT letters GT Reading GT Task 1 Health History ielts tips informal writing Inventions labelling a diagram Matching Headings matching people Matching Statements multiple choice listening multiple choice reading Nature pronunciation Research Speaking Tables Technology TFNG The Arts The environment The Future Transport travel Water work writing task 2 YNNG

What my students are saying:

IELTS with Fiona reviews Charmian

Charmian

From 6.6 to 8!!! Can you believe it? Thanks for everything!

Members Academy student

IELTS with Fiona
5
2020-01-13T09:09:01+00:00

Members Academy student

IELTS with Fiona reviews Charmian
From 6.6 to 8!!! Can you believe it? Thanks for everything!
https://ieltsetc.com/testimonials/charmian/
IELTS with Fiona reviews Shreyas

Shreyas

I was overwhelmed to receive my IELTS results. I got overall of 7.5 in my IELTS exam. Thank you once...

Academy Member

IELTS with Fiona
5
2020-01-13T09:06:30+00:00

Academy Member

IELTS with Fiona reviews Shreyas
I was overwhelmed to receive my IELTS results. I got overall of 7.5 in my IELTS exam. Thank you once again for all resources.
https://ieltsetc.com/testimonials/shreyas/
IELTS with Fiona reviews Sancia

Sancia

I was stuck in writing with 6.5 and with just 2 weeks of preparation from your notes I scored 7.5....

General Training 28-Day Challenge student

IELTS with Fiona
5
2020-01-13T08:43:00+00:00

General Training 28-Day Challenge student

IELTS with Fiona reviews Sancia
I was stuck in writing with 6.5 and with just 2 weeks of preparation from your notes I scored 7.5. I don't have enough words to thank you.
https://ieltsetc.com/testimonials/sancia/

Ipek

I’ve got a very busy life and IELTS Academy was time-saving for me that it involves everything about IELTS in...

Academy Member

IELTS with Fiona
5
2019-12-03T18:16:09+00:00

Academy Member

I’ve got a very busy life and IELTS Academy was time-saving for me that it involves everything about IELTS in one place. Fiona is an excellent teacher with passion and kindness to all of her students. She helped me a lot with IELTS and I improved my scores significantly in a very short time. Some days I had no spare time for studying and I listened her podcasts when I was driving to work and it also helped me a lot! I strongly recommend this course to all IELTS candidates.
https://ieltsetc.com/testimonials/ipek/
IELTS with Fiona reviews Ipek

Lily S

The Academy gave me clear guidelines, study materials and methods to lead me into a high IELTS performance. As I...

Academy Member

IELTS with Fiona
5
2019-12-03T18:12:42+00:00

Academy Member

IELTS with Fiona reviews Ipek
The Academy gave me clear guidelines, study materials and methods to lead me into a high IELTS performance. As I have a super busy career and family life, my study time is very limited. When I first decided to take an IELTS test, I even didn't know where to start. After studying with Fiona for a while, in the first IELTS test, I got Band 8! Thank you so much for your hard work and your professionalism, Fiona!!!
https://ieltsetc.com/testimonials/lily-s/
5
IELTS with Fiona

Work out your current score

IELTS Band Score Calculator

Popular Posts

  • How to use formal language in IELTS Task 2
  • How long will it take to increase my IELTS score?
  • How to show concession in IELTS Writing Task 2
  • How to use conditionals in IELTS Writing
  • Grammar for IELTS: How to write complex sentences

Recent posts

  • How to write an email to someone you don’t know
  • How to use ‘rise’ and ‘raise’
  • How to use have/get something done
  • What is ‘hedging’ in academic writing?
  • Words ending in -able or -ible

Come and see what’s going on

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Products

  • IELTS Speaking Mock Test Speaking Mock Test $45.00
  • IELTS Writing Feedback IELTS Writing and Speaking Assessment $99.00
  • Get 8 IELTS Writing Feedback Videos $200.00
  • IELTS Speaking Course syllabus Speaking Course and Mock Test $99.00
  • IELTS WRITING FEEDBACK IELTS Writing Assessment and Feedback Task 1 and Task 2 $50.00

Looking for something specific?

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube
  • About me
  • Contact me
  • IELTS Band Score Calculator
  • IELTS Test 28-Day planner
  • Resources
  • My IELTS 10-minute lessons

Copyright © 2021 — IELTS Exam Training Courses • Privacy Policy • Disclaimer • All rights reserved

This site uses cookies: Find out more.