Physics Subject Guide: Organize, write & cite

 Manage your sources

Everyone will approach the collection and organization of research sources in different ways to suit their own preferences. However, the following advice generally applies:

• For electronic sources, download copies and back them up to the cloud
• For every source, take good notes and record page number references for text that you want to quote/paraphrase
• Ensure that you record sufficient details about each source so you can cite it properly
• Use an online research manager to help you (see below)

 Write your assignment

Common writing assignment in physics courses include:

• Literature reviews
• Short analytical essays
• Lab reports

Information types that you should draw upon when researching for such assignments include:

• Journal articles
• Literature Reviews
• Technical reports
• Conference papers

The Library also has a number of books providing a more detailed overview of doing research and reporting in physical sciences. Check them out:

 Cite your sources

It is vital to properly and consistently cite the information sources that you use in your assignments. Nevertheless, there is no single preferred citation style in physics. Please check with your professor on what citation style to use. Click the link below for a quick reference to commonly used citation styles.

  Click here for the Library's Citation Guide (APA, MLA, etc.)

Below are the author's information pages from two professional societies, The American Institute of Physics (AIP) and the American Physical Society (APS), for your reference on commonly accepted citation format in their scholarly publications.

 AIP Publishing - Featured author resources 

This page lists resources and services that can help authors to prepare their manuscripts. 

APS Physical Review Journals - Information for authors

This page lists submission guidelines to different journals of the American Physical Society.

Turnitin

Turnitin is an online software program that can compare submitted academic assignments against an extensive database of published and unpublished information, and provide a report on the degree of similarity between the assignment and the material in that database.  

To ensure that interested students are able to submit their assignments to Turnitin, the Library maintains a practice Turnitin Assignment on a designated course site on HKBU Moodle.