RE: Using References in your work

["Hart, Geoff" <Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

Susan Kirk wonders: <<Is it acceptable to use references in your work? and
how much is acceptable?  As a new writer I cant help feeling that I should
be writing every word myself, however, I am a firm believer in NOT
reinventing the wheel,  and where there is credible and intelligent writings
from others, naturally I like to use it>>

You weren't very specific concerning what you mean by references, so here's
a general reply: First, you're entirely correct that it makes no sense to
reinvent the wheel. When I advise people concerning how to create house
style guides, my first piece of advice is to suggest that they pick an
appropriate existing style guide, and document only the unique things about
their company's work that don't appear in the existing guide. Second, if you
do choose to use an existing reference, you need to be very sure that all
your readers have access to this reference; for example, if your library has
only a single copy of the Chicago Manual of Style, then are you doing your
readers a service by referring to this guide? If the guide will be used
heavily, odds are excellent people will be lining up to use the book--if it
hasn't been taken from the library--or will decide it's not worth the
trouble and won't bother using it, which defeats the purpose of having a
standard reference. Apply the same principle to Web sites and online help:
if the reference isn't easily available or might change location, it might
prove unwise to cite it as a reference.

--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
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