All students know that it is necessary for the teacher to submit the scientific work for verification in accordance with all the rules for writing it. However, the question often arises of how to properly draw up footnotes in the term paper. I’d like to talk about this now.
Documents
First of all, it must be said that if a certain question arose regarding the design of term paper, it is best to refer to the standard GOST 7.1-2003. It outlines all the requirements for the design of various scientific works, including information that there should be footnotes in such documents. However, unfortunately the majority, there is absolutely no explanation in GOST for how to do everything correctly. This document is intended more for library design of the list of references.
But what about a student who wants to figure out how to make footnotes in a term paper? Everything is simple here, you need to seek help from the staff of your department or take the requirements directly from the attached teacher. Since there is no complete information on the design of footnotes in GOST, each specialist has the right to independently establish his own requirements for the design of various parts of the scientific works of his students.
Why is this needed?
Many people may be interested in information about why footnotes are needed in term paper, how they help. So, it is worth recalling that each independent work should be unique in its content. Of course, you can use a variety of literature, but the essence of writing a term paper is the analysis of the information received, its interpretation and individual presentation. If you need to use a quote or insert a passage of text from other literature, a link to the source is required. If this is not done, the student can easily be accused of plagiarism, and the work recognized as canceled. And this is much worse than getting a deuce for your course (you can at least fix the grade).
Types of Footnotes
It is worth saying that there are two types of footnotes in the term paper:
1. Subscript (information about the source from which the quote is taken is at the bottom of the page, under the text itself).
2. Interline (data on the source is given immediately after the quote in square brackets). They have two numbers. The first: the serial number of the source in the list of references, the second: the page of the source in which the citation is placed.
If there are no special requirements, footnotes are drawn up using any of these methods. However, more often educational institutions prefer more convenient in-line footnotes.
Option 1. Subscript
Everyone, probably, saw how footnotes look in the finished version. Near the last word in the quote, a small digit is in front of the quotation marks (for example, 1). Further, at the very end of this sheet, under the line in small letters, a full explanation will be given of which source the quotation was taken from (name of the author, name of the book, publisher, year), as well as the number (or numbers) of the page. In order to independently make such footnotes you just need to correctly use the capabilities of MS Word. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:
- on the toolbar (located at the top of the working window) you need to find the "Insert" tab;
- then there to find the item “Footnotes and references”;
- independently set the format of the footnote: select the numbering on each page (in this version, the footnotes will be placed at the end of each page on which they are located).
However, it is worth saying that for the latest versions of Word, the algorithm will be slightly different:
- all on the same toolbar you need to find the “Links” tab;
- then find there the sub-item “Footnotes”;
- click on the item “Insert footnote” and enter the source information manually.
Important Nuances
It is worth remembering that the footnotes in the term paper are set only when the quote is completely taken from the source verbatim. If it is written in free quotation, but the essence of the words is still borrowed, the design of footnotes in this version will already be somewhat different. Before indicating the source, it will be necessary to write the following phrase: “See about it". Those. the author points out that more detailed information about this can be found in a certain source.
Example: “See about this: Ivanov I.I. The general theory of the development of life on the planet. M .: BioLit, 2000. 19".
Similarly, several links will be issued, from which the information presented in the course work is taken and interpreted in the same way. They will be served after the same phrase, one line, through a semicolon.
Option 2. In-line
So, we analyze further the design of footnotes in the term paper. It was said above that there are two options. It is worth mentioning that it is much easier to display inline footnotes than subscripts, because you do not need to use any additional functions for this, everything is done manually. You only need to know that they must be placed in square brackets immediately after the quote is written (before the dot at the end of the line). It is important to remember two nuances here:
1. First comes the number of the source from which the quote was taken (according to the list of references), followed by a semicolon.
2. Next, you need to specify the page. According to the requirements, the designation “s.” May go before the number, or maybe not. If the quote is written on several pages, this should also be indicated.
Examples of inline links
It is also important to provide examples of footnotes in the term paper. So what they might look like:
1. [12; p.22];
2. [12; 22];
3. [12; from. 22-23];
4. [12; 22-23].
All of these options are inherently correct. However, again I want to remind you that it is better to clarify all the nuances of the design of footnotes with the teacher or employees of the department, so that later there are no questions or complaints.
Difficulties in making inline footnotes
Understanding how to draw up footnotes in the term paper, it is worth remembering that certain difficulties may arise. The first of them appears when the list of references is not yet completely ready in the process of filling out the footnotes. If you change the last number of some sources will automatically change. Therefore, it is important to remember that you also need to change the numbers in the footnotes, otherwise the information will not be true. Therefore, when writing a draft (or a working version of the course) and before the complete list of references in square brackets, it is best to indicate not the source number, but the name of the author (it will then be much easier to fix).
Special rules
After reading all the above information, it is worth remembering a few simple, but important rules, how to make footnotes in the course:
1. When making footnotes, you must take into account the nature of the citation (full borrowing of the text or its interpretation).
2. It is important to remember the internal requirements of the institution for the design of footnotes.
3. When making footnotes, it is important to remember the rules for the design of literature: for an article, a monograph, and a primary source, they differ somewhat.
4. Footnotes are easier to change (because they are affixed automatically) than inline footnotes. However, with regard to design, the second option is easier, because it does not require special knowledge of the functions of MS Word.
We have described in detail the design of footnotes in the term paper, as you see, nothing complicated or supernatural. One has only to try to do everything yourself once, and you can make sure that there are no difficulties in compiling them.