How to Reference Online Data in Business Reports

Most of us research information online every day. It can be time consuming to sort the dross from the diamonds, and even once you’ve done that, there remains the question of how to reference those top-quality sources in the report, article or presentation you’re preparing for your boss or client.

Good references provide your document’s audience with valuable information, and pathways they can use to find out more. They prove that you’re dedicated, questioning and intelligent. In short, they help your organization and they make you look good.

Referencing isn’t just about including a link. Identifying good — or better — references, and referencing them appropriately, takes practice, but it’s not difficult. These are the guidelines I use to ensure the references I pull from online sources are accurate, high quality and clear.

Use the Primary Source

Recently, I came across a statistics aggregation site for the first time. The site lists single-sentence conclusions arising from research and indicates the source of each statistic, so you can visit those sources yourself. Statistical aggregators like this are secondary sources of information. If you’re taking your research (and your document’s users) seriously, you’ll want to go straight to the source — the primary source, that is.

The primary source is the entity that conducted the research and first released it to the public. The primary source will almost always make more information from the original study available, which could provide you with important detail that may shape the way you use the statistic, or even change the direction of your other research.

If I can’t find a primary source for a piece of information, I won’t use that statistic. To me, there seems no point in quoting data that can’t be reliably substantiated. I know that if I keep looking, I’ll undoubtedly find another relevant statistic and its primary source.

Go Beyond Community Sources

Sources of information that are created by communities are often useful starting points for research, but if you decide to use any of the information you’ve uncovered in a community source, back it up with other, primary sources of information.

The completeness, accuracy and credibility of community-created information repositories like Wikipedia have long been questioned. While such sites strive to improve their information quality, it’s also true that  general publications (like encyclopedias) are not usually regarded as quality sources of current, detailed information — especially in business.

Go beyond these sources to find content published by those at the coal face of your industry or market segment. Seek specialist, expert knowledge over general information every time. If you can, find multiple primary sources for the same piece of information, as this will testify to the reliability of the information you’re presenting.

Confirm Source Credibility

I might be happy to be quoted as making a statement, but that willingness to be quoted doesn’t qualify me as a credible source. In an environment where literally everyone has a voice, it can be difficult to sort the experts from the ring-ins at first glance. So it’s important to spend time confirming source credibility.

Here are a few tips for assessing the credibility of your sources:

  • Check the source’s industry accreditation and membership of appropriate industry bodies.
  • Research the source’s history in the field and try to gauge the reputation it has within the industry.
  • Find out who else is referencing the material, and in what context.
  • Check the source site’s incoming links, testimonials and PR efforts.
  • Speak to someone from the source organization to ascertain whether or not they’re comfortable to be quoted as supporting the information.
  • Invite respected colleagues or reputable industry players to give you their opinion of the source, and justifications for those opinions.

Assess the Source Site’s Quality

In citing a source or quoting a report, I always include a link to the source site in my document, but I have to admit that the site’s quality affects my willingness to do so. Appearances matter. A poorly laid-out site that doesn’t function as you expect (or the developers seemed to intend) will, in some people’s eyes, undermine the credibility of the information you’re citing. It may also reflect on you: your peers and colleagues may start to wonder about your own expectations of quality.

If I want to reference a statistic presented by an organization whose site displays or executes poorly, I’ll usually try to find a way around it — by linking directly to a whitepaper that cites the statistic, for example. But if there’s no way to avoid linking to the site, I’ll try to make sure the organization that published the information has such an impeccable reputation and is so well-regarded that no one will question the reference.

If it doesn’t, I may reconsider including the statistic in my document. The outcome of that decision will depend entirely on my audience, how important the information is to my document, and whether I can obtain similar information from another source.

Cite the Material Appropriately

I always include a link directly to the information I’m citing if it’s available online. This is a must, as it makes it as easy as possible for your document’s users to access the source of the information — which means professional brownie points for you. I may also include a link to the source’s homepage if that’s possible, appropriate, and works within the context of the information I’m presenting.

It’s usually best to provide links or citations at the point at which they’re needed, and in a typical document, you’ll want to cite your sources at the place where you present their research findings. Online, it’s as easy as linking the relevant text to the correct source; in print, it’s usually easiest and most readable to present the links as footnotes at the specific points where the information is included.

If you like, you might also collect all your sources into a “Further Reading” section within your document, to provide relevant, more general research pathways for interested users.

These are the techniques I use to locate, assess and present references to online material in documents and presentations. What tips can you provide from your experience?

Image by stock.xchng user mihow.

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