E-learning material

Wikipedia: a starting point for an overview of a topic.

Never cite a Wikipedia article in an academic paper. Check the references below the entry; they will help you explore the topic.

Google: use it to search for news and view companies’ and organisations’ websites.

Google Scholar (GS): as its name suggests, Google Scholar searches academic sources, but it also finds predatory publications. Predatory publications are not peer-reviewed before publication, so you don’t know if the content is correct. For lesser-known authors and publishers, it is worth carrying out a source evaluation. For more information, see the Source evaluation module.

In GS, you can set the full-text content subscribed to by the Corvinus Library to be displayed. To achieve this, follow these steps:

1. GS Settings
2. Library links, search for Corvinus,

3. tick and save.

After deleting cookies, set it up again. Subscribed content will also appear using the VPN.

Library resources contain only reliable academic documents. You can use three searching interfaces, depending on whether you want a specific document or topic. Clicking on the small  icon next to the search box will also gives you this hint.

1. Figure – Search boxes on the webpage of the Library of Corvinus University of Budapest

OPAC – Open Public Access Catalogue

The OPAC mainly contains the library’s physical holdings (printed books and periodicals), but there are also a small number of electronic periodicals. If a printed book has an electronic version, this is also indicated in the OPAC.

A record in the OPAC tells you how many copies of a given title are available, its location (Reading room and shelf), borrowability and availability.  We have books in a closed storage area, they are also borrowable.

The loan period is 2 or 4 weeks, depending on the book, and only those books are borrowable that have a white stripe on the spine, even together with a yellow one. If you only find a yellow, that book can be used only on site. 8 books can be borrowed at a time; use the self-check in/out machines to take them away. Loan renewal is possible 3 times if there are no reservations on the title.

To make reservations, renew your books remotely or request them from the stacks log in to the catalogue. To use these advanced functions, you need your Library card and your Neptun ID.

For information on renewals, reservations, overdue fines, and lost book replacement, please visit this page.

Journals and E-book search platform

In the Journals and Ebooks search, you can find full-text electronic journals and e-books and the bibliographic data of print journals. Use it when looking for a specific online journal, an article, an electronic book, or a chapter. You can also access these remotely using VPN. Always start your search with the title of the journal or the e-book.

Once you have found the journal/e-book you are looking for, under Full Text access you can check its full-text availability (database, period) e.g.:

2. Figure – result list in the e-journal search platform

SuperSearch

 SuperSearch is recommended for topic searches. It simultaneously searches the catalogue, subscribed and free databases containing scholarly literature and several other free, relevant sources. It contains mainly English-language literature. You can refine your search by entering more keywords, using logical operators and other search techniques, and narrowing down to specific fields. After the search, you can save relevant documents.

Databases containing financial, statistical data or legal sources (e.g. Refinitiv, Statista, Jogtár) are not included in SuperSearch; check them separately from the thematic list of databases. For further information, check the Databases section.

Steps for an effective topic search:

• • creating the topic sentence (a sentence containing the most important keywords of the topic)
  • selecting keywords and their synonyms
  • combining keywords with logical operators, using other search techniques
  • filtering to specific fields: our recommendation is the abstract, since if a keyword appears in it, it certainly will be relevant
  • saving the results to My Dashboard or to reference management software. For more details, see the Reference Managers

Video

Topic Search process in SuperSearch

Game
Click on the following game to test your knowledge.

Topic Search order

Search tips for advanced users
There are additional filtering options in All filters (SuperSearch), such as language filtering or suggested subjects.

The difference between a subject and a keyword is that a keyword can be anything, while a subject is a predefined, more precise, narrower term, usually added to the document by experts.

If you get stuck in a search, try the snowball method: find an article among the results that is relevant and look at its references. This way, you may come across older articles, but you can at least get started with your search.

Repositories

The repositories are a collection of publications produced at the University of Corvinus. We have five different repos, collectively called the Corviversum.

One contains Corvinus research papers, another TDKs and MA/BA theses, while the 3^rd one PhD dissertations. In addition, we have two historical repositories, one for university history and the other for the digital collection of Hungarian economic history.

If you are looking for a thesis topic, see previous theses written in the same field to get inspiration, or use their references as a starting point, to avoid writing on a topic that has been written about before. You can also check the repository of lecturers’ publications to see who is researching the field you are interested in. Later on, it can help you choose a supervisor.

Databases

In our databases, you will find authentic, reliable sources, no predatory journals, and you do not need to do source evaluation. Most of them are searchable in one or both search interfaces (Journal/E-book and SuperSearch), look for the symbols next to their names in the list:

Searchable in SuperSearch:

Package content is available in Ebooks and Journals:

If you need statistical, financial or legal data, the thematic breakdown, under the alphabetical list, can help. All our databases can be accessed remotely using VPN.

EduID access also works for some databases, and some require an individual account (e.g. Workspace, Orbis). For content and non-standard access information, see the description of each database.

EconBiz

EconBiz is the online platform of the Leibniz Information Centre of Economics (ZBW). Due to a contract between Corvinus and ZBW, you can access ZBW’s OA collection through their platform. It offers millions of online sources in the field of economics and related sciences. Their collection is available through their platform, from the database list or from SuperSearch’ Supplemental materials.

Their activity goes beyond offering online publications, their main aim is knowledge transfer. For more information, check their homepage.

Game
Click on the following game to test your knowledge.

Where to search for the following?

• it indicates your knowledge about the subject, showing that you have found relevant authors and works on the topic and that you are reflecting on them;
• it supports your ideas and thoughts;
• it makes the literature you have used traceable for others;
• you can avoid ethical misconduct and plagiarism.

Game

Click on the game below to test your knowledge.

References – True of False?

There are two basic ways to cite sources: direct quotation and paraphrasing (quoting the content). In both cases, you must provide the source of the quoted text.

Direct quotations can be used when quoting definitions, apt phrases, legal provisions or interview excerpts. Do not quote more than 2-3 sentences verbatim; the APA standard sets this limit at 40 words.[1]

Example

Some hints for direct quotations:

• If you omit something from the quoted text, mark it with three dots in square brackets, but be careful not to distort the original chain of thought.

“Be prepared to spend [at least] half a day in the […] library.”

• If the quotation does not begin at the beginning of the original sentence, place three dots after the quotation marks and begin the text in lowercase letters.

“…based on the survey, two-thirds of the population is affected.”

• If you modify a definition, figure or table, indicate this by adding “based on” or “using” after the reference.

Figure X: Figure title, (other data) based on own editing

• In the case of oral communication, the name of the interviewed person must also be indicated, unless requested otherwise. Avoid using unverifiable references too often. For more tips, see our guide on referencing interviews.

The formal elements of a verbatim reference are quotation marks in the text and the mandatory information (author’s surname, year, page number).

“An in-text citation is a short acknowledgement you include whenever you quote or take information from a source in academic writing. It points the reader to the source so they can see where you got your information” (Jackson, 2005, p. 16).

Paraphrase: A paraphrase is a concise summary of a longer text in your own words. In the case of a paraphrase, the source data of the work referred to must be given in the same way as in the case of a direct quotation.

The formal elements of a paraphrase are the author’s surname and the year of publication.

Example

Original text:

“What is the role of digital media in contentious politics? On the one hand, digital media plays a central role in informing the public and organizing political movements. On the other hand, it has become a valuable tool for digital repression in authoritarian states. This study concentrates on the patterns of digital media use by pro-government actors in times of nationwide protests in autocracies. It analyzes how pro-government actors establish control over political discourse and information flow online compared to pro-opposition and neutral actors.”

The work cited: Richmond, S. (2018). Broadcasting Messages via Telegram. Political Communication, 41(4), 509–530.

Paraphrase from the original text:

This study examines the role of digital media in contentious politics, focusing on pro-government actors’ use during nationwide protests in autocracies and analyzing how they control political discourse and information flow compared to neutral actors (Richmond, 2018).

We follow the APA standard in the examples.

An in-text citation is only an allusion. When referencing, make it clear where the statement you are supporting begins and ends. There are two types of in-text references: parenthetical and narrative references.

• Parenthetical references: they come at the end of the quotation, indicate the author’s surname, the year and, in the case of a verbatim quotation, the page number in parentheses.

Example

“Heavy social media use can be linked to depression and other mental disorders in adolescents” (Taylor, 2021, p. 43).

• In the case of narrative references, the reference is embedded in the text, and the elements of the reference are separated. The author and the year are included in the text, followed by the page number (in the case of a direct quotation) at the end of the sentence.

Example

Taylor (2021) found that “heavy social media use can be linked to depression and other mental disorders in adolescents” (p. 43).

The reference list is a list of works that you refer to verbatim or as a paraphrase in the main text of your thesis.

Although the reference list is placed at the end of the thesis, reviewers usually read it first. This allows them to see whether you have found the most important works on the topic and how well-informed you are on the subject.

The basic formal features of a reference list are as follows:

• • there is no numbering,
  • it starts on a new page,
  • works are listed alphabetically by the author’s surname; if there is no author or editor, use the title.

See this guide for examples of how to use in-text citations and the reference list in a continuous text.

In this menu item, you can record the data elements of the documents, from which Word can generate in-text references and a list of references in several different styles.

Since each data element must be entered manually, you need to know exactly what type of document you are working with, which category each data element belongs to, and how it should be added. Without this information, the reference will be incorrect.

Limitations: the number of available reference styles is limited, and it might not include the latest version of the style, e.g. in the case of APA, it offers version 6 instead of 7 (January 2026).

Another problem is that it does not handle multi-author works correctly in APA style: according to the rules, if there are more than 2 authors, the first author must be indicated, and the other authors must be referred to as et al., but according to the test, all three authors were listed:

(Smith, Stuart, & John, 2025)  – This is incorrect according to both APA versions 6 and 7.

Correct version: (Smith, et al., 2025)

Reference generators are a transition between manual recording in Word and reference management software. The advantage is that you do not have to record each data element individually, and it usually automatically recognises the type of document you are working with.

Below, we present a few reference generators, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.

Other well-known citation generators include BibMe, CiteThisForMe, and EasyBib, each with its own features and limitations.

It is essential always to check the generated reference and modify it if necessary. For longer-term, more in-depth research, it is better to use some reference management software.

Compared to the tools presented above, citation management software has more features, of which the following are essential:

• collect, store and organise the sources used
• prepare in-text references (in a form that can be inserted while writing) and the list of references
• handle different citation styles.

Although none of them work with 100% accuracy, their use significantly reduces the time spent on managing references.

1. Figure: The diversity of reference management software

There are countless reference management software programmes available, some of which are free to use and others that require a subscription. Among the best-known free ones are Zotero and Mendeley, while EndNote Desktop is a subscription-based version. The web version of EndNote, which is part of the subscribed Web of Science database, is available free of charge during university studies (on the university network or remotely via VPN).

	EndNote Web	Mendeley	Zotero
Price	Free with WoS database subscription	Free	Free
Access	web	web version, synchronised with desktop version	desktop version, synchronised with web version
Storage capacity	2 GB	2 GB	300 MB
Operating system	Mac, Windows	Mac, Windows, Linux	Mac, Windows, Linux
Service provider	Clarivate	Elsevier	Open source
Web and Word plugin	Yes	Yes	Yes
PDF editor	No	Built-in	Built-in

1. Table: Comparison of basic features of free reference management software

General features:

• Using a browser extension, document data (including full text in the case of subscribed or OA sources) can be saved from databases (e.g. JSTOR, Scopus, etc.), search engine results (e.g. Scholar), and random web pages.
• A plugin helps to insert in-text references (Zotero, EndNote Web – Cite while you write, Mendeley Cite), which typically works in several types of text editors (Word, LibreOffice, Google Docs). The plugin can be used to manage single- and multi-author works, insert page numbers, and enter data from edited volumes, both for narrative and parenthetical references.
• Data can also be entered manually for printed documents or using some other identifiers, such as an ISBN or a DOI for electronic records.
• Notes and tags can be added to saved documents; these, as well as highlights, notes, and annotations made in PDFs, are also stored by the software.
• Saved data can be transferred from one reference manager to another in .ris format, but it is advisable to commit to one reference manager from the outset to avoid data loss.
• Service providers support users with direct assistance and/or training materials.

The most well-known reference manager software

Below is a brief introduction to the most well-known reference manager software, highlighting its significant features and unique functions.

The citation style determines the mandatory elements of the citation and their format. The number of citation styles available in the software varies. Zotero and Mendeley support more than 10,000 styles, while EndNote Web supports approximately 50 styles.

Different styles exist for various fields of science. In the social sciences (including economics), APA is widely used; in law, Oxford; in the humanities, Chicago; and in literature and the arts, MLA. In addition, some journals may require their own style.

At present, there is no mandatory style at Corvinus University; the Study and Examination Regulations recommend APA. During university work, the lecturer/supervisor/department may determine which style to use; if no such regulation is made, we recommend that you use APA. As a basic rule, the same style should be used throughout a work. In the reference management software, styles can be changed freely with a single click, even in the finished work.

There is usually a separate website or manual for each citation style. In the case of APA style, the latest (7th) version is available in the Library, and the previous version is available free of charge on the official APA website. If a rule has been changed, it is indicated next to the entry. This usually occurs with newer types of documents (such as blogs, online media, etc.).

Reference management software can only generate correct references if the data it saves or enters is correct. When documents are saved from various sources (repositories, OA sites, search engines), the data may be inaccurate or incomplete. These can be edited after saving, even if they have already been used in the work.

We have also seen examples when reference management software automatically fills in missing page numbers for electronic articles or misidentifies the document type. For this reason, you should not unquestioningly trust the version generated by the reference manager.

Another problem is that the default language of the reference manager software is English, so Hungarian authors’ names are also rendered in English. Because of that, the comma follows the surname also in Hungarian names, and, in some cases, double-letter first names are truncated (Cs becomes C). Currently, there is no Hungarian APA standard, so this anomaly can only be resolved manually.

Some academic sources provide examples of the reference next to the article, but be careful, they might be incorrect, as in the example below.

Foreword to the thematic issue of the Tourism Bulletin “I. Tokaj-hegyalja Tourism Conference”

The mistake is that in APA style, there is no need for the phrase “Retrieved from” – just the URL:

The correct version is:

Rozgonyiné Drotár, N. (2025). Előszó a Turizmus Bulletin „I. Tokaj-hegyaljai Turisztikai Konferencia” tematikus számhoz. Turizmus Bulletin, 25(3), 4. https://journals.lib.uni-corvinus.hu/index.php/turizmusbulletin/article/view/1930

To achieve better results with the reference manager software, you need to know the type of document you are referencing and be familiar with the referencing style.

According to the requirements detailed in Annex 3 of the Study and Examination Regulations, the expected length of the thesis refers to the main text, excluding annexes and the table of contents, and is regulated individually by the study programme leaders. All theses must include a reference list and a summary/conclusion section.

In detail:

• external and internal cover page
• table of contents
• thesis => introduction, discussion/main text, summary/conclusion
• list of references and illustrations
• annex (not mandatory).

According to the requirements detailed in annex 3 of the Study and Examination Regulations

• formatting:
  • 12-point serif[1], 1.5 line spacing, justified paragraphs;
  • clear indication of main and sub-chapters (highlights, alignments, structuring);
• numbering
  • page numbering shall be continuous, no need to restart by chapters;
  • main and subchapters have to be numbered, and numbering shall indicate the hierarchy (3.; 3.1; 3.1.1; 3.1.2; 3.2.);
  • illustrations shall be numbered and titled, as well as the type shall be indicated (photo, figure, table, map, etc.);

1. Figure – examples on the indication of chapters and sub-chapters, and on numbering illustrations 

In the previous lessons, you mastered where and how to search scholarly resources for your thesis. In this lesson, you will learn how to extract relevant content from these sources and then how to compile and write a thesis based on the received information and data.

Game!

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Illustrations in the thesis

Content requirements of the thesis

[1] Times New Roman fits this requirement

The term “note-carding” originates from the pre-Internet era, when authors took notes on paper notebooks and wrote important information and data on cards. Today, more software is available for this purpose, allowing everyone to find their best fit. The goal is to create easy-to-move elements of your notes that make it easy to compile the structure of your thesis.

2. Figure – note-taking by hand or by using software

One card includes all the data and information from one source (article, chapter, book, etc.).

Start writing your notes (note-carding) only once you have appropriately defined your topic, specified its scope in terms of space and time, and stick to these boundaries throughout the thesis. Don’t start the introduction from the very beginning of time, don’t make a global outlook.

The ACCURATE bibliographic data of the source. Never use a source without them, as these data enable you to retrieve the correct source quickly.

Bibliographic data includes minimum the:

• author(s), editor(s) name;
• title (and sub-title if there’s any);
• data of edition (in case of books) (e.g. 2^nd extended edition);
• publishing data (which publisher published when / in which journal it was published);
• page numbers.

These bibliographic data should always be written as they appear in the document.

Your comments and thoughts that arise while reading and processing the literature, encouraging in-depth reflection and critical evaluation of what you have read. These questions and answers will serve as the basis of your own observations, opinions, and ideas, which will be evaluated very positively by the reviewers

Here’s some advice based on experience gained by practice: when taking notes, it’s worth writing the important thoughts verbatim (word by word) because later it’ll be easier to rewrite the original text in your own style than to search for the original based on a paraphrase.

Build the structure of your thesis by using the note-cards. Evaluate and compare the thoughts you noted, extend them with your own opinions and perspectives, and then organise them according to the intended logic – that is, compile the main and sub-chapters, the structure of the thesis. Make sure that the length is consistent with the content.