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Original poster

Uni assignment help if anyone can...

11 replies

lacey79 · 07/02/2023 09:22

I know this is probably the wrong forum but i need quick help from all the clever folk of mumsnet!

Does anyone know how i would cite and reference a professional conversation? In that i was told by the head of a department some information that would support a hypothetical business plan, but i dont know how i can use this information and reference it correctly.

We use APA 7th if that is relevant

It would be greatly appreciated if anyone can help as no one from Uni is getting back to me and im totally lost. Thank you!

OP posts:
Irah15 · 07/02/2023 09:26

You would need to ask the person you spoke to for it's original source and reference that. If it was something they said then unless theyve published it somewhere it would not be relabiale enough for an academic assignment.
Academic work is referenced from reliable sources not conversations.
Hope this helps.

Flashy9 · 07/02/2023 09:27

Hi, if you have a look here it explains how you would cite as a personal communication apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/personal-communications

hope that helps!

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 07/02/2023 09:28

I believe it is something like Joe Bloggs suggested that the table was a pile of shit (personal communication, August 16 2025) but is it not in your library guides? Or on apastyle website?

elizzza · 07/02/2023 09:28

In text citation as personal communication

Uni assignment help if anyone can...
Original poster
lacey79 · 07/02/2023 09:29

Irah15 · 07/02/2023 09:26

You would need to ask the person you spoke to for it's original source and reference that. If it was something they said then unless theyve published it somewhere it would not be relabiale enough for an academic assignment.
Academic work is referenced from reliable sources not conversations.
Hope this helps.

Its not something that is published. Its about how many staff they currently employ and hour many hours are used by staff on the specific task im looking to improve in.

Im a nursing student and we have to write a hypothetical business case to secure funding for additional nursing service's. So stating this is how many hours current staff use doing X task would support my report. If that makes sense?

OP posts:
Original poster
lacey79 · 07/02/2023 09:30

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 07/02/2023 09:28

I believe it is something like Joe Bloggs suggested that the table was a pile of shit (personal communication, August 16 2025) but is it not in your library guides? Or on apastyle website?

Thank you!

Our referencing guide doesnt mention personal conversations at all

OP posts:
OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 07/02/2023 09:32

With your further explanation I would be wary, if the data they are discussing is from an audit then you need to cite the audit and can do so even though unpublished. Their thoughts on the amount of time staff spend on tasks need to have come from somewhere but if it is just their perception then it cannot support a business plan. You'll need to have robust data showing this.

PermanentTemporary · 07/02/2023 09:33

Personal communication not personal conversation. Very important I think to call it that. It's anything that can't be searched by the reader.

If you can, email the person afterwards with a summary of what they said? That way you have a written dated record of the personal communication which would give it a tiny bit more robustness. It also means they have the chance to correct it if you got the wrong end of the stick.

Original poster
lacey79 · 07/02/2023 09:38

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 07/02/2023 09:32

With your further explanation I would be wary, if the data they are discussing is from an audit then you need to cite the audit and can do so even though unpublished. Their thoughts on the amount of time staff spend on tasks need to have come from somewhere but if it is just their perception then it cannot support a business plan. You'll need to have robust data showing this.

Its district nursing so they can see exactly how much time is used by current staff on this task.

@PermanentTemporary Yes, that makes sense. Thank you.

Its frustrating as we were advised to discuss this with staff in managerial position in order to get the information required, as we cant just estimate, we have to state exactly why its an improvement and the costs to implement and the costs of any potential savings, but at no point have the explained how we can use this information. I feel really out of my depth with this one

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 07/02/2023 22:16

Hm. I would have thought this is an interview which you have records of, and then you'd write the data into a table or figure?

whereaw · 08/02/2023 01:42

Yes I'd say that you conducted a verbal interview with a senior member of staff (give job title) and present the relevant information obtained in a table or something similar.

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