The problem
Students may plagiarise because they do not know how or when to reference a source.
The solution
1. Understand why you need to reference.
2. Learn how to acknowledge your sources of information.
All university assignments must contain citations. Whenever you use words, ideas or information from other sources in your assignments, you must provide a citation for those sources.
Inaccurate references or, worse still, no references at all, can be regarded as plagiarism. An unreferenced assignment implies every word, idea and fact is your own work.
Referencing is a way to provide evidence to support the assertions and claims in your own assignments. By citing experts in your field, you are demonstrating the extent of your reading and research.
Referencing methods
There are several different referencing methods. Short referencing guides for three commonly used styles are available from Academic Skills:
- the Oxford (footnote/bibliography)
- the Harvard (in-text) method
- the APA (American Psychological Association).
Follow the referencing style recommended by your faculty. Many faculties or schools within the University offer guides indicating how referencing should be done. Check with your lecturer or tutor about their preferred method.