1.13 A short note about academic honesty
One of the things that a lot of our students worry about when they first arrive is referencing and avoiding plagiarism. The key message is that if you read all of the guidance we offer during the Academic Honesty and Plagiarism ELE courses, you are unlikely to get into trouble!
Most of the students who find themselves accused of academic misconduct are not intentionally cheating. Here are some of the main mistakes these students make:
Not taking the time to understand how to reference their sources properly
Solution: Read referencing guides and ask if you’re not sure! You can also have a look at this video for information on how to use Mendeley for referencing.
This is an additional video, hosted on YouTube.
Overly relying on sources to ‘do the talking’ for them
Solution: Use your sources to back up your ideas and analysis - bring them in as evidence and for examples that illustrate the points you are making. Remember to put this in your own words.
Not giving themselves enough time to research and write assignments
Solution: Plan your time effectively - you are much more likely to panic and accidentally forget to acknowledge your sources properly if you are rushing.
Failing to understand the purpose of an assignment
Solution: Most assignments are looking for you to synthesise (“bring together”) your readings to answer a particular question, or to reach a set of recommendations. You do not necessarily need to come up with ‘new’ ideas, but rather to share your views on how different writers and researchers consider the same problem or issue, and decide who you agree with the most. Always acknowledge where ALL of the information, ideas and data you use in an assignment has come from. We are usually awarding marks for the quality of your research, and like to see that you have read widely.