Got questions about plagiarism? Chances are, they are answered here. Get the lowdown on plagiarism, paraphrasing and copying ideas. Q: What is plagiarism? Simply put, plagiarism is copying someone else’s work and pretending that it is your own. Everybody’s work is automatically copyrighted to themselves, and breach of copyright is illegal. Different countries have different copyright … Read more
Many students shy away from using plagiarism checking software, mainly because they feel they have nothing to prove and that their work is (of course) 100% original. However, using a plagiarism checker isn’t about testing your honesty, and at the end of the day we are all only human and prone to make silly mistakes … Read more
When the countdown begins until the end of the semester, panic starts to creep in. If you have been laid back all semester long, chances are you are now cramming wildly. You lose sleep over projects, papers and other things that you need to submit. Soon you will be spending much of your time in … Read more
It’s easy to take a wrong turn when writing an essay, even if you have a good understanding of what you’re writing about. Follow these five tips to avoid making five really common mistakes. Write a Clear Introduction and Conclusion As per the last blog entry, your introduction is vital as it sets out what … Read more
Often overlooked, course readers and handouts are more important than most students realise. These documents – module readers, syllabi, lecture handouts, assigned articles – might not be as flashy as textbooks or as exciting as new lectures, but they can be the secret sauce to academic success. In fact, research over decades has found that … Read more
Some observations by Jose Arcilla on plagiarism In this article, the author contrasts plagiarism, which is theft and destructive to creativity and society, with quoting, which honours and elevates the original creator. He explains that copyright laws protect the form of expression but not the underlying ideas, allowing creativity to flourish within legal boundaries. Plagiarism’s … Read more
How likely do you think it is that two photographs would be completely identical in every respect? Not very, you might answer! But in this strange but true tale, we discover that it is possible for two people to take an identical shot that is indistinguishable in every detail. The story starts with Sarah Scurr … Read more
A common referencing style, Harvard Referencing is the referencing style of choice for most institutions and lecturers and is used commonly across many disciplines. Harvard Referencing contains both an intext reference as well as a fuller bibliographical entry at the end of the essay. Follow this guide to set your references out correctly. Citing Book(s) … Read more
Did you read our student advisor’s last post on how to write an effective essay? Well here are some more tips from Jan on writing your assignments to help you get an even better grade. Don’t miss this list before you start! EXPLORE the question Make sure you have a full understanding of what you’re … Read more
This article stresses the importance of understanding intellectual property rights, particularly copyright, to prevent misuse and plagiarism in a digital age where information is often taken for granted. It outlines the history and applications of copyright, fair use exceptions, and the causes of plagiarism, emphasising the need for proper education on citation and tools like … Read more