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Libraries and Learning Skills

Distance Learners: Lincoln International Business School

Information on the Library and the resources available to you as a distance learning student at the University of Lincoln

A page from a dictionary containing words starting with letter R

Referencing and Plagiarism

Referencing is important in academic writing and an essential part of any of your assignments. It:

  • allows you to acknowledge your sources,
  • gives academic credibility to your work,
  • demonstrates your knowledge of a subject area,
  • prevents accusations of plagiarism.

You should always reference a source when:

  • using a direct quote
  • summarising a theory
  • discussing someone else's opinion
  • using case studies
  • quoting statistics or visual data
  • but not when stating your own opinion, observation or experience.

Plagiarism is "the wrongful... publication as one's own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas of another" (Oxford English Dictionary)

A presentation on the University of Lincoln Harvard Referencing style

Introduction to Harvard Referencing

 

The Lincoln International Business School (LIBS) uses the Harvard style of referencing:

Cover of Harvard Referencing Handbook

Harvard Referencing Tutorial

Harvard Referencing Tutorial

This short tutorial explains why and when to reference and introduces you to the Harvard style of referencing.  It takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Plagiarism tutorial

Plagiarism tutorial

This short tutorial explains what plagiarism is and also gives you tips on how to avoid it. It takes about 20 minutes to complete.