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Resources for Schools and Colleges

Information and guidance on researching, referencing and writing for sixth formers and college students

Referencing and Plagiarism

Referencing is important in academic writing. 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)

Introduction to Harvard Referencing

Front cover of Harvard Referencing Handbook

This 15 minute recorded webinar provides an introduction to Harvard Referencing.  It covers why referencing is necessary, when you need to reference and what information is included in a reference.  

Referencing and plagiarism quiz

Referencing and plagiarism quiz for schools and colleges

This short quiz will check your knowledge on referencing and plagiarism.  You may find it helpful to watch the Introduction to Harvard Referencing webinar before completing the quiz.  

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

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