Referencing and Plagiarism Basics
When it comes to completing assessments, being able to demonstrate your understanding in your own words is essential. One key part of this is knowing how to properly reference sources and avoid plagiarism.
What is referencing?
Referencing is the practice of acknowledging when you've used someone else's ideas, words, or work in your own writing. It shows that you've done your research and helps your trainer or assessor see where your information came from.
Why it's important:
- Gives credit to the original author or creator.
- Supports your ideas with credible evidence.
- Allows others to find and verify your sources.
- Demonstrates academic honesty and professionalism.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is when you present someone else's work, ideas, or words as your own without giving proper credit. It can be intentional or accidental, but in either case, it's a serious breach of academic integrity.
Examples of plagiarism include:
- Copying and pasting text directly from a website or article without referencing.
- Rewording someone else's ideas slightly and not citing the source.
- Using images, data, or quotes without giving credit.
- Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
Consequences of plagiarism can include:
- Having to resubmit an assessment.
- Receiving a Not Yet Competent (NYC) result.
- Disciplinary action.
- Refer to our plagiarism policy in your participant handbook
How to avoid plagiarism
- Paraphrase: Put ideas into your own words, rather than copying directly.
- Use quotation marks: If you’re using someone’s exact words, put them in quotation marks and include a reference.
- Reference all sources: Any time you use information from books, websites, articles, or videos, acknowledge the source.
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