How to avoid plagiarism

Direct quotes should only be used occasionally in your writing. They are used when the author expresses the idea in an original way or gives a specific definition of a key term. You always need to use quotation marks when quoting, and where possible, you should also include the page number in your citation. For example:

Smith (2019, p.187) defines globalisation as “a process of global interconnectedness through trade, migration and cultural exchange.”

Paraphrasing means using the ideas of other writers but putting them into your own words. It’s more common than quoting because it shows the reader that you have understood what you’ve read, as well as ensuring that your whole text is written in a cohesive style. For example:

Original statement: In order to be successful in their studies, it is essential that students are able to plan their essays effectively, as this has a significant impact on the structure of the piece of academic writing.

Paraphrased statement: If students wish to succeed at university, they need to be organised and able to plan the structure and content of their essays (Lopez, 2019).

Go to 'How to paraphrase effectively' page to learn more about paraphrasing.

An in-text citation is included in the body of your text to show the reader which information has come from another source. There are two main ways to cite a source, but in both cases you only need the surname(s) of the author(s) and the year of publication, plus the page number if it is a quotation.

Munoz-Luna (2015) suggests that a key part of the assignment writing process is planning what to write and how to structure it appropriately.
 

OR

A key part of the assignment writing process is planning what to write and how to structure it appropriately (Munoz-Luna, 2015).

The reference list appears on a separate page at the end of your assignment. Every source that has been quoted or paraphrased in your assignment needs to be listed here in alphabetical order by surname. Always check with your teacher if you are not sure what the appropriate referencing style is.

More information about how to reference according to the various referencing styles is available on the UTS Library website.

For example, look at this extract from Smith (2019), p. 56:

Children who do not eat breakfast are at a disadvantage at school. Children must have their dietary needs met in order to have sufficient energy to apply themselves to learning.

This idea is relevant because my task is asking me to think about why children need a healthy diet, and this information supports my claim that students will struggle at school if they don’t eat a proper breakfast.

Research suggests children need to eat a healthy, balanced diet so that they can get the most out of their education. For example, Smith (2019, p. 56) says that without eating a proper breakfast, students will struggle at school and will be at a significant disadvantage.