Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Define plagiarism and describe different types of plagiarism
  • Recognise and describe key terms relating to plagiarism
  • Understand the importance of referencing
  • Compile accurate citations and references
  • Correctly paraphrase and acknowledge others' work
  • Make better use of referencing software to manage your citations and references
  • Develop strategies to help you avoid plagiarism in your own work.

Introduction

Welcome to Avoiding Plagiarism! This course is designed to help you understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

The key features of the course include:

  • Interviews with students and tutors sharing their thoughts on plagiarism
  • Key terms and different types of plagiarism explained
  • Interactive activities to help you learn what plagiarism is
  • Interactive activities to help you practise how to correctly cite and reference different sources
  • Strategies to help you develop an action plan to avoid plagiarism
  • Online resources to help extend your learning, including articles on real-life cases of plagiarism.

Using the module

If this is the first time you have accessed the course, or if you need a brief reminder, here is some information on how the screens are organised, and some of the tools and features that are used throughout:

Content

  • The centre of each screen contains the core content for each module; this is presented either as text, interactive activities or videos
  • Text highlighted in a box preceded by an arrow contains instructions on how to navigate the activities that follow
  • Note that your responses to the note-making and text entry activities can be printed and used as part of your ongoing work
  • At the top of each screen you will see an indication of the approximate time it will take to complete the core content. These estimates include time to watch videos and complete activities in the central section, but not to complete the 'Optional activities'.
  • The screen times are an indication of the approximate time it will take to complete the core content. These estimates include time to watch videos and complete activities in the central section, but not to complete the 'Optional activities'.

Pods

Throughout this programme, you will see clickable 'pods' that contain further information and learning opportunities. Exploring the information provided in the pods will enrich the learning experience.

Throughout this programme, you will see additional learning opportunities in 'pods'. Exploring the information provided in the pods will enrich the learning experience.
  • The 'Additional information' pod iconAdditional information: Contains extra content to expand on or illustrate key points from the main screen.
  • The 'Useful links' pod iconUseful links: Contains helpful links to external resources that expand on, contextualise, or demonstrate the topics discussed in the module.
  • The 'Your context' pod iconYour context: Contains information and guidance about topics specific to your context and/or institution.
  • The 'Optional activity' pod iconOptional activity: Contains additional activities that provide opportunities for further reflection.

Practice scenario

Every module will include a scenario screen that prompts you to apply the best practices, concepts and skills that you have learned in the module to your own context.

Review quiz

At the very end of each module, you have the opportunity to test your learning further with a multiple-choice quiz. This consists of five questions and can be taken more than once (a new set of questions will appear).

Expert panel

Since the initial launch of the first edition, Avoiding Plagiarism has been updated periodically by the Epigeum Editorial team in consultation with:

  • Dr Amanda Tinker, Academic Skills Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, University of Huddersfield
  • Dr Erica J. Morris, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Consultant (independent)
  • Dr Natalie Lloyd, Academic Developer, College of Healthcare Science, James Cook University (Australia)
  • Dr Nathan Roberts, Education Development lead, Cardiff University
  • Dr Simon Lee-Price SFHEA, Senior Lecturer Learning Development, Buckinghamshire New University
  • Dr Zeenath Khan, Assistant Professor, University of Wollongong – Dubai
  • Professor Mark Brown, Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning, Dublin City University
  • Professor Douglas Halliday, Director of the Durham University Global Challenges Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Durham
  • Dr Helen Laville, Head of the Department of American and Canadian Studies, University of Birmingham

First Edition

The first edition of the course was authored by:

Karen Handley

Karen Handley is a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour at Oxford Brookes University. She has previous experience in the banking industry and as a management consultant at American Management Systems and then at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Karen has an MBA from Cranfield University (1994) and a PhD from Imperial College London (2003) where she investigated business learners' experiences of e-learning feedback.

Karen's research interests include e-learning, student assessment, the design of constructive feedback, management learning, and management consultancy.


Benita Cox

Benita Cox is a Reader in Operational Research at Tanaka Business School, Imperial College London, and has a doctorate in Artificial Intelligence and a MSc in Management Science from Imperial.

Benita's research interests have focused on the role of information systems in healthcare delivery, in particular, the impact of information and communicating technologies on healthcare practice. She is on the Executive Board of the British Medical Informatics Society and an Editor of British Medical Informatics Today. She is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Healthcare Informatics. She has consulted extensively in a number of industries, including pharmaceuticals.

Supporting institutions

The first edition of the Avoiding Plagiarism programme was developed in conjunction with the following institutions:

  • Anglia Ruskin University
  • Bournemouth University
  • Cardiff University
  • Durham University
  • Imperial College London
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • The Open University
  • University of Bath
  • University of Birmingham
  • University of Brighton
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Hertfordshire
  • University of Leicester
  • University of London
  • University of Southampton
  • University of York
  • University of Zurich