Best Practice

Plagiarism pitfalls: Preparing your students

Higher education
Plagiarism is a real danger for students progressing to university. Dr Cath Ellis looks at what universities expect from students, while Gill Rowell considers how schools can design course assignments to teach key essay skills and steer students away from

As a university lecturer, one of the most common questions I am asked by undergraduate students is: “How many references do I need for my essay?” 

My answer to this question is always exactly the same: “You need as many as you need.”

While my answer is unlikely to be what they want or even expect to hear, their question belies a fundamental lack of understanding – and in some cases a misunderstanding – of how scholarship works.

Moving from secondary school to undergraduate study is a big transition for most students. One of the most significant parts of this transition for many students is learning how to take greater control of and responsibility for their own learning. 

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