Library
Academic Integrity and Reference
Management
Presenter: Mr. Ndhlovu, A. Sipho (+263 772 921 416)
Email: asndhlovu@uzlib.uz.ac.zw
Structure of the Presentation
oAcademic integrity oReference Management
oAcademic Dishonesty Software
oPlagiarism o Why use a reference
oCauses of plagiarism management system?
oHow plagiarism is detected oArtificial intelligence in
oConsequences of Academic writing
plagiarism
oStrategies to avoid
plagiarism
oCitation and Reference
Objectives
oTo articulate the importance of academic integrity in
today's learning environment.
oTo impart knowledge on what constitutes plagiarism
and strategies for preventing plagiarism
oTo explain the core concepts of referencing and
citation in academic writing.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will have:
oIncreased appreciation of honesty, trust, fairness,
and respect as essential qualities in academic work by
students.
oImproved commitment to originality in academic work
by students in all their academic endeavours.
oIncreased confidence in students ability to use
sources ethically and effectively in academic work.
oImproved skills in the use of RMS to organise, store,
and cite materials in academic writing
What is academic integrity?
Academic integrity refers to the moral code of academia
around 5 fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness,
respect, and responsibility (Cutri et al., 2021).
oHonesty and truthfulness in all academic endeavours.
oRespect for the work of others and oneself.
oFairness and responsible conduct in academic pursuits.
oAdherence to institutional policies and guidelines.
Why Academic Integrity is
Important?
oBuilds trust and respect within the academic community.
oEnsures fairness and a level playing field for all students.
oPromotes personal growth and intellectual development.
oContributes to the credibility and value of your academic
achievements.
oPrepares you for ethical conduct in your future career and
personal life.
FAILURE TO UPHOLD ACADEMIC INTEGRITY WILL RESULT IN
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is any act that compromises the integrity of
academic work. It can take many forms:
oPlagiarism: Using someone else's work as your own, without
proper citation.
oCheating: Copying homework, collaborating on unauthorized
examinations, or using outside materials during exams.
oFabrication: Falsifying data, inventing experiments, or creating
fake research results.
oCollusion: Working together on assignments or exams in violation
of rules.
oMisrepresentation: Misrepresenting your
qualifications, performance, or contributions.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a subcategory of academic dishonesty and has
been rampant in most academic institutions the world over.
It includes:
Using someone else's words or ideas without giving them
credit
Copying text directly from a source without quotation
marks
Paraphrasing someone else's work without properly citing
it
Presenting someone else's work as your own, even if it's
accidentally done
Examples of plagiarism
oRewriting passages from books or articles
oCopying and pasting text from web-pages and online sources
oParaphrasing without acknowledging
oFailure to cite in text and reference properly.
oSources not appearing in the reference list
oProvision of non-existent sources and references
oUse of diagrams, pictures, and models without
acknowledgement
oRecycling an old project, paper and or assignment
Causes of plagiarism
There are various reasons which contribute to plagiarism these
include!
oLack of knowledge regarding plagiarism
oLack of knowledge regarding citing sources
oPoor time management
oA lack of confidence in one’s ability to write a paper/assignment
oProblems to evaluate Internet sources
oConfusion about what constitutes plagiarism or current university
policies
Consequences of plagiarism
Every institution has a
policy concerning
plagiarism and the
penalties may include
the following:
oa failing grade for
your assignment;
oa failing grade for the
subject;
oprobationary status;
12. ACADEMIC oOFFENCES
expulsion from the
AND PENALTIES
Academic offences and penalties, as specified in the General Academic
institution.
Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes (Schedule B), shall equally University of Zimbabwe General Academic Regulations for
apply to these Regulations. (UZ Postgraduate Academic Regulations) Undergraduate Degrees, 2020
Strategies to avoid plagiarism
oUnderstand citation methods: Familiarize yourself with the
citation style required by your instructor or institution (e.g.,
Harvard, APA, MLA, Chicago).
oParaphrase responsibly: When using someone else's ideas,
rephrase them in your own words and cite the source.
oUse quotation marks: For directly quoted text, enclose it in
quotation marks and provide the source information.
oCreate a theme based on already published writing, but
create something fresh and unique.
oRely on opinions of experts on a topic but improve upon
those opinions
Strategies to avoid plagiarism
continued
oSeek help when needed: Don't hesitate to ask your
supervisor or subject information specialist
oPlan and manage your time effectively: Avoid
procrastination and last-minute, which can lead to desperate
measures.
oCollaborate ethically: Participate in authorized group work
responsibly, respecting individual roles and contributions.
oMaintain a strong ethical compass: Reflect on the
importance of academic integrity and make responsible
choices based on honesty and fairness.
Detection of plagiarism
Plagiarism detection is the
process of identifying
instances of plagiarism in a
written work.
This can be done manually by
humans or automatically using
plagiarism detection software.
There are different systems
that can be used to detect
plagiarism or similarity
University of Zimbabwe uses
Turnitin for plagiarism
detection
Citation and referencing
oIt is a requirement to cite and reference in your
research/assignments.
oA citation is a reference to a source that you have used in your work.
oIt tells the reader where to find the source so that they can learn
more about the information you have used.
oCitations are typically included in the body of your work, and they are
usually formatted according to a specific style guide, such as APA or
MLA.
FOR THE CITATION STYLE AND GUIDE FOR YOUR FACULTY CONDUCT
YOUR SUPERVISOR OR SUBJECT INFORMATION SPECIALIST
Reference Management
Software
Reference management software Why use a reference
defined? management system?
oReference management oIt simplifies construction of
citations and bibliographies
software is a computer oSaves time for researchers and
program that assists users help them work more efficiently;
to collect, organize, and oHelps to compile and maintain lists
of references for research work;
cite their research oThey arrange citations into
sources. predetermined formats for the
preparation of manuscripts and
bibliographies.
Artificial intelligence in
Academic writing
Best practices:
Use AI as a tool, not a replacement: View AI as a writing assistant, not a
substitute for your own critical thinking, research, and analysis.
Develop expertise in AI tools: Understand the limitations and biases of
the tools you use, and critically evaluate the suggestions they provide.
Focus on ethical and transparent use: Always cite sources generated
by AI, disclose your use of these tools, and strive for originality in your
writing.
Prioritize your own voice and perspective: Don't let AI overshadow
your unique approach, ideas, and arguments in your academic writing.
Stay informed about AI developments: Keep up with the latest
advancements and ethical discussions surrounding AI in academic writing.
Conclusion
oAcademic integrity is a fundamental value in education. It is the practice of
being honest and fair in all academic work, including research, writing, and
assessment.
oCiting sources is an essential part of academic integrity, as it allows you to
give credit to the authors of the work you have used, and to demonstrate
that you have done your own research.
oResearchers and students must make it a point to submit their work to the
plagiarism detection software to ascertain the amount of plagiarism
oUniversity of Zimbabwe recommends students and researchers to use
Zotero when carrying out your research, as it can save you time, reduce
errors, and improve your research.
Activity
1) Go to www.zotero.org
2) Create an account
3) Download and install Zotero Application to your desktop
4) Download and install the Zotero Browser connector
5) Install the Word Processor Plugin
6) In the Zotero App create a folder named Assignment 1
7) Populate your Zotero library with 5 e-books and 10 e-
journal articles
(25 Marks )
Further reading
Akbarani, R., Pamungkas, F.D., (2023). The Challenges of Using Artificial Intelligence in Academic Writing. Pros.
Annu. Int. Conf. Islam. Educ. AICIED 1, 64–72.
Cutri, J., Abraham, A., Karlina, Y., Patel, S.V., Moharami, M., Zeng, S., Manzari, E., Pretorius, L., (2021). Academic
integrity at doctoral level: the influence of the imposter phenomenon and cultural differences on academic writing.
Int. J. Educ. Integr. 17, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-021-00074-w. (Accessed: 12 June 2023).
Fatemi, G., Saito, E., (2020). Unintentional plagiarism and academic integrity: The challenges and needs of
postgraduate international students in Australia. J. Furth. High. Educ. 44, 1305–1319.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2019.1683521. (Accessed 10 June 2023)
Selvakumar, J., Ohn, M., Lin Loo, J., (2022). A Beginner’s Guide to Academic Writing for Healthcare Professionals:
Citation and Referencing. Borneo J. Med. Sci. BJMS 16, 57–59. https://doi.org/10.51200/bjms.vi.3312. (Accessed 10
June 2023)
Sotiriadou, P., Logan, D., Daly, A. and Guest, R., (2020). The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic
integrity and promote skill development and employability, Studies in Higher Education, 45 (11), pp.2132-2148.
Available at https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1582015. (Accessed: 15 June 2023).
Utami, S. P. T., Andayani, Winarni, R., and Sumarwati, (2023). Utilization of artificial intelligence technology in an
academic writing class: How do Indonesian students perceive? Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(4),
ep450. Available at https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13419. (Accessed 25 October 2023)
