Chapter 3. Citation Guidelines for the Use of Internet Materials by Students

Summary

University tutors are fundamentally interested in their subject and will often follow up novel references presented in the bibliography of a student's work. This is one of the reasons that references must be presented accurately and in an appropriate referencing system. The internet makes it easier for tutors to investigate references lists, especially if web addresses are quoted. The text gives advice on cutting and pasting web addresses and emphasises that there are important rules that a student must follow if they are to get the best credit for their work. For example, all URLs should be accurate and their relevance to the text should be clearly explained. Advice is given to tutors about the possible need to get permission from authors if the work of the latter is likely to be copied and cited. It is also recommended that there is an agreement between student and tutor about what cited and copied material the tutor will legitimately read. The text of the book offers conventions for citing the various kinds of electronic data, as well as directing readers to the URLs of credible websites which offer advice on citation. Copyright is placed in historical context and plagiarism is defined, with particular emphasis on the danger of transgressing copyright by copying images from the internet. Students are advised of the need for prudence when investigating websites, since even the most innocuous file may have been presented by an author with a hidden agenda.