Plagiarism: The act of using someone else's work without getting their permission or for not crediting the person for their work. Some people call plagiarism academic theft or academic dishonesty because you are using someone else's work and pretending for it to be your own.
Citation: The process of referencing someone else's work. Citing is basically acknowledging that you are using someone else's ideas.
Bibliography (sometimes called a reference list): A list of sources that has been used in production of a piece of work. A bibliography may contain books, journals, newspapers, webpages, etc.
There are many different styles of citation. In your work (extended essay, internal assessment, etc.) it does not matter what style you use, as long as you use your chosen style consistently throughout your work. Below I am going to talk about the APA (American Psychological Association) style of citation.
What to Cite?
Probably the hardest thing when referencing is to decide what is common knowledge or your knowledge (and does not have to be cited) and what is someone else's work/knowledge (and does have to be cited). If you are ever in any doubt then you should always cite to avoid being accused of plagiarism.
In geographical work there are things that generally don't need citing. For example:
The location of places e.g. San Salvador is the capital of El Salvador and is located in Central America
Geographical words and concepts e.g. meander, tourism, globalisation, CBD. However, you may occasionally use a word or concept that has just been developed, in these circumstances you will have to cite.
The date and time things happen
The name of places, buildings, events, etc. e.g. Antigua, the Eiffel Tower or Indian Ocean Tsunami
The magnitude (strength) of historical events (you might want to reference more recent events to show that the source is reliable e.g. the USGS (2012) reported that the earthquake measured 6.7 on the Richter Scale.
Any primary data that you have collected yourself
Any photos that you have taken yourself or diagrams you have drawn (unless you have closely copied the diagram off someone else or out of a book)
Any graphs, maps or diagrams that you have created yourself
However, there are also a lot of things that do need citing. For example
Nearly all facts (GDP, number of deaths, unemployment rate, etc.). You may think that death rates or unemployment figures are fact, but figures are often manipulated to suite certain groups needs. Read the following article about the number of deaths in the Haiti earthquake of 2010 (Report challenges Haiti earthquake death toll - BBC article).
Quotes from people (maybe witnesses or interviewees). Quotes should always appear in "quotation marks".
Photos, maps, diagrams, graphs, etc. that you have taken from books or the internet (do not just write Google images, find the name of the website that it can from)
Geographic theory and models e.g. the Burgess Model, Plate Tectonic Theory
Indexes e.g. HDI or DAI
There are many different methods of citing, there are in-text styles like APA and MLA and there are other styles using footnotes. Below is information about how to reference using the APA style.
APA Style
The APA style uses the author-date citation system and requires that other peoples work is recognised in-text (next to their work, images or ideas) and also in a bibliography (or reference list) at the back of your work. Different sources of information are cited in different ways, please follow the guidance below for help.
In-text citation
Whether you are using someone else's image, quoting them or just referring to ideas mentioned in their book, you should always use an in-text citation (IB students should always cite other people's work). In-text citations with APA are very simple you just have to mention the authors name and the date the source was published or created. There are number of different ways that you may include an in-text citation. For example:
Greenfield (2012) said that "IB students must always cite other people's work"
In 2012 Greenfield stated that "IB students should always cite other people's work"
"IB students should always cite other people's work" (Greenfield 2012)
Remember if you are directly quoting then and not just paraphrasing then you should also use "quotation marks"
"IB students should always cite other people's work" (Greenfield, 2012, In-text citation para. 1)
Please note that if you are quoting someone directly, then you must also include the page number of the quote (if from a book) or the section/paragraph number of the quote (if from a website). For example:
(Greenfield, 2012, p.1)
(Greenfield, 2012, In-text citation, para. 1)
p. = page
para. = paragraph
What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing?
Quoting is when you are repeating someone else's words, word for word e.g. "Quoting is when you are repeating someone else's words, word for word" (Greenfield, 2012, What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, para. 1). If you ever quote someone directly, then you must always include the quote in quotation marks and include an in-text citation.
Paraphrasing is when you change someone else's words (ideas) into your own words. Paraphrasing usually shortens the original work, but sometimes extends if you think greater explanation is needed. Even if you are paraphrasing and not quoting, you still need to include an in-text citation. For example:
Paraphrasing is using your words to explain someone else's ideas, even though you are not quoting, you still need to cite (Greenfield, 2012)
Remember full details of all your in-text citations must appear in your bibliography (reference list).
Referencing Photos, Maps, Images, etc.
In Geography internal assessments one of the most common things that you will be citing are photos, maps and images. They are cited in exactly the same way as if they are someone's words i.e. with the name of the author, creator, photographer, etc. followed by the date e.g. (Greenfield, 2012). If you can not find the author, creator, photographer, etc. then the name is replaced with the name of the internet page.
Photo1: Mr Greeenfield at Santa Ana Volcano (Greenfield, 2010)
Map 1: Central Antigua, Guatemala (Map of Antigua Guatemala, n.d.)
Number: Always number your photo, map, image, etc. This makes the photo, map, image, etc. easy to refer to in your text Title: Always give your photo, map, image, etc. a title Reference (cite): If you know the name of the person that took the photo or made the diagram then you reference in exactly the same way as any other information i.e. the name of the person and the date (Greenfield, 2010) Bibliography: If you know all the information then the listing in the bibliography (reference list) would be:
Number and Title: Remember this never changes, you always add a title and number whatever the source of information. Reference (cite): Because I can not find the creator (author) of the map I have referenced using the title of the webpage. I also could not find the date so have put (n.d.) - no date. Bibliography: The listing in the bibliography (reference list) would appear as follows:
Referencing from the Internet when you don't know the Author and/or the Date
As demonstrated in the example above (map of Antigua, Guatemala) if you can't find the author, then the title of the webpage replaces the authors name. For example if you could not find the author of this webpage then an in-text citation would become (Plagiarism and Referencing, 2012). The listing in the bibliography (reference list) would become:
Your bibliography (reference list) should appear at the back of your work. Your sources should always be in alphabetical based on the authors surname. Please note that bibliographies may also contain work that you have read and that are related to your research, but that you have not cited within your work. Strictly speaking the APA style should only include items cited and therefore should strictly be called a reference list.
Books
Books should be listed in the following way:
Author surname, Initial (s) of author, (date of publication in brackets), the name of the book, the edition of the book if more than one, place of publication, the name of the publisher
Greenfield, D (2012) How to Reference Correctly, 1st Edition, San Salvador, ABC Publishers
Websites
Author surname, initial (s) of author, (date webpage was created), name of page, name of website, date information was retrieved, URL
For many websites it can be hard to find the author and also the date that the webpage was created. If this is the case then the title of webpage replaces the authors name and you put (n.d.)
for no date.
How do you reference if there are multiple authors?
If there are in between two and five authors, then the first time that you do an in-text citation then you use all of their names e.g.
(Gray, Greenfield, Nott & Taylor 2012)
For any subsequent in-text citations then you should only use the first author followed by et al. e.g.
(Gray et al., 2012)
If there are six or more authors, then even with the first in-text citation you use et al. e.g.
(Gray et al., 2012)
In the bibliography (reference list) you list all the authors, e.g.
Gray, S., Greenfield, D., Nott, A. & Taylor, R. (2012)
The following website will help you create your bibliography. Unfortunately only the MLA system is available for free, to get APA you have to pay: http://www.easybib.com/
Plagiarism and Referencing (citing)
Plagiarism: The act of using someone else's work without getting their permission or for not crediting the person for their work. Some people call plagiarism academic theft or academic dishonesty because you are using someone else's work and pretending for it to be your own.
Citation: The process of referencing someone else's work. Citing is basically acknowledging that you are using someone else's ideas.
Bibliography (sometimes called a reference list): A list of sources that has been used in production of a piece of work. A bibliography may contain books, journals, newspapers, webpages, etc.
There are many different styles of citation. In your work (extended essay, internal assessment, etc.) it does not matter what style you use, as long as you use your chosen style consistently throughout your work. Below I am going to talk about the APA (American Psychological Association) style of citation.
What to Cite?
Probably the hardest thing when referencing is to decide what is common knowledge or your knowledge (and does not have to be cited) and what is someone else's work/knowledge (and does have to be cited). If you are ever in any doubt then you should always cite to avoid being accused of plagiarism.
In geographical work there are things that generally don't need citing. For example:
However, there are also a lot of things that do need citing. For example
There are many different methods of citing, there are in-text styles like APA and MLA and there are other styles using footnotes. Below is information about how to reference using the APA style.APA Style
The APA style uses the author-date citation system and requires that other peoples work is recognised in-text (next to their work, images or ideas) and also in a bibliography (or reference list) at the back of your work. Different sources of information are cited in different ways, please follow the guidance below for help.
In-text citation
Whether you are using someone else's image, quoting them or just referring to ideas mentioned in their book, you should always use an in-text citation (IB students should always cite other people's work). In-text citations with APA are very simple you just have to mention the authors name and the date the source was published or created. There are number of different ways that you may include an in-text citation. For example:
Remember if you are directly quoting then and not just paraphrasing then you should also use "quotation marks"
Please note that if you are quoting someone directly, then you must also include the page number of the quote (if from a book) or the section/paragraph number of the quote (if from a website). For example:
p. = page
para. = paragraph
What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing?
Quoting is when you are repeating someone else's words, word for word e.g. "Quoting is when you are repeating someone else's words, word for word" (Greenfield, 2012, What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, para. 1). If you ever quote someone directly, then you must always include the quote in quotation marks and include an in-text citation.
Paraphrasing is when you change someone else's words (ideas) into your own words. Paraphrasing usually shortens the original work, but sometimes extends if you think greater explanation is needed. Even if you are paraphrasing and not quoting, you still need to include an in-text citation. For example:
Paraphrasing is using your words to explain someone else's ideas, even though you are not quoting, you still need to cite (Greenfield, 2012)
Remember full details of all your in-text citations must appear in your bibliography (reference list).
Referencing Photos, Maps, Images, etc.
In Geography internal assessments one of the most common things that you will be citing are photos, maps and images. They are cited in exactly the same way as if they are someone's words i.e. with the name of the author, creator, photographer, etc. followed by the date e.g. (Greenfield, 2012). If you can not find the author, creator, photographer, etc. then the name is replaced with the name of the internet page.
Title: Always give your photo, map, image, etc. a title
Reference (cite): If you know the name of the person that took the photo or made the diagram then you reference in exactly the same way as any other information i.e. the name of the person and the date (Greenfield, 2010)
Bibliography: If you know all the information then the listing in the bibliography (reference list) would be:
Greenfield, 2010, Homepage, Greenfieldgeography, Retrieved on 25th May 2012, from: http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Homepage
Reference (cite): Because I can not find the creator (author) of the map I have referenced using the title of the webpage. I also could not find the date so have put (n.d.) - no date.
Bibliography: The listing in the bibliography (reference list) would appear as follows:
Map of Antigua Guatemala (n.d.), Lonely Planet, Retrieved on 25th May 2012, from: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/central-america/guatemala/antigua-guatemala/
Referencing from the Internet when you don't know the Author and/or the Date
As demonstrated in the example above (map of Antigua, Guatemala) if you can't find the author, then the title of the webpage replaces the authors name. For example if you could not find the author of this webpage then an in-text citation would become (Plagiarism and Referencing, 2012). The listing in the bibliography (reference list) would become:
Plagiarism and Referencing (2012), Greenfieldgeography, Retrieved May 24th 2012, form http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Plagiarism+and+Referencing
If you also don't know the date then the listing would be:
Plagiarism and Referencing (n.d.), Greenfieldgeography, Retrieved May 24th 2012, form http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Plagiarism+and+Referencing
Bibliography (Reference List)
Your bibliography (reference list) should appear at the back of your work. Your sources should always be in alphabetical based on the authors surname. Please note that bibliographies may also contain work that you have read and that are related to your research, but that you have not cited within your work. Strictly speaking the APA style should only include items cited and therefore should strictly be called a reference list.
Books
Books should be listed in the following way:
Author surname, Initial (s) of author, (date of publication in brackets), the name of the book, the edition of the book if more than one, place of publication, the name of the publisher
Greenfield, D (2012) How to Reference Correctly, 1st Edition, San Salvador, ABC Publishers
Websites
Author surname, initial (s) of author, (date webpage was created), name of page, name of website, date information was retrieved, URL
Greenfield, D (2010) Plagiarism and Referencing, Greenfieldgeography, Retrieved May 24th 2012, form http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Plagiarism+and+Referencing
For many websites it can be hard to find the author and also the date that the webpage was created. If this is the case then the title of webpage replaces the authors name and you put (n.d.)
for no date.
Plagiarism and Referencing (n.d.), Greenfieldgeography, Retrieved May 24th, form http://greenfieldgeography.wikispaces.com/Plagiarism+and+Referencing
How do you reference if there are multiple authors?
If there are in between two and five authors, then the first time that you do an in-text citation then you use all of their names e.g.
(Gray, Greenfield, Nott & Taylor 2012)
For any subsequent in-text citations then you should only use the first author followed by et al. e.g.
(Gray et al., 2012)
If there are six or more authors, then even with the first in-text citation you use et al. e.g.
(Gray et al., 2012)
In the bibliography (reference list) you list all the authors, e.g.
Gray, S., Greenfield, D., Nott, A. & Taylor, R. (2012)
The following website will help you create your bibliography. Unfortunately only the MLA system is available for free, to get APA you have to pay: http://www.easybib.com/