The data obtained will have the inevitable systematic and random errors that obscure the

experimental results obtained and the ideal laws that govern the phenomena. Students will be
challenged to learn how each of the experimental configurations work, to master its manipulation
so as to obtain the best possible data set and then to interpret the data in light of theory and a
quantitative assessment of the errors.

Starting experiments: All laboratory equipment must be checked prior to students commencing their
experiments. DO NOT switch on equipment until it is checked by the demonstrator.
Laboratory report submission: All laboratory reports must be submitted to the supervisor ONLY of
the laboratory session, on or before the date it is due. Laboratory reports must be submitted with the
appropriate cover sheet (with all the details completed) and a signed anti-plagiarism sheet attached.

Pg 10

Experimental Procedure: The experimental procedure should describe the equipment, the apparatus
and scientific method that were used to collect the experimental data. It is important that the method
include any precautions observed during this step. Only factual statements should be recorded, which
should not include the experimenter‟s opinion. A well-written method should provide enough detail
such that a fellow scientist can repeat the method step-by step.

 Citing is to include a brief note in the text. This indicates that the information at that point comes from an
outside source
o Citations occur throughout the body of a work

 Referencing is listing sources in the Reference List/Bibliography/Works Cited listing at the end of your
written text.

Reasons for citing:

 Enable others to build on or verify your research

 Show your familiarity with other scholars' ideas on a subject
 Show that you have consulted widely and have acknowledged relevant ideas from seminal works to the
most current on a given topic
 Give credit to others for their work
 Give support for an assertion in the text, therefore enhancing the credibility of the work
 Relieve the writer of the responsibility for the truth or the accuracy of the statement
 Differentiate between which ideas are yours and which come from others
 It is ethical to do so – it is about intellectual honesty and professional courtesy
 Develop within yourself academic and personal integrity
 Avoid the serious academic and personal consequences of plagiarising

Plagiarism is not a legal issue, it is an academic infringement

In-text citations
In-text citations are generally placed after direct and indirect quotes.
Direct quotes

 Using the author’s exact words

Indirect quotes

 Paraphrasing
 Summarising

Paraphrasing

 Convey the idea using your own words

 Do not just change a word or two, copy entire phrases and use the same sentence structure.
 May quote a phrase/sentence but must use quotation marks.
 Usually write about the same length as the original

 e.g., Harrison argues, refers to, explains, hypothesises, compares

Summarising

 A brief account, in your own words, of what the author said

 Follow the same order of ideas as the original
 Use only what is most important or relevant from the text
 Do not include your interpretation/analysis within the summary
 Make a clear distinction between your thoughts and someone else's

 Can introduce with “According to Smith….” or “Smith concludes that….”He demonstrated, proved, ... etc.

What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else’s language, ideas, or other original material and passing it off as
one’s own.
Examples of plagiarism:

 Paraphrasing/summarising – without citing the source

 Quoting a source without using quotation marks – even if you cite it
 Downloading a paper from a free site - submitting it as your own.
 Copying or using work – by another student
 Changing words but copying the sentence structure – without giving credit
 Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give
credit or not

Breach of academic honesty but viewed by some as plagiarism

 Errors in citations and references make the reference 'unfindable'

 Referencing the wrong source
 Inconsistent referencing
 Citing sources you did not use
 Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
How do you plagiarise?
Deliberately

 word for word borrowing without acknowledging the source, whether intentional or not
 building on someone's ideas without citing their spoken or written work

Unintentionally

 using the words of a source too closely when paraphrasing (where quotation marks should have been used)
and not citing the source
 reusing a mix of words, phrases or ideas without indicating what has been borrowed and/or without properly
citing the source

How do you avoid plagiarism?

 Use many sources (know how to search effectively and efficiently)

 Have good sources to work from (know how to evaluate sources effectively)
 When taking notes, write down the source info
 When your do online research, go to the source of the info
 Learn how to cite/reference properly
 Write from your notes preferably
 Write in your own words
 Give yourself enough time
 If unsure, cite