Department of Politics, Birkbeck, University of London
Guidelines for MSc and MRes Dissertations
What is a dissertation?
The dissertation counts for one-third of the entire degree i.e. 60 credits. It is a long
written piece of research with a minimum length of 12,000 words and a maximum
length of 15,000 words including all footnotes, references and appendices. The aim of
the dissertation is to enable students to advance their knowledge of the field covered
by their degree programme by pursuing an independent research project on a chosen
topic within the field. Students completing the dissertation will have examined a
subject in substantial depth, shown evidence of an ability to undertake sustained
critical analysis, developed and improved their research skills, and produced a long
piece of written work that demonstrates understanding of their area of study.
Who writes a dissertation?
The submission of a dissertation is a requirement for completion of all the MSc and
MRes programmes in the Department of Politics. Students taking the MSc in
Government, Policy and Politics can either do a dissertation or submit a research
portfolio instead. Guidelines about the research proposal are available from the
Programme Director for the MSc in Government, Policy and Politics upon request.
The dissertation proposal
The topic for your dissertation, which must be relevant to your degree programme,
must be approved in advance by your Programme Director. To have your topic
approved you must completed a dissertation proposal form (see annex of this
document) and upload to to the dissertation Moodle base for your programme
(http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk/). You should then await confirmation from your Programme
Director concerning the approval of this topic. The deadline for submitting the
dissertation and ethics proposal forms varies from programme to programme. Your
Programme Director will be in touch to confirm the deadline but it is expected that
all dissertation and ethics proposal forms should be submitted by the end of the
spring term at the very latest.
Ethics proposal form
All research that is carried out by Birkbeck students that involves intervention or
interaction with human participants, or the collection and / or study of data derived
from living human participants (e.g. conducting research interviews), requires ethical
approval. Please see the annex to the document for the ethical approval form.
For further details on the College’s policy on research ethics, please see:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/sshp/our-research/sshp-ethics-committee-and-procedures
Submitting your dissertation
All dissertations must be submitted on the 15 September of the year in which they
are to be examined (if 15 September is a Saturday or Sunday, then they are due on the
preceding Friday). Please submit one hard copy to the Department of Politics
office (10 Gower Street, London WC1E 6DP) by 5pm on the day of the deadline and
and upload your dissertation electronically to the dissertation Moodle base for your
programme. This should appear as one of your modules when you log into
http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk/
If you cannot access Moodle or your dissertation module does not appear, please send
your dissertation by email to pg-politics@bbk.ac.uk
The length of the dissertation should be 12,000-15,000 words inclusive of appendices
and bibliography. A dissertation which exceeds this word count by more than 10%
may be penalised by the examiners. The dissertation much be typed or wordprocessed, and spiral bound. The dissertaton should include a completed cover sheet
(see annex).
The role of the dissertation supervisor
The dissertation is intended to provide an opportunity for students to pursue a
research project independently. Students are, therefore, entirely responsible for the
work for their dissertation. The role of the supervisor is to offer advice and guidance,
not to direct the research. Your supervisor will help you to identify a topic, to draw up
a suitable preliminary bibliography and to plan the primary and secondary research
you will need to do for the dissertation. He/she will be available to advise you on
approach, coverage, questions to be asked and the outline structure and research
design.
You should have up to three meetings with your supervisor. It is up to you to contact
your supervisor for meetings and you should make sure that you do so in good time.
Please note that the supervisor is under no obligation to meet you during the summer
term, which runs from July to October so it is advisable that all supervision meetings
take place before then. Nor is the supervisor required to find you a suitable topic for
the dissertation, read preliminary drafts of your work, offer you guidance or assistance
after the end of the summer term or proof read your final draft.
Additional Support
In workshop week, which is held in both the autumn and spring terms, lectures and
seminars for specific modules are replaced by general study skills sessions and other
events. A departmental dissertation workshop is held in the autumn workshop week to
provide general guidance on writing a dissertation in the field of politics. A
programme-specific workshops that offers guidance on conducting research related to
your degree programme is held in either the autumn or spring workshop week. The
Departmental Office will provide you with details of these events in due course.
Birkbeck’s Centre for Transformative Practice in Learning and Teaching also offers a
range of academic development workshops for students. Some courses are initially
only available to first year undergraduates, but other students can join a standby list.
All workshops are free of charge unless stated otherwise. Topics covered in these
modules include:
Moodle
Reading skills
Note taking
Time Management
Essay writing
Academic English
For more details, please see: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/learning-and-teaching/supportinglearning/students-skills-development
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Assessment Criteria
The dissertation is assessed according to the following criteria, with credit given to
the extent that:
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the research question is well-defined, and contextualised;
an argument is specified, coherently presented and supported by evidence;
alternative arguments are analysed;
the approach is critical, not descriptive;
a relevant methodology is employed;
relevant sources have been consulted;
knowledge of relevant literature, issues and debates is demonstrated; and
the style and presentation is clear and careful, and appropriate academic
conventions have been observed.
Marking Schema
The pass mark for the dissertation is 50. Dissertations written for courses or during
examinations are marked according to the schema:
0-29: A totally inadequate dissertation, which does not specify a research
question, fails to present an argument, is largely descriptive, shows little or no
knowledge of the topic, or its intellectual context, does not refer adequately to the
relevant literature, fails to follow an appropriate methodology, and is shoddily
presented
30-39: An inadequate dissertation, which fails to identify a research question
adequately, does not present a clear argument, includes some relevant material,
but does not evidence of sufficient reading and is overly descriptive
40-49: A poor dissertation, which identifies a research question, states an
argument, shows some knowledge of the literature and addresses the question, but
does not sustain the argument, is overly descriptive, and lacks originality,
sufficient knowledge of the relevant literature, issues and debates, and
organisation.
50-59: A satisfactory dissertation, which defines a research question adequately,
makes an argument, shows an awareness of the major issues, shows some
knowledge of the sources and of alternative approaches to the subject, but does
not adequately develop or sustain the argument, does not show a clear
understanding of alternative arguments, and makes uncritical use of sources.
60-69: A good dissertation, which offers a precise specification of the research
question, presents a clear and coherent argument that is well-substantiated by
evidence, treats the issues in a critical and balanced way, shows an awareness of
context, sources and different explanations, and achieves a high standard of
presentation
70-79: A dissertation of distinction quality, which addresses a well-defined
research question, displays exceptional knowledge of the literature and/or a
substantial measure of originality, and achieves a high standard of presentation.
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80-100: A dissertation of distinction quality, which is outstanding in virtually all
areas of a calibre far beyond what would be expected at this level. Contains
substantial evidence of original and independent thought.
Plagiarism
The dissertation must be your own work. Plagiarism - the presentation of another
person's thoughts or words as one's own - in the dissertation constitutes grounds for
failing the dissertation; more serious sanctions may be also applied if circumstances
warrant them. Please read the plagiarism guidelines in the annex to this document to
ensure that you understand the concept of plagiarism and why it should be avoided.
Deferring your dissertation
Students who wish to defer their dissertation must inform their Programme Director
before the dissertation is due. Students who do so without claiming mitigating
circumstances that are then accepted by their Programme Director will be given one
additional attempt to pass. Students who claim mitigating circumstances that are
approved by their Programme Director will be offered two remaining chances to pass
the dissertation. Deferred dissertations can be submitted by 15 May (or the Friday
before if 15 May is a Saturday or Sunday) or September 15 (or the Friday before if 15
September is a Saturday or Sunday) in the year following deferral.
For further details on mitigating circumstances, please see:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/administration/assessment/exams/mitigati
ng-circumstances
Annex
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Dissertation Proposal Form
Ethics Proposal Form
Dissertation Cover Sheet
Some tips on writing a postgraduate dissertation
Birkbeck plagiarism guidelines
4
Department of Politics
DISSERTATION PROPOSAL FORM
Please copy and paste this form into a new document, complete it, and upload it to the Moodle site for
your dissertation, which you can find at moodle.bbk.ac.uk.
Name:
E-mail address:
MSc or MRes programme:
Full-time or part-time?
Title of proposed dissertation
Description of subject area
What scholarly literature will you be examining?
What primary research material might you use?
Have you identified or spoken with a potential supervisor? If so, who?
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SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY
BIRKBECK, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
PROPOSAL TO CONDUCT RESEARCH INVOLVING ADULTS (over 16yrs)
SUBMISSION TO SCHOOL ETHICS COMMITTEE
Please complete this document and upload it to the relevant dissertation module on Moodle.
Do not begin collecting data from participants until ethics approval has been received,
usually from your supervisor, but where necessary, from the School ethics committee. If you
intend to do research with minors (persons under 16 years old), then you must complete a
different form. Speak to your supervisor about this before proceeding, and to obtain the
form.
Please note:
 If your participants are under 16 yrs old you will need to fill in the ‘minors’
form.
 Do not attach any documents; instead make sure all the relevant information
is included in this form (e.g. interview questions or questionnaires)
 Paper copies of this proposal are no longer required
 Supervisors must complete all the relevant sections in this form
 Students’ ethics form can only be submitted by supervisors not the student.
 Expand sections for answers as necessary. Do not remove any questions –
you must answer them all.
1. Name of investigator:
_______________________________________________________
2. Status (e.g. lecturer, researcher, Phd student, undergraduate):
____________________
3. Name of supervisor (if investigator is student):
_________________________________
4. Course/Programme (if student):
______________________________________________
5. Contact address for investigator:
_____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
______
6. Telephone number: _______________
Mobile: ___________________
Email: _____________________________
7. Date of Application: ____________ Proposed starting date:________________
8. Reference Number(s) of any previous related applications:1
______________________
1
Only for ‘routine’ proposals
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9. Is any other Ethical Committee involved:
YES/NO
If YES, give details of committee, stage of process/decision, enclosing any relevant
documentation:
______________________________________________________________
10. Title of study (15 words max):
_______________________________________________
11. Aims/objectives of the study (20 words max):
_________________________________
12.Rationale: Which are the main theoretical debates or research traditions within
which your research question is framed and becomes relevant? (100 words max):
___
__________________________________________________________________________
___
__________________________________________________________________________
___
PARTICIPANTS
13. How will participants be selected?
___________________________________________
14. Any inclusion/exclusion criteria?
____________________________________________
15. Where will the study be conducted?
_________________________________________
MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES
16. Briefly describe what participating in the study will involve. (Max 1 page)
17. Equipment/facilities to be used (if not included in answer to 16). Please provide
details of questionnaires2, interview schedules etc, & attach copies if they are not
standard ones. Comment on content area of questionnaires, could any questions
cause distress or offence? Invade privacy? Is there a strong rationale for conducting
this research in spite of this risk? How would this risk be managed?
Please note that in some disciplines within the School, some questionnaire studies (e.g.
when questionnaires are non-contentious, are administered anonymously and online) are
likely to be ‘routine’. Please discuss the issue with your ethics officer.
2
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When thinking about this question please bear in mind that according to
College
ethics guidelines researchers have a duty of care towards the participants, the
College and their own safety. (Please read carefully the Ethics guidelines at
the
end of this document for further details). Additionally, you are required to
be mindful of another criterion as described in the Section 1.2 of the College
Ethics Responsibilities and Procedures:
1.2 Ethical requirements arise from an evolving understanding of the rights
and duties of human beings. Ethics are broader than law, though the law can
both reflect and clarify ethical duties. School staff are part of a changing social
system. They are, therefore, required not only to abide by ethical principles such
as justice, truthfulness, confidentiality and respect for persons, but also to
attend to the evolving understanding of how these principles are expressed in
society at a particular time.
Researchers are required to demonstrate a critical stance towards the assumptions
and beliefs underpinning their proposal, so not to reproduce stereotypical and
prejudicial views of participants. This is particularly crucial when dealing with
vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
18. How will you find/access potential participants? (Include details of any relevant
documentation e.g. letter to manager, advert, notice to go on notice board.)
INFORMED CONSENT
19. Potential participants must give free and informed consent. You need to provide
sufficient information about your study in an information sheet or note for
participants. This needs to explain confidentiality and right to withdraw. Please
modify the template information sheet at the end of the form so it is appropriate for
your study.
Tick one entry here to explain how you will use the information sheet:

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
Information sheet distributed to each participant
Information sheet displayed on screen for all participants
Information included in header of questionnaire
Other (specify) __________________________________________
20. Participants must sign a consent form to indicate consent. Participants must sign
two copies – participant keeps one, you keep the other. Please modify the consent
form at the end of this application form so it fits your study. The only exception to
this is if you do not meet your participants because you send a questionnaire
through the post to participants, or they respond to an online questionnaire, or the
questionnaire is administered face to face in the street, in which case their
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completion of the questionnaire signals consent. In all these cases, you will need to
ensure that participants have read or otherwise been informed of the consent
statement contained below. How will you obtain consent?
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Signed consent form attached to end of this application form
Postal or online questionnaire study
CONFIDENTIALITY
21. It is important that you respect the confidentiality of your participants. 3 You
should only record identifying information if necessary and wherever possible it
should be kept separate from the data. Possible ways of doing this are: data is
coded and the key linking the code and the participant’s identity is kept in a
separate locked cabinet from the data. All data with identifying information must
be kept in a locked cabinet. Particular care needs to be taken with interviews.
Names should be changed on transcripts and tapes locked up. Please describe here
how you will maintain the participants’ confidentiality in this particular study?
22. If the answer to any item below is YES please give details and outline how you
will ensure the participant’s well being. Does the study involve:
(a) Unpleasant stimuli or unpleasant situations?
YES/NO
(b) Invasive procedures?
YES/NO
(c) Deprivation or restriction (e.g., food, water, sleep)?
YES/NO
(d) Drug administration?
YES/NO
(e) Any procedure which could cause harm to the participant?
YES/NO
(f) Any groups of participants whose physical/mental health could be put at risk?
YES/NO
(g) Actively misleading or deceiving the participants?
YES/NO
(h) Withholding information about the nature or outcome of the study?
YES/NO
(i) Any inducement or payment to take part in the study
YES/NO
(j) Any procedure that might inadvertently cause distress to the participant? YES/NO
(ja) if the answer is NO; tell us why
(jb) if the answer is YES; you will need to prepare for the possibility of a
participant becoming distressed. We suggest the following: if the participant shows
any sign of distress, their wellbeing, rather than data collection, has to be your
priority. It is advisable to stop the recording and ask the participant if they would
prefer to stop the interview. They might want to talk to you about what is
distressing them. Be mindful of boundaries and that the participant might benefit
If anonymity is not required, or if knowing the identity of the participant is integral and
necessary information for the project, you will need to clearly state why this is the case. In
such circumstances, you will need to provide participant’s written consent to their names
being used.
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from professional help which you are not in the position, nor under obligation to
provide. In such eventuality, you need to have information about support services
available to offer to the participant in the unlikely event that they do indeed become
very upset. Outline this here.
Please consult your supervisor or experienced colleagues to prepare yourself before
embarking on your research.
23. If you feel the proposed investigation raises other ethical issues please outline
them here.
24. I consider my study conforms with the expectations of ethical
psychological/social/ sociological research:
YES/ NO
SIGNATURE of investigator:
Date:
_________________________________
__________________________
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Department of Politics
DISSERTATION COVER SHEET
Date:
Student Number:
Programme of Study:
Supervisor:
Title of Dissertation:
Word Count (including all footnotes, references and appendices):
Disability and dyslexia support: Do you have an Individual Student Support Agreement with the Birkbeck
Disability Office that is relevant to this coursework? Yes or No (Please delete as appropriate)
Plagiarism statement: Coursework is monitored for plagiarism and if detected may result in disciplinary
action. In submitting this coursework, I hereby confirm that I have read Birkbeck's plagiarism guidelines and
taken the online tutorial on avoiding plagiarism and on this basis declare that this coursework is free from
plagiarism.
Plagiarism guidelines: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/current-students/essays/plagiarism
Plagiarism tutorial: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/get-ahead-stay-ahead/writing/referencing
Dissemination: I agree to this coursework being made available anonymously to future students in the
Department of Politics. Yes or No (Please delete as appropriate).
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Some Tips on Writing a Postgraduate Dissertation
A dissertation should address a well-defined research question, specified at the outset.
It should present a logically developed argument, the claims of which are supported
by evidence where necessary.
Dissertations typically follow one of four methods:
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a case study is used to assess, explore, validate or critically examine an
argument, theory or theoretical perspective advanced in the literature;
a comparative study is undertaken where a process, development or institution
is examined in two or more settings; or
quantitative data is used to test existing arguments or to form a new
hypothesis;
a critical analysis of a theoretical argument or perspective is advanced that
engages closely with primary texts.
A dissertation must have an element of your own research. This can be demonstrated
by exploring previously neglected primary sources, undertaking an original theoretical
analysis or interpretation of existing literature, or using primary material to develop
your own critique of existing scholarly arguments. It is not enough simply to review
the books and articles which you have collected on the topic.
The dissertation should demonstrate not only that you can collect evidence and
consider a particular problem or topic in detail, but also that you understand how the
topic relates to the work others have done in the same field. The review of the
literature should show how the works of different authors on the topic relate to one
another and where your own work is intended to fit in, and the analysis should show
an awareness of what others who have addressed related questions have already said
(or are saying) and of the implications of their various views and positions for your
own work.
Choosing a topic
Start thinking about possible topics as early as possible. Look at relevant debates in
the literature to see how problems are framed and what arguments are made. Choose
something that interests you, since enthusiasm is an important motivating factor in
writing a good dissertation. Remember, though, that the project must be intellectually
feasible, practicable in terms of gaining access to the necessary sources and
manageable in the time available. The subject may be related to your work, but note
that the dissertation has specific academic aims and requirements which differ from
the aims and requirements of reports and studies you may be asked to prepare in the
course of your work.
Note the requirements outlined above to determine whether a topic will be suitable for
a dissertation. Consider in particular whether:
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there is a relevant academic literature which can be discussed in the literature
review and built on in developing the research;
the topic allows for an original contribution, for example by using primary
sources;
the research question is genuinely researchable; in other words, whether it can
be answered through systematic academic enquiry, as opposed to mere
assertion or speculation.
Relevance to the degree programme
The dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements the MSc/MRes
degree programme on which you are enrolled. It should therefore relate to the syllabus
of one or more components of the degree, and be linked to a recognised body of
literature in whichever field the degree is taken. Students undertaking an MRes must
be able to demonstrate that they have applied concepts or used methods taught on the
modules in social research methods.
Structure
Although structure varies according to the topic and methodology chosen, a
dissertation typically consists of several parts, which should be formally indicated by
section breaks or chapters. A possible structure is as follows:
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The introduction states the objectives of the dissertation, outlines the research
question, and identifies how it is intended to meet the objectives and answer
the question. In other words, the research methodology employed is described
and its appropriateness to the topic explained.
The topic is placed in its academic context by reviewing the relevant scholarly
literature and relating the research question to academic debates.
Primary and secondary source material is presented, with an appropriate
account of how primary material was gathered (e.g. how an interview schedule
was developed) and how sources might be interpreted in the light of their
authorship.
An argument or interpretation is advanced in the light of the evidence.
The conclusion presents a summary of the findings of the dissertation, relates
these to the argument outlined in the introductory chapter and states precisely
what has been demonstrated.
Each of the main sections or chapters (i.e. not including the introduction and
conclusion) should begin with a paragraph outlining its aims and content, and
conclude with a brief summary.
Presentation: Some do’s and don’ts
The same rules of clear and simple expression should be followed in writing a
dissertation as would be in writing an essay. Discussion should be broken up into
sections and sub-sections, but excessive fragmentation should be avoided. Breaking
up the text into too many very short sub-sections prevents coherent presentation and
can encourage a superficial treatment of a wide range of material rather than a
detailed and well-substantiated account of a tightly defined area. Organise the
discussion into paragraphs and avoid bullet points.
Present data with graphic illustrations (graphs, tables, charts, diagrams, flowcharts or
organigrams) where appropriate. Make sure that the text explains and discusses the
data. Do not consign important information to appendices; whereever possible,
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integrate it into the text. All graphics must be clearly presented, be a reasonable size,
have relevant headings and acknowledge sources.
Remember that writing takes a long time, far longer than you may anticipate, so plan
carefully and leave plenty of time for re-drafting and a final proof-reading before the
submission deadline.
Sources and references
Research for the dissertation may involve use of a variety of primary and secondary
sources. Where relevant, students are encouraged to make use of primary material, for
example, from interviews, surveys, or the analysis of original documents. It is
necessary to adopt a clear and consistent method for recording and referring to
primary sources. It is also important to make sure that any planned fieldwork is
practicable, feasible within the time available, and ethical. Students should discuss
such issues with their supervisor.
The same rules on providing text references and bibliographic information in essays
should be followed in writing the dissertation. However, due to the greater range of
material used, more thought may need to be given as to how to ensure that references
are appropriately and consistently provided. The guidelines on referencing provided
by the Department may answer some questions; otherwise, consult your supervisor.
As with essays, there are several different referencing conventions and it does not
matter which one you adopt provided that you sources are properly cited, all the
necessary information is given and consistency is maintained. However, the 'Harvard'
system is particularly recommended, not least because it is relatively simple and 'userfriendly'.
What to avoid
Most weak or failing dissertations reflect a combination of sloppiness, procrastination
and/or lack of work. However, even candidates who work hard sometimes produce
relatively weak dissertations, because they have fallen into one or more of the 'traps'
described below. These are the most common complaints examiners cite when
criticising dissertations that show real ability and application but nonetheless fall short
in some way. While none of these is fatal, all are worth avoiding, as they can
seriously detract from the quality of the dissertation:
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Excessive description. The dissertation should offer an analytical treatment of
the subject under investigation. This is probably the most common weakness
cited by examiners.
Poor definition of the question. One of the biggest differences between a
dissertation and an essay or exam is that it is up to you to define the research
question you wish to answer. Often, this is the most difficult task of all. It is
also one of the most important. A fuzzy question often results in a weak
overall structure, since the structure of the dissertation should be designed so
that each section contributes to the argument you are making in response to
the question.
Poor integration of theoretical and empirical material. This is probably the
second most common weakness. Many dissertations contain theoretical
discussions that are meant to inform the analysis of the material under study
but that are never rigorously and clearly applied to it. All too often, the
theoretical section simply stands isolated from the rest of the text - a summary
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of some political science theory that is never referred to again in the
dissertation. Its inclusion reflects an awareness that it is somehow relevant but
it is never brought to bear on the case or cases under discussion.
Poor contextualisation. The dissertation should demonstrate that you
understand how the topic relates to the work others have done in the same
field. The review of the literature should identify relevant debates and outline
the positions of the main participants in order to situate the topic of your
dissertation and the argument that you present. Do not make an argument in a
vacuum.
Uncritical use of sources. It is important to subject sources to critical
scrutiny. A wide range of sources may be used in a dissertation, but students
should demonstrate an understanding of whether a source should be treated as
authoritative and of the need to cross-check and ‘triangulate’ important
empirical claims. Academic sources should also be interrogated for logical
argument, internal coherence and strength of evidence.
Typographic spelling and other technical errors should be avoided by leaving
sufficient time for proof-reading the final draft. Particular care should be taken with
figures, statistics, diagrams and tables, ensuring that the information presented is
clear, that headings and captions are fully self-explanatory, and that sources are
correctly attributed.
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Birkbeck Plagiarism Guidelines
Written by Birkbeck Registry and adapted for TSMB by Nicholas Keep
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the most common form of examination offence encountered in
universities, partly because of the emphasis now placed on work prepared by
candidates unsupervised in their own time, but also because many students fall into it
unintentionally, through ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism. Even if
unintentional, it will still be considered an examination offence.
This document, developed as guidelines to departments by Birkbeck Registry, is
intended to explain clearly what plagiarism is, and how you can avoid it.
Acknowledgement is made to guidance issued by the USA Modern Language
Association (MLA, 1998).
Plagiarism is the publication of borrowed thoughts as original, or in other words,
passing off someone else’s work as your own. In any form, plagiarism is unacceptable
in the Department, as it interferes with the proper assessment of students’ academic
ability. Plagiarism has been defined as “the false assumption of authorship: the
wrongful act of taking the product of another person’s mind, and presenting it as
one’s own” (Lindey, 1952, p2). Therefore, using another person’s ideas or
expressions or data in your writing without acknowledging the source is to plagiarise.
Borrowing others’ words, ideas or data without acknowledgement. It is acceptable, in
your work, to use the words and thoughts of another person or data that another
person has gathered but the borrowed material must not appear to be your creation.
This includes essays, practical and research reports written by other students including
those from previous years, whether you have their permission or not. It also applies to
both ‘hard-copy’ material and electronic material, such as Internet documents.
Examples include copying someone else’s form of words, or paraphrasing another’s
argument, presenting someone else’s data or line of thinking. This form of plagiarism
may often be unintentional, caused by making notes from sources such as books or
journals without also noting the source, and then repeating those notes in an essay
without acknowledging that they are the data, words or ideas belonging to someone
else. Guard against this by keeping careful notes that distinguish between your own
ideas and researched material and those you obtained from others. Then acknowledge
the source.
Example 1
Original source:
To work as part of a team, to be able and prepared to continue to learn throughout
one’s career, and, most important, to take on board both care for the individual and
the community, are essential aspects of a doctor’s role today.
Greengross, Sally (1997), “What Patients want from their Doctors”, Choosing
Tomorrow’s Doctors, ed. Allen I, Brown PJ, Hughes P, Policy Studies Institute,
London.
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Plagiarism:
The essential aspects of a doctor’s role today are to work as part of a team, be able
and prepared to continue to learn throughout one’s career, and, most importantly, to
take on board both care for the individual and the community.
Acceptable:
One social writer believes that the essential aspects of a doctor’s role today are to
work as part of a team, be able and prepared to continue to learn throughout one’s
career, and, most importantly, to take on board both care for the individual and the
community (Greengross, 1997).
Example 2
Original source:
The binary shape of British higher education, until 1992, suggested a simple and
misleading, dichotomy of institutions. […] Within their respective classes,
universities and polytechnics were imagined to be essentially homogeneous. Their
actual diversity was disguised. [….] The abandonment of the binary system, whether
or not it encourages future convergence, highlights the pluralism which already exists
in British Higher Education.
Scott, Peter (1995), The Meanings of Mass Higher Education, SRHE and Open
University Press, Buckingham, p43.
Plagiarism:
Prior to the removal of the binary divide between polytechnics and universities in
1992, there was a misleading appearance of homogeneity in each sector. Now there is
only one sector, the diversity of institutions is more apparent, even if convergence
may be where we’re heading.
Acceptable:
Peter Scott has argued that prior to the removal of the binary divide between
polytechnics and universities in 1992, there was a misleading appearance of
homogeneity in each sector. Now there is only one sector, the diversity of institutions
is more apparent, even if convergence may be where we’re heading. (Scott, 1994)
In each revision, the inclusion of the author’s name acknowledges whose ideas these
originally were (not the student’s) and the reference refers the reader to the full
location of the work when combined with a footnote or bibliography. Note that in the
second example, the argument was paraphrased – but even so, this is plagiarism of the
idea without acknowledgement of whose idea this really is. In writing any work,
therefore (whether for assessment or not) you should document everything that you
borrow – not only direct quotations and paraphrases but also information and ideas.
There are, of course, some common-sense exceptions to this, such as familiar
proverbs, well-known quotations or common knowledge. But you must indicate the
source of any appropriated material that readers might otherwise mistake for your
own. If in doubt, cite your source or sources.
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Copying material verbatim
Another example of plagiarism is the verbatim copying of chunks of material from
another source without acknowledgement even where they are accepted facts, because
you are still borrowing the phrasing and the order and the idea that this is a correct
and complete list. Also, you might be infringing copyright (see below). For example if
you wrote based on example 2 above ‘The binary shape of British higher education,
until 1992, suggested a simple and misleading, dichotomy of institutions. (Scott,
1995)’ then this still could be regarded as plagiarism as you used his exact words. It is
important to rephrase the ideas in your own words, to show that you understand them
while still acknowledging the source.
Re-submission of work
Another form of plagiarism is submitting work you previously submitted before for
another assignment. While this is obviously not the same as representing someone
else’s ideas as your own, it is a form of self-plagiarism and is another form of
cheating. If you want to re-work a paper for an assignment, ask your lecture whether
this is acceptable, and acknowledge your re-working in a preface.
Collaboration and collusion
In collaborative work (if this is permitted by the lecturer) joint participation in
research and writing does not constitute plagiarism in itself, provided that credit is
given for all contributions. One way would be to state in a preface who did what;
another, if roles and contributions were merged and truly shared, would be to
acknowledge all concerned equally. However, where collaborative projects are
allowed, it is usually a requirement that each individual’s contribution and work is
distinguishable, so check with your lecturer. Usually, collusion with another candidate
on assessed work (such as sharing chunks of writing or copying bits from each other)
is not allowed.
Copyright infringement
Finally, you must guard against copyright infringement. Even if you acknowledge the
source, reproducing a significant portion of any document (including material on the
Internet) without permission is a breach of copyright, and a legal offence. You may
summarise, paraphrase and make brief quotations (as I have done from my sources),
but more than this risks infringing copyright.
References
Modern Language Association (1998) Guide for Writers of Research Papers (4th
edition), MLA, New York
Lindey, A. (1952) Plagiarism and Originality. Harper, New York.
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