Academic Writing /

Referencing
Machine Learning
MSc in Big Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence
10 Credit Module

Dr. Kevin Meehan

 01 Why Reference?
Introduction 02 Plagiarism

03 Referencing Ideas
04 Referencing Rules

05 IEEE Referencing
06 Zotero
07 Studiosity
Why Reference?
1. Why reference?
 To acknowledge the work of others integrated into an academic piece. These will
be readings such as: textbooks, academic articles, professional body articles,
policy documents and maybe internet sources.
Moral and ethical responsibility.

 To show how work fits, links and situates itself within the body of work on that
particular topic.
Community of practice, theory and scholarship.

 To allow the reader, or the marker, to check, read and/or assess the sources of
reading.
Assessment and evaluation.
1. Why reference?
 To display the sources of reading for an academic piece, and show how
arguments and ideas have been built. Foundational, scaffolding – building.

 To provide evidence for what you have written, assuring quality and validity.
Evidence-based.

 To distinguish your own ideas, thoughts, and arguments from those of others.
Situating – academic comment.

 To avoid accusations of plagiarism.

Plagiarism
2. Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
‘To take (the work or an idea of someone else) and pass it off as one’s own’
Source: Oxford English Dictionary (1999)
2. Plagiarism
Why Worry About Plagiarism?
 If you have used someone else’s work – you need to give them credit for
it.
 If you have carried out research – you need to show this so that you may
get credit for it.
 Your work will gain you a mark or qualification at the end of your course – if
the work you submit is not yours, or you have used someone else’s words
without properly citing and referencing it, you could face disciplinary action
and/or LYIT can refuse to give you your qualification.
2. Plagiarism
Examples of Plagiarism:
 Getting someone to do your assignment for you.
 Downloading an essay and passing it off as your own.
 Downloading code and/or data sets without acknowledging the source.
 Copying something from a book, word for word and not acknowledging it.
 Paraphrasing someone else’s words and not acknowledging them.

How to avoid plagiarism: if the words you use are not

your own - cite and reference them
Referencing Ideas
3. Referencing Ideas
 Referencing is very closely linked to a number of other skills areas:
 Reading.
 Note making.
 Writing notes from reading, specifically paraphrasing, summarising
(indirect quotes), and direct quotes.
3. Referencing Ideas
 Always collect referencing information as part of your notes.

 Do not leave referencing tasks until the end of your assignment. Do it

as you proceed.
 Referencing properly is time consuming.
 Different sources need different referencing information.
 You will not keep all this information in your heads, no need to
memorise referencing information – look it up as you reference.
Referencing Rules
4. Referencing Rules
What is Paraphrasing?
 Indirect quotation.
 Similar word count to original. Cite and
 Rewriting author’s words. Reference your
Source!
You Should:
 Show understanding of your source.
 Read, re-write, and then check that wording is different from the original.

Take care - Wording that is too close to the

original source can result in plagiarism!
4. Referencing Rules
What is Summarising?
 Indirect quotation.
 Much lower word count than original. Cite and
 Rewriting and distilling the author’s words. Reference your
Source!
You Should:
 Show understanding of your source.

Take care - Wording that is too close to the

original source can result in plagiarism!
4. Referencing Rules
Direct Quotations
 Are the author’s exact words.
 Use very sparingly as using too many direct quotes suggests you don’t
understand your work.
 Formulas, figures and tables are all examples of direct quotations also!
(These should be referenced using the IEEE numbering system)

Cite and
Reference your
Source!
IEEE Referencing Style
5. IEE Referencing Style
5. IEE Referencing Style
Zotero
4. Zotero
• There are software solutions that help with
referencing.
• Note: it is important that you understand the
referencing system first.
• Zotero is a free bibliographic reference
manager recommended by LYIT.
• It allows you to:
• Create a personal research database and organize
references, images and PDFs.
• Import citations from online databases as you
search.
• Format bibliographies instantly while you write.
• Access your reference library on and off
campus
4. Zotero
• Zotero training sessions are normally carried
out face to face with a postgraduate librarian
at LYIT.
• In the absence I’m going to recommend that
you use the resource on the LYIT library
website to get set up on Zotero.
• Zotero will help you reference within Word
documents but it will also help you
harvest referencing information as you
read sources and create a database of
readings with notes etc.
• It is worth teaching yourself to use Zotero
from the beginning of your MSc.
Studiosity
What is Studiosity?
LYIT have paid for this service for 1st year Undergraduate student and Postgraduate students.

1. Studiosity is free for postgraduate students and accessible 24/7 online all-year round via Blackboard.
The link should be visible under the Resources tab on Year 5 Blackboard modules.
2. Studiosity will provide 24/7 online, on-demand, personalised and rapid feedback on key academic
skills, such as essay/report writing. The tutors are provided by Studiosity.
3. Studiosity will work alongside and complement the existing advice and help provided via the
Communications Learning Centre. As Studiosity is a 24/7 service it extends our support for
postgraduate students by being available when other support is not (for example, during the evenings
and at weekends)
4. Please note that Studiosity is NOT a proof-reading service. It will not edit your work or mark your work.
Instead it will provide you with rapid feedback, advising you on grammar, structure, referencing,
punctuation and more.
 Thank You

Any Questions?
Dr. Kevin Meehan
kevin.meehan@lyit.ie