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Short Learning Progamme: Part 1 - Building Blocks of Information Literacy: Unit 5: Access and assess information

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Using information correctly means understanding what is morally right and wrong. When you use information, you have responsibilities in how you access, use, and apply it. This includes obtaining information legally, following copyright and intellectual property rules, and avoiding plagiarism by giving credit to authors through proper referencing.

By the end of this unit, you will be able to differentiate between reliable and unreliable information online. You will also be able to identify useful, relevant and understandable sources to support your research topic; apply anti-plagiarism practices, and know how to cite a variety of sources of information.

Ask the following questions:

  • How do ethics relate to the correct and legal way to use information?
  • Can I just use information anyhow?
  • Can I just use freely available information?
  • Are there consequences when I do not use information correctly and legally?

Access information

  • When users use information, they need to look at the moral values in using information and the critical reflection of the creation, control, and use of information. It raises questions about information ownership and access to intellectual property, the rights of people to read and explore the World Wide Web as they choose (UNESCO, 2021).
  • The ethical use of information addresses the uses and abuses of information, information technology, and information systems for personal, professional, and public decision-making.
  • As the user of information, it is your responsibility to at all times be honest in all aspects of information handling and dissemination, for example, copyright, anti-plagiarism and intellectual property.
     

Ask the following questions

•    What kind of content is this?
•    Why should I believe this?
•    Who and what sources are cited?
•    What is the evidence?
•    What is missing?
•    Can I share the content?

Remember to always evaluate information before he decides to use it, regardless of the information source (books, journals, newspapers, Internet)

Evaluating Information — Applying the CRAAP Test (from California State University, Chico) created by Sarah Blakeslee at Meriam Library, the CRAAP Test is a terrific way for evaluating any information, including websites. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to determine if the information you want to use, is reliable. 

 

How to verify information

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How to identify Fake News:

Click on this image to learn how to spot fake news.

Plagiarism is a common type of academic misconduct. It can be unintentional or intentional and can be treated as academic theft which has serious consequences.

Explaining plagiarism

Image: Media-cache

 

Turnitin identifies twelve types of unoriginal work. Familiarity with traditional forms of plagiarism and emerging trends helps students develop original thinking skills and do their best original work.

Understand what is expected of you

Start with the assignment instructions:
•    What are the assignment goals: to demonstrate knowledge of the topic, support a statement, summarise key points, etc.
•    What evaluation criteria/rubric will be taken into account?
•    Essay length, format, and citation style
•    Recommended sources to use when writing and what they should be like
•    How much quoted material is allowed?
•    Possibility of incorporating your previous work
•    If you want a helping hand, who can you consult?

Make notes, plan and structure efficiently

This is one of the most important strategies to avoid plagiarism well in advance. Planning and documenting as you go along will save you a lot of work and stress in the end. Remember to:

  • Keep track of each and every source you want to include in your essay.
  • Create an essay plan or outline, match sources you have collected with every point on the plan, and add your own thoughts. Share the outline with your instructor to get their input and guidance early on.
  • Ensure you have more to say than to cite. Your instructor wants to hear your ideas and thoughts, not read a list of quoted material. Think about what you want to say, and align the quotes to support it.

Quick tips on how to avoid plagiarism. Click on the image.

What is copyright?

 

 

 

Who owns copyright?

Understanding copyright. Click on this image

Famous cases of copyright infringement

 

Intellectual Property (IP) is a term that describes the application of the mind to develop something new or original. IP can exist in various forms; a new invention, brand, design or artistic creation. There are various types of IP available. IP is an important asset in today's knowledge economy and should be strategically managed. Some IP rights require a formal process of application, examination and registration. CIPC administer the following IP domains in South Africa: trade marks, patents, designs, copyright (films only).

Types of IP protection

What is protected? Type of IP protection What it means? Example

Logos, words letters, numbers, colours, a phrase, sound, scent, shape, picture, aspect of packaging or branding - or any combination of these inventions: Devices, products, processes, substances or combination of known elements in any field of industry and agriculture, which are new, have inventive step and industrial applicability.

Trademark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • A trademark identifies the particular goods or services of a trader as distinct from those of other traders.
  • A trademark identifies the particular goods or services of a trader as distinct from those of other traders.
  • A patent protects how an invention works or functions.
Coca Cola, Nike, MTN.                                     
 
  Patent The owner has the exclusive right to use, sell or license the invention. Patents also allow the owner to stop others from manufacturing, using, copying and/or selling the device or process.  
Industrial designs Aesthetic designs and functional designs
  • The visual appearance of a product is protected, but not the way it works.
  • Appearance that has a feature necessitated by its function.
  • The owner has the exclusive right to use, sell or license the registered design.
Ipod, kitchen appliances, footwear, fashion items.      
 
Paintings, art, literature, music, film, broadcasts, computer programs Copyright
  • Automatically protected.
  • Law protects only Cinematographic films
  • The owner has the exclusive right to use, sell or license the copyrighted work.
Typeface and fonts                                    

 

One important aspect of maintaining academic integrity is acknowledging and crediting the sources of information used in written work. Referencing serves as a means to demonstrate to the reader that the writer has expanded their knowledge and understanding by utilisng relevant and current sources.

What are the reasons for referencing?

  • To let the reader know whose ideas the writer is using;
  • To give recognition to the original author of the text, opinion, idea, fact, image, etc.;
  • To enable your reader to check your information;
  • Sources confirm the completeness of the research;
  • Quotations and references lend authority to the argument, view, etc.;
  • The source list can be consulted by the reader to verify information in the text;
  • The sources can be used by the reader as additional sources to a topic.

What do referencing and citing mean?

‘Referencing’ means acknowledging a source of information used in written matter, by applying a specific reference style. 

‘Citing’ means, when the writer refers to another author's work in his/her work the writer must cite the source by providing the last name of the author and the year of publication.

Ask the following questions:

  • Why do I need to reference?
  • When do I reference?
  • Why do I need to know about referencing?
  • What are the consequences if I do not know the basics of referencing?

You need to cite references to:
•    support your arguments and give your work a factual basis.
•    protect yourself against charges of plagiarism.
•    demonstrate to assessors or critics that you have carried out the necessary research.
•    allow the reader to locate the material you consulted.

Cite your source when you:
•    paraphrase
•    summarise
•    quote
•    refer to the ideas or theories of another's work in your assignments.

Reference list

A reference list is a detailed list of all the sources that you have cited within your work, including books, eBooks, journal articles, theses, webpages etc. The items are listed in alphabetical order in the reference list according to the main author/editor’s surname. This means that regardless of the order in which the in-text citations appear within your work, these items are all listed alphabetically by the author/editor in the reference list. This explains why the Harvard and APA referencing style is also known as the ‘author-date’ style.

Difference between a reference list and a bibliography

The reference list is an alphabetical list of all the sources that you cited in the text of your assignment. 
A bibliography is a separate list, presented in the same format as a reference list, however, it includes all the sources you consulted in the preparation of your assignment, not just those you cited. That is, a bibliography presents the same items as a reference list, but it also includes references to all the additional research you carried out, so it shows your extra effort.

Difference between footnotes and endnotes

The one difference between footnotes and endnotes is that footnotes appear at the bottom of the same page, while endnotes appear at the end of the paper. Footnotes and endnotes often appear in the same discussion and are used in printed documents to explain, comment on, or provide references for text in a document. Many people use footnotes for detailed comments and endnotes for citations of sources.
Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a research paper, except for those notes accompanying special material (e.g., figures, tables, charts, etc.). The numbering of footnotes is "superscript"--Arabic numbers typed slightly above the line of text. In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text, footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause, or phrase containing the quoted or paraphrased material.

Five common reference styles

Harvard reference style ‘Harvard’ is a generic term for a style that follows author/date system. It is most commonly used in social and behavioural science, economic, politics, art and health science.
MLA style This style follows rules developed by Modern Language Association (America) and is the preferred style to follow by the literature, arts, humanities and some other disciplines.
APA style social sciences, education, history and other disciplines.  This style is now in its 7th edition.
Vancouver method This method originates from the International Committee of Medical Journal editors in 1978 and is most often used in the biomedical environment and natural sciences. This style assigns a number to each reference as it is cited. The reference list/bibliography is therefore numbered and not in alphabetical order. The number assigned is re-used every time the reference is cited in-text.
Chicago Manual of style This manual is one of the most widely used style, as it represents notes and bibliography and author/date. Choosing between the two depends on the subject matter. This style is also used in social sciences such as history, political studies, theology and computer science.

Reference tips