This section provides some general guidelines on referencing sources. For more detailed information we recommend that you consult the information about the widely used method of referencing, and the one adopted in your study materials - the OU Harvard system (Cite Them Right). Please use this system for referencing any sources in your formative assessment of this course.

When writing an assignment, it is important that you support your arguments by referring to evidence. Whether you are quoting directly or simply referring to source material, academic convention requires that you should acknowledge where your information has come from. 

• Direct quotations should always be enclosed in quotation marks, or placed in an indented paragraph if they are particularly long. 
• Always cite your sources in the body of your text (in-text citation) and give the full publication details in a list of references as appropriate at the end of the assignment. 
• You may find it helpful to take note of the style adopted by the course authors, as well as following the guidance on referencing conventions provided here.

To support you with your Masters level working, the Open University also provides some helpful activities that will help you develop important academic skills as well as avoiding and spotting plagiarism. (Link contains three documents combined: Avoiding plagiarism, Recognising plagiarism, and What plagiarism feels like.)