This document outlines a library training session focusing on distinguishing between various sources of information such as books, academic journals, reports, and databases, along with evaluating their reliability and authority. It also covers important concepts such as plagiarism, including its various forms and examples of how it can occur. The session aims to equip participants with the skills to find credible information for their academic assignments and emphasizes the importance of proper referencing.

1. Library Training
Economics 214
1 5 F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9
PeplerHead
FacultyLibrarian:EconomicandManagementSciences
peplerh@sun.ac.za

2. In this session we’ll be looking at
Distinguishing between sources
Distinguishing between trustworthy & untrustworthy
information/data
Plagiarism
Databases
2

3. 3
Distinguishing between sources
Book Journal Article
Report

4. 4
Book
A published work on a specific topic,
usually contains chapters. Can be
hardcopy or electronic. Written by a
specific person (author), or under an
editor. It will have:
• Publisher
• Place of publication
• Year
• ISBN

5. 5
Book - Example
Search the library Catalogue for book on
Development Economics

6. 6
Book Chapter
Be careful of chapter in books that you
find electronically
Example:
Reflexivity and Development Economics
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230250598_
4

7. 7
Academic Journal
A periodical or serial publication in
which information on a specific topic
is published in article format. It can
be electronic or hard copy. It will
have:
• Title
• Publisher
• Year
• Volume number
• Issue number
• ISSN

8. 8
Journal - Example
Search the African Finance Journal

9. 9
Academic Article
Topic specific information within an
academic discipline, published in a
Journal. It can be electronic or hard
copy. It will have:
• Source Title References
• Article title
• Abstract
• Year
• Volume number
• Issue number
• Page number

10. 10
Article - Example
Cashel-Cordo, P. and Craig, S.G., 1990. The public
sector impact of international resource
transfers. Journal of Development Economics, 32(1),
pp.17-42.

11. 11
Report
A document that presents
information in an organized format
for a specific audience and purpose,
reporting something that has been
observed, done or investigated. Can
be annual or once off. It will have
• Report title
• Author
• Corporate body/Company
• Year

12. 12
Report - Example
World Health Statistics 2018:
Monitoring Health For the SDG’s

13. 13
Databases – what is it?
A database is an electronic index to journal or
magazine articles, containing citations, abstracts
and often either the full text of the articles, or links
to the full text.
It allows you to search for information using:
Keywords
Titles
Authors
Subjects

14. 14
Evaluating information
Reliability:
From a reputable source/institution- publisher, University, Research Unit,
Company
Authority:
Creator is an expert in their field, and affiliated with a reputable institution
Validity :
The research was conducted in a manner that is commonly accepted in the
field, and is evident in the article
Accuracy:
The information can be verified

15. 15
Reliable websites
Any Website ending in:
.org; .gov; .edu; .ac
Official News sites like :
Moneyweb Business Day;
SA Statistics ; FNB; ABSA; Investec; SA Reserve
Bank; Finforum; Bankmonitor ; Eskom ,
Nationmaster….

16. 16
Evaluating Data
Consider:
Where was the data published?
Who funded the data?
Are authors identified? Affiliations? Credentials?

17. 17
Evaluating Data
Is it original?
Always make sure that you are working with the primary
data
Is it Comprehensive?
Does it tell the full story? If you have unanswered questions,
so will your audience.
Is it Reliable?
Make sure that the source you chose is verified. Strong
sources include data collected by Governmental
Departments, Organizations, Academic Institutions, Official
Bodies

18. Good news
Using Academic Databases provided by the library will
assist you in finding relevant, credible information for your
assignments. Examples:
Google Scholar
EBSCO Host
ABI/Inform Colletion
New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
18

19. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the theft and use of the ideas, material and
other intellectual property of others that are passed off as
one’s own
This can take multiple forms
19
OBVIOUS FORMS:
Buying / borrowing a paper and
copying it
Hiring somebody to write for you
Cutting and pasting text
Direct translations
Citing sources you didn’t use
LESS OBVIOUS FORMS:
Not giving proper credit
Not referencing images, etc.
Improper paraphrasing
Failing to give a proper reference
Not acknowledging outsourcing (eg.
Data)

20. Plagiarism - Examples
20
In 2016, Melania
Trump used
parts of a 2008
speech by
Michelle Obama
at her
Republican
National
Convention
speech

21. Plagiarism - Examples
21
JK Rowling has also been
accused of stealing
plotlines from various
stories to write Harry
Potter

22. Spot the plagiarism
22
Is this plagiarism?
Timmer asserts that the fundamental role of prices in
a market economy is to serve as signals for
allocating both consumption and investment
resources (Timmer, 2002: 1507). This is important,
because of the…

23. Spot the plagiarism
23
Is this plagiarism?
Timmer asserts that the fundamental role of prices
in a market economy is to serve as signals for
allocating both consumption and investment
resources (Timmer, 2002: 1507). This is important,
because of the…
Different font, so copied and pasted
No quotation marks
Reference in wrong place

24. Spot the plagiarism
24
Is this plagiarism?
Dorward comments that even the impoverished are not likely
to gain much directly as self-employed producers of trade
agricultural assets, with restricted access to land and capital
and relatively low farm earnings (2004: 4).
Even here the poor are unlikely to gain much directly as self-
employed producers of tradable agricultural commodities,
with limited access to land and capital and relatively low on-
farm incomes – original text

25. Spot the plagiarism
25
Is this plagiarism?
Dorward comments that even the impoverished are not likely
to gain much directly as self-employed producers of trade
agricultural assets, with restricted access to land and capital
and relatively low farm earnings (2004: 4).
Even here the poor are unlikely to gain much directly as self-
employed producers of tradable agricultural commodities,
with limited access to land and capital and relatively low on-
farm incomes – original text

26. Spot the plagiarism
26
Is this plagiarism?
“In his 1991 review, Sherman Robinson highlights the
theoretical tension between the neoclassical paradigm and
AGE models with financial behaviour” (Hertel, 2002: 1376).

27. Referencing
27
Know the Referencing Style that you are using
Make sure what you are referencing, different material types
are displayed differently in the bibliography
Makes sure that your in-text citations match your bibliography
Most important, be CONSISTENT

28. Referencing - Help
28

29. Referencing - Help
29

30. Referencing - Help
30

31. Research help
31

32. Research help
32

33. Research help
33

34. Thank you
34
Email: peplerh@sun.ac.za
Library Guide:
http://libguides.sun.ac.za/Economics
http://libguides.sun.ac.za/StepbyStep