The document provides a library training session focused on economics, covering topics such as distinguishing between various sources of information, assessing their trustworthiness, avoiding plagiarism, and proper referencing. It includes definitions and examples of books, academic journals, articles, and databases, as well as guidelines for evaluating information reliability, authority, validity, and accuracy. Additionally, it discusses plagiarism, its forms, and the importance of following a consistent referencing style.

1. Library Training
Economics 288
2 7 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
Finding & accessing information
Plagiarism
Referencing
2

3. 3
Distinguishing between sources
Book Journal Article

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 (International Standards
Book Number)

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

6. 6
Book - Quiz
Barrett, C.B. 2005. The social economics of
poverty: on identities, communities, groups
and networks. London: Routledge.
Provide the shelf number

7. 7
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

8. 8
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 (International Standard
Serial Number)

9. 9
Journal - Example
African Finance Journal

10. 10
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

11. 11
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.

12. 12
Article - Quiz
Zhang, H. 2014. The poverty trap of education: education
– poverty connections in Western China. International
Journal of Education Development, 38: 47-58.

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
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

15. 15
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

16. 16
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….

17. 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 Collection
New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
17

18. 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.
18
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)

19. Plagiarism - Examples
19
In 2016, Melania
Trump used
parts of a 2008
speech by
Michelle Obama
at her
Republican
National
Convention
speech

20. Plagiarism - Examples
20
JK Rowling has also been
accused of stealing
plotlines from various
stories to write Harry
Potter

21. Spot the plagiarism
21
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…

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…
Different font, so copied and pasted
No quotation marks
Reference in wrong place

23. Spot the plagiarism
23
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

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

26. Referencing
26
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

27. Referencing - Help
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28. Referencing - Help
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29. Referencing - Help
29

30. Research help
30

31. Research help
31

32. Research help
32

33. Thank you
33
Email: peplerh@sun.ac.za
Library Guide:
http://libguides.sun.ac.za/Economics
http://libguides.sun.ac.za/StepbyStep