FOREWORD

PART ONE:
 EXAMPLES OF UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENTS	
1. Analytical Summaries and Critical Analyses	
a) Analytical Summary	
b) Critical Analysis
	
2. Essays	
a) Subject and Sources	
b) Structure
	
3. Research Papers	
a) Subject and Sources	
b) Research Problem and Hypothesis	
c) Writing
	
4. Group work	
a) Organization	
b) Presentation
5. Oral Presentations	
a) Preparation	
b) Use of Audio-visual Aids
	
PART TWO:
 ORGANIZATION AND EDITING OF WRITTEN WORK	
1. Structure	
a) Title Page	
b) Table of Contents	
c) Lists of Abbreviations, Acronyms, Tables and Figures	
d) Introduction	
e) Development	
f) Conclusion	
g) Appendices	
h) Bibliography
	
2. Style	
a) Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation	
b) Capitalization and Hyphenation	
c) Level of Language	
d) Non-sexist Language
	
 3. Presentation and Typesetting	
a) Size and Arrangement of Paper	
b) Characters	
c) Spacing	
d) Emphasis	
e) Page Numbering and Length of Text	
f) Division of Sections	
g) Quotations	
h) References and Notes
	
PART THREE:
 UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS
1. Academic Fraud and Plagiarism
a) Fraud	
b) Plagiarism
2. Respecting Course Requirements

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX:
 HOW TO REFER TO THIS GUIDE

NOTES

FOREWORD

This guide was prepared by Dr. François-Pierre Gingras, School of Political Studies, upon the request of Dr. Serge Denis, then Associate Dean (Academic) and Secretary of the Faculty. John Topping, a graduate student in the School of Political Studies, was responsible for the English adaptation, which was further revised by the author.

The objective of this guide is to present an accessible, clear set of rules related to writing and style, for the use of students in the Faculty of Social Sciences. For details not included in this guide, you may consult the sources presented in the bibliography.

The rules and norms included in this guide constitute the writing guidelines to be used in all courses offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences, except where professors choose to adopt other standards. Any questions you may have should be directed to your professor and your academic unit.

The printed version of this Guide has been approved by the Committe on Educational Policy of the faculty of Social Sciences. [ * ] Copies are available at the University bookstore.

The web version slightly differs from the printed version with regard to quotations and reference notes. The Guide indicates quite clearly (with appropriate examples) that there are various acceptable ways of formatting quotations and reference notes. While the printed version gives priority to the traditional style, this web version adopts the author-date style. Some other minor adjustments were also required to make it user-friendly. With respect to quotations and references, it is important to always keep in mind instructor's requirements and style coherence within a given paper.

Part One:
EXAMPLES OF UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENTS

There is a wide variety of assignments which are common to student work in the social sciences. Part One of this Guide gives five interrelated types of assignments, but is not exhaustive. Your professor may ask you to prepare other kinds of class work, with different content that which is presented here. Be clear about the kind of work that is being asked of you before beginning any assignment.

1. Analytical Summaries and Critical Analyses

The literature review is one of the most basic exercises in a social sciences programme. However, it is nonetheless demanding; a book or literature review “call[s] on your ability to get to the heart of things, to separate what is important from what is not - a useful skill both in school and on the job” (Northey 1987: 24). The analytical summary presents the essential elements of a text; the critical analysis provides an additional evaluation.

a) Analytical Summary

The analytical summary (sometimes also called “book report”, “résumé” or simply “summary”) seeks to provide a clear and concise description of a given text, usually without an assessment or analysis. The content of the text - that is, its theme, research problem or main issue, hypotheses, logic, arguments and conclusions - provide the subjects for review: it refers to the scientific pertinence or pedagogical justification of a work. It may also be useful to take into account the context, or background, in which the text was written.

b) Critical Analysis

The critical analysis (or “critical review” or more simply “critique”) presents the main argument of the text, as does the review, while also assessing its context, strengths and weaknesses. This method requires an attention to accuracy, as well as a certain “distance” from the subject matter, allowing you to consider all the conditions behind the text's development: the perspective of the author, the work's specific characteristics, the identification of the theme and the possible limits the author may have encountered. Your critique may contain two aspects. First, an internal analysis is based on the elements of the work itself, the coherence and support of the main arguments and the ideas defended by the author. Second, the external analysis takes into account any pertinent factors from outside of the text. This kind of analysis may include references to other works by the same author, or related sources which belong to the same field of study, which can lend support, or challenge, a certain interpretation of the text.

2. Essays

The essay studies a subject with a certain depth of inquiry. This most often involves presenting an argument, analyzing an event, studying a problem or making a commentary on a given assertion or position. The essay is especially the result of reason and critical reflection, and does not necessarily depend on extensive research for new information.

a) Subject and Sources

Professors may choose to supply a list of essay subjects, or allow students to choose their own, keeping certain criteria in mind. “Since a subject area is bound to be too broad for an essay topic, you will have to analyse it in order to find a way of limiting it” (Northey 1987: 6). Once you have chosen a topic that is right for you, having taken into consideration your personal interests and any necessary background knowledge that may be needed, assess the potential difficulties that may arise, including time constraints and the availability or quality of documents on the subject. Always read any instructions carefully in order to complete what is expected of you. “To discuss is not the same as to evaluate or trace; to compare means to show differences as well as similarities. These verbs tell you how to approach the topic; don't confuse them” (Northey 1987: 8).

b) Structure

Once you are certain of your subject, begin a list of ideas, facts and relevant examples. You can assist yourself to think creatively by asking a series of questions: What? Who? Where? When? How? Why? By what means? Examples for and against.

• What? - What are your subject's key terms? What links are being suggested by the wording? If needed, feel free to re-write the question in your own words, then check it with your course instructor or marker for accuracy.
• Who? - At whom is the study directed, and by whom is the argument being expressed?
• Where? when? how? - What are the circumstances related to the problem's origins? Is it equally true in other times and places?
• Why? - What context can explain the statement or the opinion? Why do you adopt one argument rather than another?
• By what means? - If the essay topic refers to the exercise of a responsibility or the attainment of an ideal, what are the means available?
• Examples for and against. - Find examples for and against the argument, in your experience, in history or in other sources; compare and contrast these findings.

Next, organize your ideas in a way that is coherent and lends support to your position. Place priority on the principal ideas, and present them either in the order of ascending importance, or in some other manner, such as chronologically or geographically. Make an outline in three parts:

• introduction (subject introduced, articulated, divided into main ideas);
• development (one section per main idea, with subsections for each secondary idea);
• conclusion (re-articulation of the subject, review of the argument and each main idea, account of the essay's limitations, suggestions of alternative ways to approach the subject).

Since the essay is based on the presentation of an argument, the structure must be developed in a way that reinforces the validity of your thesis, while also acknowledging and responding to possible critics (Baker et al. 1987: 63). Good documentation can be prove to be a considerable advantage to support your case.

3. Research Papers

By definition, to conduct research is to seek out a range of information and give it a certain meaning, through the use of a conceptual framework (whether it be called a theory, paradigm, analytical framework, or otherwise). Some research is especially empirical in nature, that is, it focuses on the collection and analysis of observable, measurable, social data. Other research can be more theoretical, in that its principal aim is to contribute to a more general understanding of the phenomena studied by the social sciences. At the undergraduate level of study, research papers are a way to develop and sharpen research skills, and to improve our particular knowledge of an academic field: presenting something totally new or original is not necessarily an objective. You need not be too ambitious.

a) Subject and Sources

“When, for whatever reason, a phenomenon has caught the interest of a social scientist, that social scientist must decide how to approach and investigate that phenomenon” (Palys 1992: 24). What has been said earlier for an essay topic is equally true for the subject of a research paper. However, defining a research subject involves both asking an interesting question and creating a place for a larger inquiry to occur. So, starting with a set of related questions, we are able to construct an object of study. A research proposal or research design is “a plan for a piece of research that explains what is to be studied, why this is worth studying, and how it is to be studied” (Baxter-Moore et al. 1994: 375, 181). Always submit your research proposal to the person who will mark the final copy of your paper.

Quite often, more sources have to be consulted for a research paper than for an essay. A good start is to survey the literature relevant to the research project and discover how new questions are raised while reading about the topic. It is therefore very important to methodically note down all the relevant information on index cards (which many feel are still preferable to computer notes). All (and only) those documents that are consulted must be listed in a bibliography.

Internet sources are legitimate, but they must meet the same reliability and representativity criteria that apply to any documentary evidence you plan to use. Ask yourself: what motivation does the author have for placing this information on the Net (Smith 1997) and be cautious because there is a lot of garbage out there!

b) Research Problem and Hypothesis

The research problem is the result of your earlier definition of the subject. Here, you will set a central question, or problem, that carries importance in your subject area, whether your approach is inductive or deductive. Don't just go fishing for anything: make sure that the research problem is focused on a single element of the subject, by taking into account a wide range of background sources that will give you an accurate picture of the scope of your task. This applies to qualitative as well as to quantitative research strategies.

The hypothesis is an anticipated answer, an intended line of argument (Northey 1987: 8) to the proposed question. It must be reasonable, testable, concise and to the point. It should also suggest to you the research strategies you'll need to employ, and guide your choice of documentation and the observations you will make. Consult any introductory manual to research in the social sciences or in your particular discipline to guide you through the further development of your argument and thesis.

c) Writing

The writing stage involves accurately materializing the plan that you have developed through the previous stages of your research. Organize the many elements of your paper logically, in order to best demonstrate your thesis statement. Categorize your arguments in a coherent manner, group similar ideas together and distinguish between the primary and secondary elements of your paper. Be sure to know in advance how the course instructor plans to evaluate writing and organization, and be ready to adapt your work accordingly.

4. Group work

a) Organization

Working in small groups is common at university and in the workforce. Understanding the rules related to your group's assignment, and the distribution of marks inside the group, is particularly important. Take time to organize and plan your work properly, as a group. Divide the many tasks fairly, and set and respect deadlines for the completion of work. It may be useful to consider in advance how your team could function if one member did not fulfil its responsibilities. Any serious problems in the group should be discussed with the course instructor as early as possible.

b) Presentation

Too often, a group's written assignment looks like a patchwork and lacks unity. All university assignments, prepared by a group or otherwise, must employ a single style, especially with respect to layout and typesetting (see below). For oral presentations, some variations in presentation style are acceptable, to capture the attention of the listeners. In all cases, oral and written, it is important to give extra attention to your work's transitions when it is prepared in group.

5. Oral presentations

a) Preparation

Be aware of the time available to you, as well as the instructor's expectations for your oral presentation, including the criteria for your evaluation. Good presentations are a combination of knowledge of the subject matter and organization of ideas; draft an outline for your presentation and submit it to the instructor well ahead of time. Small cue cards, in point form, with one main idea per card, are perhaps the best method for a presentation. Do not read your presentation: it is easy to lose contact with those trying to listen. It is not recommended to memorize your text, as any interruption or memory blank could be disastrous. Use short, clear sentences to relay your message effectively to those present. Prepare by making a video or audio recording of yourself, practice with a friend, time your presentation beforehand. Before your presentation, distribute an outline to those in the room so that they may follow your argument. Dress neatly.

b) Use of Audio-visual Aids

Audio-visual aids are fast becoming a common way to complement an oral presentation. These include overhead sheets, videos and computerized presentations. Be sure to have mastered the technology, including the applicable pieces of equipment and computer software, before the presentation begins. Confirm the availability of all the necessary materials in the classroom: the right type of overhead sheet, early reservation of equipment, access codes and passwords for the podium and network, etc. The Internet site of the Teaching and Learning Support Service is a useful ressource. Use of these technologies must never compromise your presentation's content or quality.

Part Two
ORGANIZATION AND EDITING OF WRITTEN WORK

Certain standards are to be followed for the presentation of written assignments in university. These allow the reader to best understand the work presented, while also maintaining the accuracy and detail required of a university-level text. The form and presentation should always highlight the content, never detract from it. When writing a thesis, make sure to follow the guidelines of the Faculty of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies, as they apply to your discipline.

1. Structure

All university assignments which exceed a certain length are composed of a number of common sections.

a) Title page

The title page should clearly indicate the “subject and scope” (Northey 1987: 30) of your text. It should include a concise title, the name of the author, the name of the person it will be submitted to, course title and code (and course section, if applicable), the name of the academic institution and the date the assignment was submitted. The example given will give you an indication of a title page for the social sciences.

d) Introduction

While the introduction is an important part of the university paper, it often requires more attention than it receives. The introduction must present, briefly justify and contextualize the central question of the text. Thus, it is made up of three parts: introduction of subject, presentation of subject, division of subject into main ideas. Together, these elements build the framework for the problem under study, and present the methods to be employed in the text. The introduction should not be simply a shorter version of the paper's body, or an early indication of the conclusions. It must coherently and ably present the main points of the text.

e) Development

The development is the most important part of the university-level text. The task is to articulate and justify systematically a reasonable answer to the question presented in the introduction. “A good argument is the way we get from an interesting question to a reasonable answer... As the term is used here, an argument is a public presentation of the assumptions, evidence and train of reasoning through which we arrive at what seems like the best possible answer to a question” (Baxter-Moore et al. 1994: 24). Most likely, the development of the text starts with the most general ideas, and works toward the more complex. Each chapter (or section) should develop one main idea, with sub-sections for each secondary point. Three kinds of development are most common: chronological development (the most distant in time to the most recent), comparative development (the most similar to the most different) and dialectic development (a series of assertions and refutations) [ 1 ]. In principle, the development will allow you to verify your thesis by confirming or rejecting it.

f) Conclusion

Often rushed, the conclusion of a text is as important as the introduction. It serves as both a synthesis of the development and an opening toward the larger relevance of the subject. Restate the principal points of the text, including the limits of the research and line of argument. However, avoid introducing new elements unrelated to the central question.

g) Appendices

The appendices follow immediately after the conclusion. They give additional information which complements the reader's understanding of the text, while refraining from presenting it in the body of the text itself. Appendices may include relevant documents, statistical data, questionnaires, etc. They are marked with a capital letter, “APPENDIX A, APPENDIX B”, and so forth. Each appendix begins on a new page.

h) Bibliography

The bibliography must include the documents actually consulted for the paper, the list of interviews conducted and any organisations where you requested information. In general, all sources are listed together in alphabetical order by the author's last name. Sometimes, it may be preferable to present sources in chronological order, by type of source (book, article, interview, etc.) or by section of your text, when the sources are specific to each section. Confirm the technique preferred by the person marking your assignment.

It is necessary to be especially strict with the presentation styles employed in your bibliography. There are many styles and make sure to understand what style is required by your instructor. Traditionally, most often entries were presented in the following order: author or corporate author, title, place of publication, publisher and the year of publication. For books with more than one edition, use the year of the consulted work, and place the relevant abbreviated information immediately after the title (see the sample bibliography to follow). The title of a book or periodical is placed in italics or underlined; the title of an article or of any non-published work should be placed in “quotation marks”. When there are many books by the same author, place them in chronological order (starting with the oldest, to the most recent). A multiple-author entry must be placed after the single-author titles that begin with the same name. In the case of a governmental or administrative publication with no identified author, the corporate author, or the name of the government or organization that produced the publication, is given.

Here are examples of the traditional method for presenting bibliographical references, with the most common cases you will encounter. For other examples, see the bibliography of the printed version of this Guide.

Traditional style:

Author-date style:
However, when using the more and more widespread author-date reference method such as in this Guide and the following example:

the bibliographical entries will appear as in this Guide's bibliography and as follows:

2. Style

An appropriate writing style consists of “choosing straightforward vocabulary and sentence structures and... organizing and presenting your material clearly and logically”, allowing you to “save the reader time and effort and ensure that your message will be clearly understood” (Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997: 245). Certain standards can help guide the task of clear and effective writing university assignments.

a) Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation

Follow a set of accepted rules related to grammar, spelling and punctuation, and respect them with consistency. Avoid use of superlatives and unnecessary adverbs. Also, take care to maintain the appropriate verb tense for each idea, paragraph or section of your paper. As much as possible, use short, clear sentences to communicate your ideas to the reader, using punctuation where appropriate to signal a pause or change of focus. A good grammar and writing manual is an essential companion when writing; the grammar and spell-check options that may be part of your word-processing software are not sufficient. You may be penalized for errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and could be asked to rewrite your assignment as a result, so make a special effort to write with care and accuracy.

b) Capitalization and Hyphenation

The use of capital letters serves to give emphasis to certain words in titles and headings and to distinguish proper nouns and adjectives from common ones. Words and titles which are capitalized include languages, races and peoples, as both adjective and noun as with the following examples.

Note that in the above examples, a hyphen is used to separate true proper compound adjectives, such as Sino-Russian or Franco-Ontarian, but not in cases where the proper adjective is being combined with a simple modifier, such as in Central Asian or Middle Eastern.

Titles are capitalized when they form part of a proper name, but when they are presented in the plural, or preceded by an indefinite article, they are most often left in lower-case. In addition, capitalize the official names of most institutions, including churches, corporations, unions and political parties. For example:

A more detailed discussion of the rules and exceptions may be found in Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997: 68-72.

c) Level of Language

The level of language you use in any assignment will depend on your audience, on the kind of assignment and on the specific instructions you have received from the course instructor. If your written assignment is to give a personal opinion on a certain question, the level of writing you employ will differ from that of a more formal essay or term paper. In general, however, your style should avoid the excessive use of slang, the first person and contractions (can't, isn't, they're, etc.), while also limiting technical jargon and pompous phrases and expressions. In all cases, it is useful to ask someone who is not overly familiar with your subject to proofread your assignment for clarity.

d) Non-sexist Language

Written communication that is free of sexual stereotyping is an essential part and condition of unbiased research (Eichler and Lapointe 1985: 15). The elimination of stereotyping in writing and research includes examining the extent to which “the use of words, actions, and graphic material... assigns roles or characteristics to people solely on the basis of gender” (Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997: 253) In the English language, some common examples of bias in written text are found in occupational titles and nouns and pronouns and more complete guidelines on non-sexist language may be found in Eichler and Lapointe 1985 as well as Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997: 253-258). Job titles should reflect that jobs can be filled by members of both sexes, and thus should be gender inclusive. Avoid adding suffixes such as ess or ette to feminize titles, and use neutral language such as councillor (instead of alderman) or chairperson or chair (not chairman) wherever possible. As a rule, nouns and pronouns should be accurate to the situation: generic terms reflect generic purposes and sex-specific terms reflect sex-specific situations. Note the following examples:

Instead of: mankind the man on the street manpower The student is responsible for attending all his lectures and seminars

write: humankind, humanity, people ordinary people labour force, human resources The student is responsible for attending all lectures and seminars [eliminate pronoun] or Students are responsible for attending all of their lectures and seminars [use plural]

3. Presentation and typesetting

Proper presentation of your assignment is a university requirement. The basic rules presented here are intended to ensure that your work can be read and understood by the course instructor or marker. An assignment that cannot be read may be refused, with or without the opportunity to present a revised copy.

a) Size and Arrangement of Paper

It is required to type your text, on the same typewriter or produced from the same printer, and present it single-sided on standard, white 8.5" × 11" paper. The use of recycled paper is encouraged. If possible, use a word processor for purposes of editing, storing and presentation. Margins of 2.5 cm on all sides, left, right, top and bottom, is the standard to abide by. A single staple is preferred to a paper clip or the various sorts of plastic bindings and sleeves when finally submitting the paper to be marked.

b) Characters

Use legible, standard font types, such as Arial, Courier New, or Times New Roman, in common sizes (12 point for text [ 2 ], 10 point for footnotes and if desired, 14 point for the title page and other headings). Use only black ink.

For transparencies used in overhead projectors, use at least 24 point font size for the text and 36 for headings, and if possible 32 and 44. Use colours sparingly. The text pages of your written assignment should not be simply copied as overhead material. The projection will be too small and will not be legible for the class.

c) Spacing

For assignments that will be marked and receive comments, use double spacing for the text, triple spaces between paragraphs and single spacing for block quotations, footnotes and other reference notes, appendices and the bibliography. For spacing in the table of contents, see the example at the beginning of this Guide. Lists of tables and figures follow the same rules as the table of contents. For other kinds of assignments, single spacing allows you to conserve space and paper. Nonetheless, consult your course instructor and marker before handing in your paper.

d) Emphasis

You may choose to use emphasis (bold, italics or underline) to highlight specific ideas or words. They can be an effective technique, but do not overuse. When quoting another work, indicate in a footnote who is responsible for the emphasis, yourself or the original author: use phrases such as emphasis added, or emphasis in original. When citing titles, use underlining or preferably italics for books, official documents and periodicals, and quotation marks [“   ”] for titles of articles or individual chapters of publications.

e) Page Numbering and Length of Text

Place the page number in the top right-hand corner or top centre of the page. Align with the margin, at 1.5 cm from the top of the page. Do not add any punctuation, dash, bracket or other character with the page number. Count, but do not number, all preliminary pages with headings and other title pages: first page of the table of contents, lists of tables and figures, lists of abbreviations and acronyms, title pages for the introduction, for each main part, the conclusion, the appendices and bibliography. Front matter is usually numbered with lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.), placed on the page in the same way as other page numbers. Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3, etc.) begins with the first page of the written text. Include a single sheet of blank paper at the end of your assignment for marking and comments.

Unless you are given other instructions, do not consider titles pages, tables of contents, lists of abbreviations, the bibliography and the appendices when you calculate the length of your paper: only the text of the paper itself. If you are to respect a certain limit of words, consider that one page of double-spaced text in Times New Roman 12 point, without headings and sub-headings, is approximately 300 words, or 600 words single-spaced. While in the past, when calculating the number of words in an assignment, articles, pronouns and conjunctions were excluded, this is no longer the case. Word count functions in most computers will also count all words, without distinction.

f) Division of Sections

For the internal division of your text, use titles and sub-titles that allow you to improve the coherence and organization of your work. Keep them short and precise, concentrating on the main idea you want to convey to the reader. Titles for main parts (introduction, main ideas of the development, conclusion) are written in CAPITAL LETTERS and may include the specific titles “INTRODUCTION”, “PART ONE”, “PART TWO”, etc. or in Roman numerals I, II, III, etc. If applicable (in a thesis or a very substantial essay), the titles of chapters are written in lower case with Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3) and titles of sections alphabetically in lower case letters (a, b, c). Avoid the excessive use of divisions, remembering that the purpose is to help organization and facilitate the reader's understanding of the text. All headings and sub-headings are preceded by a triple space, and followed by a double space.

g) Quotations

Using quotations to illustrate a point, share a convincing argument or present an expression can be an effective way to complement your writing. All quotations must be faithfully reproduced (and placed in quotation marks), but in some circumstances alterations are required to conform with rules of grammar. In some cases, where extensive alterations or omissions are required, it may be preferable to paraphrase. When paraphrasing, you are nonetheless required to use a reference note, either author-date or footnote format. Here are some examples of quotation techniques.

An insertion using square brackets can provide information to clarify the idea:

An omission also allows you to make a quotation more clear, with the use of ellipsis points (three dots) in the place of the omitted text:

When using an interruption, quotation marks are repeated before and after each part of the quotation:

You may include French quotations in your text without providing a translation. Keep the intended reader in mind, and provide appropriate context to support the quotation. Do not place French quotations in italics: use regular quotation marks. For other languages, a translation is required. If you choose to give a translation of any quotation, check first if a translated version exists, either published or non-published, that will lend credibility to your choice of words. If it is necessary to give your own translation, provide an explanatory reference note:

Paraphrasing may allow you to keep the meaning of the quote without using the same words:

Quotations of more than three lines should be placed in single-spaced, block-quotation form, and indented.

h) References and Notes

References indicate the source of an idea or a quotation, and also allow you to make complimentary comments that may not be necessary in the body of the text. There are two major styles commonly used in the social sciences (a third style, endnotes, should be avoided). Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. There are also specific conventions to follow when citing court decisions, important classical works, administrative reports, etc. Consult a common style manual, such as those listed in the bibliography of this Guide, or ask your course instructor to guide you with the most appropriate choice.

Footnotes were the traditional method for references. A line at the bottom of the page separates the notes from the body of the text. You may choose to use the abbreviation ibid., in cases where two or more successive references originate from a single work, but avoid the overuse of ibid.For works previously referenced, give the last name of the author, a shortened title and the page number of the quotation. See the footnotes of this Guide for examples. Other abbreviations, such as op. cit. and loc. cit., referring to previously referenced material, often cause confusion and should not be used. Rather, use the short-title form discussed above.

The author-date reference method discussed in Section 1.h is now widely used by journals and publishing houses. This method, used in the Internet version of this Guide, reduces the use of footnotes to commentary, and places references in the body of your text. A variant of the author-date style, as exposed in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the norm in psychology.

Part Three:
UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS

Students registered in courses offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences have the responsibility to be aware of regulations at both the faculty and university levels. An overview of a number of relevant regulations can be found at the beginning of the Faculty's Undergraduate Studies Calendar. Being informed of university rules on academic fraud, as well as learning and respecting course requirements, can help you avoid any problems in your course work.

1. Academic fraud and plagiarism

a) Fraud

The University of Ottawa defines academic fraud as “an act by a student which may result in a false academic evaluation of that student” (University of Ottawa, Faculty of Social Sciences 1997: 24). There are many types of fraud related to assignments: plagiarism, falsification of data or sources, the submission of a work or of a piece of a work of which the student is not the author, etc. Academic fraud is subject to sanctions, from a failing mark for the work concerned to expulsion from the University. All persons involved in academic fraud are liable to a penalty.

b) Plagiarism

University work requires both the ability to explore a given subject in depth, and the skill of summarizing and analyzing the work and thoughts of other authors. In this context, using other sources, learning from them and integrating their concepts in your work is inevitable, even encouraged. However, you have an intellectual and ethical responsibility to give credit to those sources that have contributed to your projects. It is essential to identify all your sources, that is the origin of each quotation and idea which you borrow, with precision and diligence. To plagiarize is to use the ideas or words of another person without giving them explicit credit. That 'other person' can be a published or non-published author, a university colleague, a person who completes assignments for others, or even an Internet. Remember that any sequence of words taken from another source must be placed in quotation marks.

Even when paraphrasing an idea borrowed from someone else, found in any source, you must provide an accurate reference or it is considered plagiarism. Conscious or not, plagiarism is always fraud. Therefore, it is necessary to make note of all your sources, both quotations and ideas, as you conduct your reading and research for your assignments.

In case of doubt, it is suggested that you consult the section “Avoiding Plagiarism” in Babbie and Halley (1993: 210-211). These authors give examples of what is and is not acceptable in the use of another's work and suggest some rules of thumb:

• It is unacceptable to quote someone else's material directly without using quotation marks and giving full citation.

• It is unacceptable to edit another's work and present it as your own.

• It is unacceptable to paraphrase someone else's ideas and present them as your own.

2. Respecting course requirements

Both at university and in the workplace, it is essential to understand the requirements of an assignment: deadlines, formatting, length, etc. In particular, to maintain an equitable environment for all students, it is required to respect due dates for all university work. It is often mandatory, and always prudent, to submit your assignment by hand to the appropriate person, in class or in their office, at the correct date and time. In cases where assignments are submitted after the deadline, or where other discrepancies exist between the assignment's requirements and the final work, penalties apply as announced in the course outline distributed at the outset of the semester. To keep any penalties to a minimum, it is recommended to have a late assignment stamped with the date and time by the relevant staff person at your academic unit.

It is also wise to keep a copy (printed or stored on computer) of each of your university assignments, but that does not constitute proof that it was submitted within the given deadlines. Unless you have specific instructions from the course instructor, assignments must not be submitted by facsimile or by e-mail.

In some cases, failing to submit a required assignment by the due date can result in a grade of INC (incomplete) for the course, equivalent to a failing final mark.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BABBIE, Earl and Fred HALLEY (1993). Adventures in Social Research., Newbury Park, Calif.: Pine Forge Press.

BAKER, Sheridan et al. (1997). The Canadian Practical Stylist with Readings. New York: Harper and Row.

BAXTER-MOORE, Nicolas et al. (1994). Studying Politics: An Introduction to Argument and Analysis. Toronto: Copp Clark Longman.

BOLNER, James (1997). How to Cite the Internet, http://www.artsci.lsu.edu/poli/lis.html (August).

BRETON Gilles and Jane JENSON (1992), "Globalisation et citoyenneté; quelques enjeux actuels", in L'ethnicité à l'heure de la mondialisation, eds. Caroline Andrew et al., Ottawa: University of Ottawa: ACFAS-Outaouais.

Canada. Public Works and Government Services Canada (1997). The Canadian Style. Rev. ed. Toronto: Dundurn Press.

The Chicago Manual of Style (1993). 14th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

EICHLER, Margrit and Jeanne LAPOINTE (1985). On the Treatment of the Sexes in Research. Ottawa: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

NORTHEY, Margot (1987). Making Sense: A Student's Guide to Writing and Style. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

PALYS, Ted (1992). Research Decisions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

ROBERTSON, Hugh (1991). The Research Essay: A Guide to Papers, Essays and Projects. Rev. ed. Ottawa: Piperhill Publications,.

SMITH, Alastair G. (1997). “Criteria for evaluation of Internet Information Resources”, http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/index.htm#Authority (March 2).

University of Ottawa. Faculty of Social Sciences (1997). Undergraduate Studies Calendar 1997-1999. University of Ottawa: Office of the Registrar.

Appendix:
HOW TO REFER TO THIS GUIDE

NOTES

[ 1 ] The dialectic development of your text would normally begin with refutations when you are presenting a thesis, or with assertions when you choose to provide a critique. In both cases you are ending with the strongest points in support of your arguments.

[ 2 ] Equivalent to 10 characters per inch on a typewriter.

[ * ] The printed version of this Guide was approved by the Educational Policy Committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences, chaired by Dr. Leslie Laczko, February 20, 1998.