A common mistake that novice students make is simply to report on what they believe to be the case on a certain issue. This is the wrong approach, even if your views happen to be ones which would emerge from sound reasoning. One skill we hope you will develop through your study in the Reason and Argument component is to be able to defend your beliefs. To repeat, then, it is no good when answering a question on an AT just to report on your own unchallenged beliefs. You must justify any position you adopt with an appropriate argument.
Plagiarism is an attempt to obtain undeserved academic advantage.
Plagiarism occurs when students fail to acknowledge that ideas have been borrowed. Distinguish in your notes between your own ideas and the ideas of other writers. In your notes, as well as essays, place quotation marks around all material that is copied out directly and note the source. Footnote any idea that is not yours even if it is paraphrased or summarised and does not appear in quotation marks. Even when receiving advice from fellow students, formulate the final product by yourself.