This is both a matter of fairness and part of the process of learning at university. You need to indicate to your lecturer what are your own ideas and what has been taken from the work of others, so that he or she can assess your progress and provide you with appropriate guidance. Moreover, should the person marking your work wish to follow your arguments more closely or find the exact words of the authors you have used, referencing enables him or her to go directly to your sources. Avoiding plagiarism Poor or sloppy referencing will cost you marks, but this is not the worse thing that can happen. Another sort of plagiarism is when you copy all or part of an assignment written by someone else and submit the copy as if it was your own work.
Plagiarism is a serious matter.
The University has strong rules against the practice. If you are not absolutely sure that you understand how to avoid plagiarism, it is a good idea to read the UNE Policy on Plagiarism . This provides a definition of plagiarism and its consequences. You can also consult your lecturer and unit-coordinator if in doubt. You must reference such things as quotations, statistics, facts, theories and ideas.