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General requirements

Introduction

This Guide to the presentation of assignments (afterwards referred to as the Guide) has been produced to help you to format written work. It is intended primarily for undergraduates and includes sections on the physical appearance of assignments, spelling, methods of documentation, scientific writing and referencing (including electronic information sources).

When you write academic assignments you should be precise in your expression, especially in the references*  to the sources of your ideas, information, and any quotations you may use. There are several standard systems and styles for doing this. Having chosen to use one in your assignment, you must apply it consistently throughout that assignment.
*terms appearing as bold links in the text are defined in the Glossary

Check with your  School or lecturer before using this
guide as some have a  preferred style
for presenting assignments.

This Guide discusses in detail two methods of referencing your sources. The author-date system, often referred to as the Harvard system, is used in many subject areas. In the Harvard system, the last name of the author and the date of publication of the cited work appear in brackets in the text of the assignment. Full source details are provided in a list of References at the end of the assignment. Go to the Referencing using the author-date or Harvard system section of this Guide for more information.

The second method of referencing is the traditional note system. This system is often the one preferred for History and some other disciplines  . In this system, numbers appear in the text next to the cited passage and footnotes or endnotes are provided elsewhere in the assignment to detail the source in full. Go to the Referencing using the traditional note system section of this Guide for more information.

A third system, used in medicine and some other disciplines, is known as Vancouver, or the number-reference list system. Full details of the system are available from the ICJME website.

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General presentation and layout of assignments

These six suggestions will help you submit a neat, legible and presentable assignment.

• All assignments (essays, practical reports, etc.) should be typed, word processed or legibly handwritten, on one side only of sheets of A4 paper.
• Double space typewritten or word processed work except for:
  • footnotes which should be single spaced, and
  • indented quotations which should be either single or one and a half spaced.
• Each page should have a wide margin of at least 3 cm for the marker's comments.

• Each page should be numbered in either the top right-hand corner or at the centre of the bottom of the page.
• Make sure pages are securely fastened, preferably with a staple in the top left-hand corner.
• The following information should appear on the front page of the assignment:
  • title of the assignment
  • your name
  • your student ID number
  • School or Department
  • unit name
  • lecturer's name
  • due date
  • date of submission
    

Some departments provide a cover sheet listing the specific information required for the front of assignments. If your department has provided one - use it!

It is normal procedure to submit an original assignment rather than a photocopy or a fax copy. Some Schools and Departments may accept a fax copy to meet the deadline, but an original must be submitted for marking.

Important note:

Keep photocopies of all your submitted work.
Even in the most 'perfect' systems, items occasionally go astray.

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Spelling

Make use of dictionaries to ensure consistent and correct spelling. Where there is more than one acceptable spelling of a word, use the one given first.

To avoid repetition of words or to search for more appropriate terminology, consult a thesaurus or book of words grouped according to their meanings.

Ask at the Service Desk in the Library for help in finding dictionaries and thesauruses. Some are available for loan.

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Plagiarism

You must avoid plagiarism, which is using someone else's work as if it were your own. Plagiarism can be:

• directly quoting or taking ideas from another author's work without acknowledgment of the source;
• using illustrations, figures or tables from another author's work without acknowledgment of the source;
• submitting the work of another student or work presented previously by another student as your own.

Plagiarism is a serious offence and may be dealt with under student discipline regulations. Failure of the assignment and exclusion from the unit are possible penalties depending on the circumstances.


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A note on titles

Users of this Guide please note that while we have used italics to indicate the titles of works, underlining of the title is equally acceptable.

English students should note that it is usual to indicate the title of a short poem with quotation marks, for example: 'Vespers'. Book length poems or longer poems, of approximately a dozen pages or more, should have their titles underlined, for example: Paradise Lost, and Colin Clouts Come Home Againe.

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Abbreviations and acronyms

In an abbreviation, you pronounce the individual letters: in an acronym, the letters form a pronounceable word. 
HIV is an abbreviation
NATO is an acronym.

Place abbreviations in brackets following the spelled-out forms the first time they appear in the text.

For example: Information Technology Resources (ITR) and the Library ... .

Avoid abbreviations in the title of an assignment. If they are used in an abstract or summary of your assignment then define them in the abstract and again in the text.

Note: Certain abbreviations need not be defined at all and we have listed these on another page. Abbreviations that are common to a specific field may be used without identification in books and serials in that field.

Do not confuse abbreviations and mathematical symbols, for example the Greek letters used in the physical sciences. If you use these in handwritten assignments, it is suggested that you spell Greek letters such as 'gamma' to avoid problems with legibility.

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Style

There are many books available in the Library to assist you with information on style, correct spelling, use of words and expression. Some examples are:

ACS style guide : a manual for authors and editors / Janet S. Dodd, editor, Marianne C. Brogan, advisory editor. Washington, D.C. : American Chemical Society, 1986
SciTech Reference QD 8.5 .A25 1986
Ltn 808.06654 A187 1986

Chicago manual of style / University of Chicago Press. 15th ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1993
Cent Reference Z 253 .U69 2003
Ltn 808.027 U58c 2003

Citing non-book materials : a guide for researchers and students / Bill Stinson. [North Ryde, N.S.W.] : Macquarie University Library and Audiovisual Services Committee, Australian Library and Information Association, 1990
Cent PN 171 .F56 S7 1990
Ltn Reference 010.44 S859c 1990

Editing assignments for content, syntax and presentation / M. Rosanna McEvedy, Patricia Smith, Gillian Packham. Melbourne : Thomas Nelson, 1985 (Studying in Australia)
Cent LB 2369 .M35 1985
Art LB 2369 .M35 1985
Ltn 808.042 M142e 1985

Electronic style : a guide to citing electronic information / Xia Li and Nancy B. Crane. 2nd ed.  Medford, N.J. : Information Today, 1996
Cent PN 171 .D37 L5 1996
Ltn Reference 808.02 L693e 1996
NWCRes 808.02 L693e 1996

How to write & present technical information / by Charles H. Sides. 2nd ed. Phoenix, Ariz. : Oryx Press, 1991
SciTech T 11 .S528 1991 Ltn 808.0666 S568h 1991

How to write a business plan / Donald M. Vogelaar. Melbourne : Australian Business Library, c1990
Ltn 658.022 V879h 1990

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 5h ed. Washington, D.C. : American Psychological Association, 2001
Cent Reference BF 76.7 .A46 2001
Ltn Reference 808.02 P976 2001
NWCRes 808.02 P976 2001

Right words : a guide to English usage in Australia / Stephen Murray-Smith. 2nd ed. Ringwood, Vic. : Viking, 1989
Cent Reference Z 253 .A9 1989

Student writer's handbook : for university students / Douglas Bate, Peter Sharpe. 2nd ed. Sydney : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1996
Cent LB 2369 .B32 1996

Style manual for authors, editors and printers/ Snooks & Co. 6th ed. Milton, Qld. : John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
Ltn Reference 808.027 S938 2002
Art Reference Z 253 .A9 2002
Cent Reference Z 253 .A9 2002

Writing laboratory reports / Tony Dudley-Evans , engineering advisor, Mike Huxley. Melbourne : Nelson, 1985
Ltn 808.0666 D849w 1985

Books on studying and writing held in the Library lists items that will help you with aspects of researching and writing assignments.

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A note on non-discriminatory language

There is federal legislation aimed at eliminating discrimination, for example, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986. It is important for authors to be aware how discrimination through language can operate intentionally or inadvertently. You should try to avoid it in your writing by using non-discriminatory or inclusive language.

You should be aware that the Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers (6th ed.) contains sections on non-discriminatory language covering avoidance of discriminatory language in quotations and published works, occupational nouns and job titles in relation to sex, non-discriminatory portrayal of people with disabilities and of differing ethnic and racial backgrounds (Chap. 4). This Style Manual is available in the Library.

Examples of usages that may be better expressed by non-discriminatory language include:

singular pronouns such as 'he' and 'she' either imply a particular gender or, in the case of 'he', may on occasion be meant to imply both genders. The ambiguity that arises here can be avoided by rephrasing the sentence in the plural using they/we/us; using 'he and she' or 'him or herself'; or by using an article instead, for example, 'his opinion' becoming 'an opinion'.

'man' when you mean the human species or people - for example, 'Man developed tools and technology ...' may be better expressed as 'People developed tools and technology ...'.

words that have sex-based endings can often be replaced by inclusive terms which mean the same thing; for example, policewoman by police officer, authoress by author, sculptress by sculptor.

Be aware of the context and purpose for which you are writing and avoid using descriptive terms that specify unnecessary characteristics - for example 'the lady doctor was reported to have said...' or 'the Asian-looking footballer ...'.

It is suggested that you seek your lecturer's recommendation regarding non-discriminatory language as different Schools and Departments may have their own guidelines.

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