The importance of finding your own voice . . . and the need to use sources

In section 1.3 we looked at the idea of ‘voice’ and why it's important to you as a student to develop your own voice; that is, your own way of looking at the world: your own views, opinions or perspectives on issues and your own way of expressing them. Having a view and the courage and conviction to express it, either in writing or orally, is one indication of growing academic and intellectual maturity and self-confidence. However, as we saw in sections 1.6 and 2.4, views cannot be expressed in isolation; they must be grounded in the literature and supported with solid evidence. It is necessary to demonstrate that you are well versed in the relevant language and linguistics debates and the various arguments that compromise them, and that you show how your own views relate to them. In doing so, you contextualise those views and therefore give them greater meaning and significance.

This chapter looks at the importance of correctly citing other writers and ways of doing so. We'll start by looking at plagiarism, a word you've probably already heard many times and a label for what is widely regarded as the cardinal sin of academia!