Getting Started as Student

Please note: The following is a guide. Requirements for presenting assignments may vary according to the nature of the assignment or instructions given by individual tutors.

The SIT library has useful resources that assist with writing and specifically with writing essays and reports.

Cover Page
Some assignments require you to complete a cover page when submitting. If your assignment requires a cover page please ensure you include a page with your name, student ID, paper/unit standard code and submission date on it.

Contents Page
Assignments may include a “Contents” page detailing major material / information covered in the assignment with reference to the relevant page number.

• The “Contents” heading should be typed in a clear font style (such as Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, etc.) font size 16 and centered
• The contents list should be typed in font size 12
• Where the assignment has a list of questions, the heading could be “Question 1”, “Question 2”, etc. or the question could be typed in full (if not too long)
• The contents should include the following: 
  • Introduction, 
  • Assignment Questions Question 1, Question 2, etc. 
  • Conclusion
  • References (using APA Referencing) 
  • Appendices (if any).

Body Text
If the assignment consists of more than one question, start each question on a new page.

Font Colour
Black.

Font Style
All body text to be typed in a clear, neat font (such as Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, etc.) All typing should be regular font, unless wanting to make a specific point or quote, in which case, italics or bold can be used.

Font Size
All body text to be typed in size 12 font.

Text Alignment
All body text to be aligned using left alignment.

Spacing
Single or 1.5 spacing is to be used within paragraphs and double spacing between paragraphs.

Margins
Margins should be set at:

• Top – 2.0cm
• Bottom – 2.0cm
• Left – 3.0 cm
• Right – 2.5cm
• Header – 1.0cm
• Footer – 1.0cm

Paper Size
A4 Portrait except where tables are too large, in which case landscape can be used for that section only.

Page Borders
Pages should not have borders.

Printing, Photocopying, Binding, Collating
If you are required to submit a printed assignment, you may print this one-sided or double sided, except for the cover page (if required) which should be one-sided.
The assignment can be collated using a stapler, ring- binder, slide-binder, etc. as long as it is presented in a neat and tidy manner and is easy for the facilitator to read and mark.
Certificate in Interior Décor students’ work must be able to be photocopied. Please do not include fold-open flaps in presentations or attachments that exceed edges of A3 paper.

Headers and Footers
Headers and footers should appear on each page.

The header should contain student ID, surname and first name (centred) and a horizontal black line.

The footer consists of a horizontal black line, the name of the Paper and Assignment number on the left and page number on the right.

A clear, neat, regular font (such as Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, etc.) in size 10 or 12 should be used.

Page Numbering
All pages should be numbered (except the cover page).

Headings and Sub-headings
Main heading (question number and/or assignment question) – flush with left margin, size 14 font is to be used.

Sub-heading (if applicable) – flush with left margin, size 12 font is to be used.

Bullets (any style) may be used.

Diagrams, Tables, Figures
These should be labelled “Figure 1”, “Figure 2”, etc. throughout the assignment. These could be diagrams, tables, graphics etc. The label should be flush with the left margin in size 10 font in italics.

Referencing
SIT uses the APA referencing system. There are guides available on the SIT Library page on Blackboard.

Your list of references must appear on a new page, after the conclusion.

A complete list of references should appear under “References” after the assignment questions (and before the Appendices).
The heading “References” must be used.

The word “Bibliography” is used when referring to other books or articles that may have been read when doing research for the assignment, but these have not been cited.

Appendices
Appendices must appear at the end of your assignment. Appendices should only be included where relevant or if instructed to do so.

The Appendices should start with a section page entitled “Appendices” using font size 16 and both horizontally and vertically centred.

Each appendix should be numbered “Appendix 1’, “Appendix 2”, etc. on the top right-hand corner in font size 12 or 14.

Appendices do not have a header, footer or page number.

References
American Psychological Association. (1995) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) Washington D.C. Author.

SIT Operations and Quality Management System, No QM 4.3    4-1 (2009) Blackboard Safe Assignment Student User Manual (2009)
 

SafeAssign is a plagiarism prevention service. It is designed to aid in educating students about plagiarism and the importance of properly referencing borrowed content.

SafeAssign is integrated within SIT programmes in the Blackboard Learning System™ and prevents plagiarism by detecting unoriginal content in student papers.

If your programme includes SafeAssign, instructions on how to use it are given in the ‘Assignment Help’ section of the ‘Blackboard Help’ page on Blackboard.

SafeAssign identifies all matching blocks of text, and it is the responsibility of facilitators and students to investigate whether matching text is properly referenced or not (i.e. plagiarised).

All work of others referred to in assignments must be referenced correctly using APA Referencing (within body text and in the reference list).

• APA referencing guidelines are available from SIT’s library page.
  • APA Referencing Guide
  • APA Quick Look Help Sheet
  • APA Sample Essay

The problem of plagiarism is of ongoing concern within the tertiary education sector. In recent years the increasing use of internet by students has further fuelled the longstanding problem of students passing off the work of others as their own.
 

Plagiarism occurs in a variety of forms, including;

• The use of an idea or direct quotation from another author, without acknowledgement through appropriate referencing
• Allowing one’s own work for an assignment to be copied by another student for their own purposes
• Using information from another source (textbook, periodical, internet site, etc.), and using this either in its original form, or in a disguised form (through minor word changes or format alterations), without either acknowledgement or appropriate referencing
• Purchasing, or otherwise obtaining, the text of an assignment written by someone else, and then submitting it as one’s own work.

Any individual student assignment submitted for marking must represent the student’s own thoughts and conclusions; and where students use the work and ideas of others, then this shall be acknowledged and/or referenced appropriately.

In cases where plagiarism has occurred, faculty staff shall take remedial action.  Subject to the severity of the offence, this may range from a reduction in marks allocated for an assignment, to removal of an offending student from their programme of study. (SIT QM4.3 4-1)

Professional preparation of assignments is important at Southern Institute of Technology. Individual thought expressed in a grammatically correct manner and spell checked is required. 

Research to support your ideas is recommended. Appropriately acknowledged work of others is essential.
This presentation guide covers four main areas:

• Plagiarism
• APA referencing
• Using ‘Safe Assign’
• Presentation guidelines