VUT Library Hosts Anti-Plagiarism and Copyright Campaign

The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Library recently hosted a series of webinars as part of its Anti-Plagiarism and Copyright Campaign. These three days long event aimed to educate the academic community on the critical issues of plagiarism, copyright infringement, and the tools available to uphold academic integrity. The library used the event to test the new library booking system called Libcal, which they will be rolling out.  Here is a link to Libcal https://vut-za.libcal.com/. For more information please visit the VUT library.

Day 1: Endnote – Best Practices for Reference Management

The campaign kicked off on Monday, August 12, 2024, with a webinar focused on Endnote, a powerful tool for managing references. Susan Scheepers, an experienced professional with a career spanning over 25 years at the Health Science Library of the University of Pretoria (UP), led the session. Scheepers has been actively involved with WWIS, providing EndNote training for the past three years. Her presentation emphasized best practices in using Endnote to streamline the referencing process and maintain accuracy in academic writing.

Day 2: Turnitin – Ensuring Academic Integrity

On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, Mr. Guillaume Uys, known to many as ‘G’ from MMY Solutions, provided a comprehensive guide on effectively using Turnitin, a widely recognized similarity-checking software. With over a decade of experience in this field, G is a leading authority on Turnitin in sub-Saharan Africa. His session focused on how Turnitin can protect an institution’s integrity and the credibility of qualifications awarded to students in the current technological landscape.

Day 3: Copyright Matters

The final session, held on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, was led by Monde Mngoma from Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO), who discussed critical issues related to copyright. Monde, who has been with DALRO since 2015 and holds a BCom in Marketing and Supply Chain Management, provided insights into copyright protection, the process of obtaining copyrights, and the consequences of infringement. His presentation highlighted the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and reducing copyright infringement.

The Anti-Plagiarism and Copyright Campaign was a resounding success, equipping the VUT academic community with essential tools and knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of plagiarism and copyright. The webinars provided practical insights from industry experts, reinforcing the library’s commitment to promoting academic integrity and ethical information usage.