Clearly distinguish between your work and that of others.
Identify the sources of all information and ideas you have used, and make sure that the reader of your work can easily locate them if needed by using in-text citations and including references in your works cited list. This includes words, images, data, charts, tables, theorems - anything that is not your own work.
Whether you plagiarise deliberately or accidentally, the consequences are the same.
For more information on plagiarism, refer to the .
See also:
No quotes plus in-text citation = Plagiarism
Incorrect placement of quotes = Plagiarism
Summer Reading Bingo 24-25
Enter for a chance to win candy, chocolate, and book vouchers! Prize winners will be decided in a raffle. One completed bingo row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) = one raffle ticket.
You can only use a book for one bingo square; no reusing books. No rereading, you must choose books you’ve never read before. The competition starts on June 23rd, and the submission deadline is on the first and second day after the holiday. Each book must be started AFTER June 23rd.
Try to read for at least 30 minutes every day. You will need to spend more time reading to complete the whole card though!
What should I read next?
Looking for some reading inspiration? You've come to the right place!
To see what new books we have, check out the displays by the library entrance, or visit the .
Do you enjoy ⚔️ fantasy, 🕵️♀️ mystery, 👻 horror, graphic novels, non-fiction? Are you fan of dystopian fiction or ? Or just try a completely new genre!
Substituting single words for synonyms = Plagiarism
Who are your favourite authors? Have you read all of their books?
Read the blurb first! To get an idea of what a book is about, read the short summary that's usually printed on the back of the book. If it sounds interesting, try the first few pages.
Ask for recommendations from friends, family, teachers, or Mr Mac!
Don't be afraid to put a book down: It's okay to stop reading a book if you're not enjoying it. Reading should be fun, so don't force yourself to finish. Try giving it a few chapters before deciding, as some stories get better.
Try one of our curated themed lists, for examples our list of award-winning book
Try telling the Mr Mac Bot what you read recently and it will suggest a similar book for you.
Enter your school name and official email while you are on school premises, which will allow you to read the FT on mobile and from home.
Paraphrasing AI
It's best to avoid paraphrasing chatbots because the information might be incorrect or biased. Instead, use AI tools like Perplexity or Bing Copilot to help you find more reliable sources.
Sometimes you might discuss the response of an AI tool in a report (for example in your Personal Project report), in which case you should include an in-text citation as follows:
... incorrectly claimed that Parag Agrawal is the current CEO (“How Would I Go about Learning How to Build a Simple Musical Synthesiser.”).
Remember to include a reference in your works cited list:
Work Cited
“How Would I Go about Learning How to Build a Simple Musical Synthesiser.” Poe, Gemini-Pro, 19 Mar. 2024, poe.com/s/dEen5wlOiNrkwmEohJMD.
This database provides the full text of nearly a hundred years’ back issues of the South China Morning Post starting from 1903 in the form of full-page image. Users can search not only news articles but also advertisements, editorials, comic strips and photographs.
Citing Sources in your Writing
Quoting AI
It's best not to directly use quotes from chatbots because the information might be incorrect or biased. Instead, use AI to help you find more reliable sources.
However, there may be situations when you choose to directly quote an AI tool. For example, if you were testing the abilities of a new chatbot, you might quote it as follows:
... decided to explore chatbot hallucinaations in open source chatbots. When I asked Llama-2 7b what the capital of paris was, it replied "Ah, a question about the capital of Paris! adjusts glasses Well, my dear, the capital of Paris is... (checks notes) ...Paris!" ("What is the Capital of Paris?").
Remember to include a reference in your works cited list:
Works Cited
"What is the Capital of Paris?". Poe, Llama-2-7b, 16 Mar. 2024, poe.com/s/MsPLk9fz4mZr2FXFxC6y
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.
Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's , an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love. -- The Publisher
Do you have a Hong Kong Public Libraries Card? If you already know your username and password, just visit and login. Then search for what you’d like to read and start borrowing! If you don't know your password, you reset it .
If you don’t have a library card, you can using your HK ID. Make sure you have approval from your parent or guardian. You can start borrowing immediately after you create your account.
Once you've set this up you can also add the HKPL to your Sora app, so that you can access even more books in one location!
Welcome to the VSA Library!
Open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 7.45 am to 4.45 pm. Wednesday from 7.45 am - 1pm.
Sign in with your school Google account for full access to the
Capitalisation
Capitalisation Rules for Titles in MLA
Capitalise the first word, the last word, and all main words.
Do not capitalize the following unless they are at the beginning of the title: a, an, the, and, but, for, nor, or, so, in, of, to).
e.g.
Piece of Mind
If you're looking for some sound advice and guidance, check out our . These self-help books provide guidance and supportive words from experts, and cover lots of different topics, including:
Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Anxiety, depression, OCD, and more
• Building confidence and self-esteem
• Mindfulness
Relationships & Communication
• Friendships, dating, and family
• Dealing with bullies and conflicts
• Speaking up and being heard
Key Terms
Research
研究
Essential Reads
Choosing a good book can be tough, especially when there are so many good books to choose from! Here are some top picks to get you started.
Databases at Hong Kong Public Library
Do you have a Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) Card? If you don’t have a library card, you can using your HK ID. If you are under 18, make sure you have approval from your parent or guardian. You can start borrowing immediately after you create your account. include , and .
Once you have registered an account you can also use to login.
The Works Cited List
Works Cited in MLA
The Works Cited list in MLA format is a comprehensive list of every source that was cited in the text of your paper. Located at the end of your document, it provides full bibliographic information for each source, allowing readers to locate each item independently. This list should be alphabetically ordered by the author's last name and include specific details such as authors, titles, publication dates, and more, according to the MLA guidelines.
Misconception about the title:
Traffic Lights
Presentations
If you are using Google Slides or Powerpoint, you still need to acknowledge all your sources using in-text citations and a works cited page.
Sources can be acknowledged in an oral presentation using a signal phrase e.g.:
"According to a May 2022 article form The Economist, ....."
Cli-Fi
Climate Fiction
An Introduction to Cli-Fi
Climate Fiction, or Cli-Fi, is a genre that uses stories to show us how climate change could impact our world. These stories might be about a future where the environment is severely damaged, or they might show people coming up with ways to overcome environmental disasters. Through the use of imagination based on scientific facts, Cli-Fi serves as a creative mirror reflecting the serious issues our planet could face due to global warming and environmental neglect.
Citing Chinese Sources
引用文献 = Works Cited
文内引用 = In-text Citation
As you avoid using Wikipedia when writing in English, you should also avoid using 百度百科 when writing in Chinese.
South China Morning Post
Please note that the is only accessible while at school.
MyBib
If you just paste a URL into MyBib and don't check the details are correct, your citation will be incorrect. ALWAYS double-check that the following information is correct: Author Name, Page Title, Website Name, Accessed Date.
Make sure you check that MyBib has added all the essential information, like the author.
Guardians of the Galaxy
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
The Fault in Our Stars
The Amazing Spider-Man
One of Us Is Lying
The Origins of the Second World War
At Night, I Become a Monster
I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You
Capitalise these things in a Title
Capitalise these parts of speech:
nouns
pronouns
verbs
adjectives
adverbs
subordinating conjunctions (e.g., after, although, as, as if, as soon as, because, before, if, that, unless, until, when, where, while)
Do not Capitalise these
Do not capitalise these parts of speech:
prepositions (e.g., against, as, between, in, of, to, according to)
coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet)
the "to" in infinitives
articles (a, an, the)
MLA format calls it "Works Cited."
APA format refers to it as "References."
Chicago style labels it "Bibliography" or "Reference List," depending on citation method (notes and bibliography vs. author-date).
Make sure the website name matches the name as it appears on the website. e.g. YouTube, not www.youtube.com
Hong Kong Book Awards for International-minded Young People
The only children's choice book award in Hong Kong is now in its 7th year. The Awards are an opportunity for students of all ages in Hong Kong to vote on their favourite books. The books are nominated by schools across Hong Kong and the short list is selected by a panel of librarians from both primary and secondary schools. Books are chosen for their broad appeal, subject matter, design and international representation.
Done! You now have full access to the NYT. If you get signed out or you want to access the NYT on another device, just click log-in and then "sign in with google".
If you need to quote a source directly you can use the words “quote … unquote” or you can use air quotes.
Your teacher may also ask you to submit a works cited page with your oral presentation.
"Air Quotes"
The
s Hong Kong's newspaper of record, offering in-depth news coverage, analysis, and features on events in Hong Kong, China, and around the world. Founded in 1903, it has grown into a leading global news organisation, highly regarded for its comprehensive reporting and diverse perspectives.
The search bar on any page allows you to get started quickly and then refine your searches in the sidebar. After searching in JSTOR, you can look at the highlighted words in the brief snippets below each result and consider refining your search terms. You can also narrow and refine your searches by using the options available in the sidebar. Consider refining by discipline, date, content type, and by searching within your results.
JSTOR isn't Google: Quick Tips on Searching JSTOR
Advanced Users
Narrow your Search by Discipline
Use to narrow to your topic by discipline.
Text Analyzer
Learn More
Complete a to become an advanced JSTOR user.
Research Courses
Develop your Research Skills with these online Courses
Academic articles are published in journals and are usually accessed through a database like JSTOR. To cite an academic journal article you need some key information like the volume and page numbers of the journal, the name of the journal and the database it is hosted in.
Click on the text for more information
Masicampo, E. J., and Roy F. Baumeister.“Relating Mindfulness and Self-Regulatory Processes.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 4, 2007, pp. 255–258 . JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20447394. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
You can manually add the citation to MyBib or you can use the database's built-in citation generator and paste this into MyBib.
DOIs
Note that some Academic databases will provide you with a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) instead of a permalink or a URL. When a DOI is provided use this in preference to a URL, as URLs may change over time.
When you include a DOI, unlike with URLs, you should include the protocol http:// or https://.
Citing from JSTOR
Use the built-in citation generator and paste your citation into MyBib.
Google Scholar
Recommended for Year 10 and DP Students.
Introduction
Google Scholar is a free search tool that specializes in locating scholarly materials (e.g. academic journal articles) across many disciplines. Not everything you find on Google Scholar is peer-reviewed.
Abstracts are freely available for most of the articles. Alas, reading the entire article may require a subscription. Here're a few things to try:
click a link labeled [PDF] to the right of the search result
click "All versions" under the search result and check out the alternative sources
click "Related articles" or "Cited by" under the search result to explore similar
Google Scholar PDF Reader
But do not use the built-in citation generator!
How to search in Google Scholar?
Breaking down the Search Results
If you're not sure what keywords to use when searching for information on a topic, try using an AI tool to suggest some for you. Copy the prompt below:
Research shows that students who are feeling stressed and working to tight deadlines are more likely to use Gen AI in an academically dishonest way, leading to procrastination and reduced academic performance (Abbas et al.).
As a principled learner, you should always use AI ethically and responsibly. Whenever a teacher gives you an assignment, they will give you clear guidelines about how you may use AI to complete the assignment. Some assignments may allow the use of AI, and some may not. When submitting work, always cite any AI-generated content that you have used using MLA, just as you would with any other sources. Failing to do so goes against VSA's Academic Honesty Policy, and may have serious consequences.
If a teacher has allowed you to use AI tools when completing an assessment, you must also
Include in-text citations and references as needed.
For some assignments, your teacher may also require that you include an appendix describing what AI tools you have used and for what purposes. They may also require additional information to be included, for example, screenshots and prompts.
Work Cited
Abbas, Muhammad, et al. “Is It Harmful or Helpful? Examining the Causes and Consequences of Generative AI Usage among University Students.” International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, vol. 21, no. 1, 1 Dec. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00444-7. Accessed 14 May 2024.
"Robot Tutor, Dramatic Lighting” prompt. Midjourney, version 4, 28 Mar. 2023, www.midjourney.com.
When using generative AI, you need to be aware of possible bias, inaccuracy, and hallucinations.
Use your critical thinking skills to detect and question bias
Use your information literacy skills and lateral reading to verify accuracy
Use credible sources instead of quoting or paraphrasing text generated by AI
Hallucinations
A hallucination is an output generated by a generative AI that is not grounded in reality. It is important to fact check any outputs produced generative AI.
Panda Book Awards
Writing a book review
How to Write a Book Review
Want your review read? Try some of these tips:
Finish the book!: It seems obvious, but you want to have a complete picture of the story before writing your review.
International Book Awards
International Book Awards
🇸🇬
The Economist
delivers independent, fact-driven analysis from around the world, spanning geopolitics, business, technology, and culture, providing the essential context and perspective needed to understand complex issues. Essential reading for all students, but especially helpful for DP students taking Economics, Global Politics, Business Management, Geography and ESS.
How can I log in?
1
AI Search Tools
Introduction
AI search tools can assist you in your research, but remember that the results may be biased or contain incorrect information. Use your to verify that that information is correct, and click through to the original sources rather than citing what the AI tool produces.
Note that:
Finding Images
See also
Most search engines, such as Google, include a creative commons image search. Other sites to try include:
Statista
(you must logged in with your school gmail account)
Try out Statista's brand new !
Short Stories
CNKI
The Hong Kong Public Library provides free remote access to . You can access it while at school and from home. This includes access to the China Academic Journals Full-text Database (CJFD) and also China Doctoral Dissertations and Masters' Theses Full-text Databases.
If you don’t have a library card, you can using your HK ID. If you are under 18, make sure you have approval from your parent or guardian. Once you have registered an account you can also use to login.
Let it simmer: Give yourself a little time after finishing the book to let your thoughts settle. Sometimes your initial feelings can change over a day or two.
Proofread: Nothing ruins a great review like typos and mistakes.
A little personality: Don't be afraid to let your own voice shine through. Did the book make you laugh? Say that!
How should I structure my book review?
1: The Hook
Grab the reader's attention with a strong opening:
A thought-provoking question. ("Would you save someone who destroyed your life?")
A relatable statement about the book. ("We've all felt like an outsider at some point...")
A short impactful quote from the book itself.
2: No-Spoiler Summary
Briefly describe what the book's about without giving away major plot points. Focus on the book's setting, genre, main character, and the central problem they're facing.
3: Your Honest Reaction
This is the heart of the review! Did you love it? Why?
Focus on specifics: Don't just say "The characters were great." Why were they great? Did they feel real? Were they funny? Complex?
It's okay to be critical: If you didn't like something, explain why. BUT if you're going to rate the book less than 3 stars, choose a different book to review!
Use examples: A quick quote from the book can back up what you're saying.
4: Who Would Like This Book?
Consider:
Fans of specific authors or genres. ("If you liked The Hunger Games, you'll probably enjoy this…")
Particular year groups
People with a particular interest
Readers looking for a particular mood. ("Perfect for a cozy weekend read.")
Here's an example (remove the section headings in your version):
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Hook: Imagine if your clumsy, totally normal life suddenly turned into a James Bond movie. That's Ben Ripley's reality in the Spy School series!
No-Spoiler Summary: Ben's an average kid until he's mistaken for a genius and thrown into a secret CIA academy. There's gadgets, villains, action-packed missions, and a whole lot of Ben just trying to keep up.
Honest Reaction: These books are total popcorn fun - fast, hilarious, and impossible to put down. Ben's the perfect underdog hero, always getting into ridiculous situations. Plus, there are just enough twists to keep you guessing.
Who Would Like This Book?: If you love action movies, a side of awkward humor, and stories where the stakes are ridiculously high, Spy School is for you.
You don't have to follow the above structure! Another good option is a listicle review; e.g. "5 Reasons Why I Loved This Book".
When your review is finished, follow the instructions below to add the review to Destiny Discover.
Add your Book Review to Destiny Discover
1. Login
2. Sign in with Google
3. Find the book you want to review and click 'View More Details'
4. Add your Review and give it a Star Rating
5. Send me a message to fast-track your review's approval
Visit the login page and enter your email address (don't click continue with Google):
2
Authorise your Account
Authorise your account to log in, and you should be greeted with a message telling you that your access is provided by VSA.
Citing articles from The Economist
Note that when you are citing an article from The Economist, no author is provided, so you can skip the author element and begin your works cited entry with the article title. Don't use "The Economist" as the author.
e.g.
“Who Is Winning in AI—China or America?” The Economist, 2 Sept. 2025, www.economist.com/international/2025/09/02/who-is-winning-in-ai-china-or-america. Accessed 16 Sept. 2025.
Join us for exclusive access to in-depth discussions with our specialist correspondents. Recordings of previous events are available to watch on demand.
sources may be correct but quotes may be hallucinated
Tools like Perplexity will provide sources that you can cite instead of the AI. Note that these are not always reliable sources, so you will also need to use your information literacy skills and lateral reading to evaluate these. In the example below, you could click on the HKPL (Hong Kong Public Library) link for more reliable information.
Works Cited
"Tell Me about the Occupation of Hong Kong during WW2. Provide 3 academic sources". Bing Chat, Microsoft, 27 Mar. 2023, sl.bing.net/cGtdtGHl8zk.
Handing in work you have completed with AI, without acknowledging that you have used an AI is academically dishonest.
Your teachers want to know which ideas are your own, and what words are your own, so that they can help you grow as a learner.
Pretending that work that AI has helped you to complete without letting your teacher know will mean that they will not be able to help you develop as a learner.
The examples below will depend on what your teacher has advised you, and will vary from assignment to assignment.
Acceptable (when allowed by your teacher)
Unacceptable
Responsible Use
Avoid sharing any personal or private information when using AI tools
VSA's Responsible Use Policy prohibits the use of VPNs at school, which are currently required to access ChatGPT
Respect the terms of use when signing up for AI tools. OpenAI's Terms of Use for ChatGPT state that "you must be at least 18 years old or have your parent or legal guardian’s permission to use the Services".
Documenting your Use of AI
Your teacher may ask you to demonstrate how you have used AI in your work, and they may ask you to record this in a process journal. Make sure you note what sites and prompts you have used, bookmark useful websites, and take screenshots as necessary.
AI Research Tools
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing Guide
How to avoid plagiarism
Decide on keywords to use for research.
Choose the best place to look for information e.g. Britannica, the Library, Google.
Skim read results pages and find sources with information relevant to your research.
Paraphrase the relevant information from each source into your notes doc and add a url for each source.
If copying and pasting useful material to quote later, use “colour and quotes” to identify it as copied.
Add paraphrased material into assignment and add it to MyBib so that you can later add it to your Works Cited page.
How to paraphrase in 5 easy steps
Read the text that you are paraphrasing carefully until you really understand it. You might need to reread several times
Are there any words e.g.nouns you can’t change?
Try and remember the text without looking at it. Close the tab in your browser or switch to another tab. Don’t switch back to the original until you have finished.
Plagiarism
Source: , Episode 2, 2013
6 R’s of Paraphrasing
Read & Reread
Rethink
Restate
Rearrange
How to plagiarise (Don’t do this!)
Do you do this? Have you ever done this before, or have you done some of these things? Be honest!
Copy and paste assignment question into Google
Click on the first link on the results page (usually wikipedia)
Copy and paste useful paragraphs to a Google Doc that you call “Notes”
Paraphrasing toolkit
Use these techniques to paraphrase more complicated technical texts.
Combine sentences.
Remove details that are not relevant.
Change sentence structure.
Change voice.
In-text Citations
Introduction
Whenever you paraphrase, quote or use information or ideas from a source, you need to include an in-text citation so that anyone reading your work can easily find the original source of the information.
Use in-text citatations to
give credit to the authors of the sources you have used.
increase the credibility of your argument
avoid plagiarism
The Basics
MyBib Guide
You can use MyBib to find what your in-text citation should include, but this will only work if you have added the correct author's name.
MyBib Tip
MyBib will suggest the in-text citations for your sources, but these will only be correct if you have included the correct author and article title in your reference.
Expert Tips
Your in-text citation will always be either the last name of the author, or the name of the article (in quotation marks).
Your in-text citations will never be a website name
Your in-text citations should never be in italics
Multiple Sources by the Same Author
If you are citing multiple works by the same author, identify which source you are citing from by including a comma after the author’s name, followed by the title (or a shortened version of the title) e.g. (Austen, Pride ).
Co-Authors
For 2 authors, list both authors in the in-text citation:
e.g. (Lin and Lan)
Work Cited
Lin, Tsun-Ju, and Yu-Ju Lan. “Language Learning in Virtual Reality Environments: Past, Present, and Future.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society, vol. 18, no. 4, 2015, pp. 486–497. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.18.4.486.
For 3 or more authors, list the the first authorfollowedd by et al.:
e.g. (Yang et al.)
Work Cited
Yang, Fumeng, et al. “A Virtual Reality Memory Palace Variant Aids Knowledge Retrieval from Scholarly Articles.” IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2020, pp. 1–1, 10.1109/tvcg.2020.3009003. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.
MLA does not use footnotes.
An in-text citation points to the text at the beginning of a works cited entry (author or “article title”)
Where should I put my in-text citations?
In-text citations should usually be placed at the end of a sentence.
Manga scholar Mike Hill notes that "the influence of Disney can be seen in the character designs and storytelling techniques used in many manga" (34).
If you quote or paraphrase from two different pages in the same source you can include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:
In the period from 1979 to 1999, Hong Kong's film production averaged 133 films annually, while the mainland made less than 100 films per year in the 1980s (127; 134).
If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can also include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:
In a recent study, it was found that "music can have a positive impact on memory recall" and this has been subsequently backed up by research (Green 67; Wang 89).
If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can place the in-text citation directly after the quotations if needed to link the quotation more clearly to the correct source. You can also do this to clearly distinguish your ideas from those of others.
According to Yip, video game arcades were a common sight in the city (45), while Mak makes the point that "people of all ages were flocking to arcades" (211).
eLibrary
The VSA eLibrary offers an extensive collection of databases, newspapers, magazines, eBooks and other online materials.
Click on the images below to access the resources, or click on the resource names for more information. Passwords for remote access here🔓.
Citing AI Generated Images
How can I cite an AI Image that I have created myself?
When citing AI image tools, use the prompt in “quotation marks” as the reference title in your works cited page. e.g. “Glowing jellyfish floating through a foggy forest at twilight, manga style”.
You also need to know the following information:
Website name (formatted in italics, e.g. Poe)
Bot/Model name (e.g. StableDiffusionXL, DALL·E, Magic Media, Imagen)
Date created
Public URL (created using the share button)
The basic format is:
“Prompt”. Website name, Bot/Model Name, Date Created, URL (use the share button)
How can I cite an image that I created using Poe?
Provide a caption and reference in your works cited list:
Work Cited
“A bear riding a motorbike by Matisse”. Poe, Stable Diffusion XL, 29 Sept. 2023, https://poe.com/s/RCS5KRiIpqqBNZdxN8FZ.
Share a link to the conversation in Poe, don’t copy and paste the URL from the browser address bar. If you click on this link [] you can see that it is a public URL that anyone can view, with the prompt included.
How can I create a public URL that anyone can view?
How can I cite an AI image that I created in Canva?
When creating an AI image in Canva, include your prompt and the name of the AI model you used e.g. DALL·E. If you have made your Canva project public you can include the public URL (by getting the share link), but this isn't necessary.
AI model names include: DALL·E, Magic Media, Imagen and many more; you can see the .
Work Cited
“A bear riding a motorbike by Matisse”. Canva, DALL·E, 16 Mar. 2024, www.canva.com/design/DAF_6OtYqGc/tIpmpxmtyCI7qq2QzSElBA/edit?utm_content=DAF_6OtYqGc.
or if you don't want to share the public URL for your design:
“A bear riding a motorbike by Matisse”. Canva, DALL·E, 16 Mar. 2024, www.canva.com.
What should I do if my prompt is really long?
You can shorten the prompt/title if it’s too long by just including a short description of the prompt instead, as long as it is keyed to the reference on your works cited page. When you name the image yourself, you don't need to wrap the title in quotation marks:
However, when citing an image created for an art or design project, you may want to include the entire prompt.
Using AI images that you have not created yourself
If you use images created by someone else using an AI tool, you can just cite the image as normal, though you may want to include a note stating that the image is generated by AI.
Work Cited
@EliotHiggins. Fake Photo of Trump Being Arrested. Twitter, 21 Mar. 2023, twitter.com/EliotHiggins/status/1637928223848767492. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.
Digital Theatre +
For Theatre and Literature students, and anyone with an interest in theatre.
Featured Content
With unlimited access to thousands of full-length productions and interviews, authoritative, peer-reviewed resources on key practitioners, and available to access at school and remotely, Digital Theatre+ is a valuable tool to help you excel in your studies and prepare for a future career in the arts.
Digital Theatre+ isn’t just the perfect tool for studying Theatre – it also has a multitude of benefits to support wellbeing. As well as entertaining audiences and providing a form of escapism, theatre has the power to spark the imagination, encourage self-expression, boost confidence and develop key relationship skills.
Introductory Guide
Historical Fiction
What is Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction is a genre of literature that takes readers back in time, allowing them to experience different historical periods, places, and events through the eyes of fictional or sometimes real characters. These stories are set in the past and often feature detailed descriptions of historical settings, customs, and everyday life, blending fictional elements with real-life history to create immersive narratives. Historical fiction, can completely transport you to another place and time, helping you to excape from the present while better understanding the history.
Historical fiction brings history to life, and allows you to experience different times and cultures through exciting stories and interesting characters.
Usually historical fiction stories are set more than 20 years in the past.
Some of the most popular settings for historical fiction in middle school books include:
World War II, The MIddle Ages, Ancient Civilizations. ..
Classics
Historical Fiction Books that are shelved in another Genre
Historical Mystery: Combines historical settings with mysteries or detective elements, where characters solve crimes or uncover secrets from the past.
Historical Romance: Focuses on romantic relationships set against a historical backdrop, often exploring the challenges and social expectations of the time.
Historical Fantasy: Adds magical or supernatural elements to historical settings, blending real events with mythical or fantastical aspects.
NIght Gardener, another horror, kelly yang, All the lovely bad ones: a ghost story
Books for Mature Readers
Ruta Septys
Quotations
When should I use a quotation instead of paraphrasing?
In general is is a good idea to paraphrase rather than quote, as this makes it easier to express your own thoughts and ideas regarding the source material you are discussing. Use quotes sparingly, and avoid using them as a way to bump up your word count.
You might want to consider using quotes when:
Formatting Dates
Months
Month
Abbreviation
Hugo & Nebula (Sci-Fi) Awards
Nebula 2024
Winner of the novella award: “Linghun”, (Linghun)
I'm writing an essay on [topic]. Please suggest some keywords that I could use in my search.
Historical Adventure: Centers on thrilling journeys or quests within historical periods, often featuring explorations, battles, or escapes.
Historical Thriller: Involves suspense and high-stakes tension, often set around wartime, espionage, or political intrigue in historical eras.
Historical Horror is another compelling blend with historical fiction! In historical horror, eerie or supernatural elements are woven into a past setting, often exploring the fears, superstitions, or folklore of that era.
Alternative history: In alternative history, the author reimagines significant historical events with a twist—exploring "what if" scenarios that change the course of history. For example, it might explore what would happen if a major war had a different outcome, a key figure made a different decision, or a significant invention appeared earlier or later than it did in reality.
Time travel fiction??
Brainstorming lines of inquiry that you had not previously considered
Generating text, images, video or music and pretending that it is your own work
Feedback / explaining errors
Writing an entire essay and pretending that it is your own work
Editing
Paraphrasing
Acting as your personal subject or language tutor
Using AI tools to improve language and grammar in language acquistion subjects
Doing some preliminary research on a new topic
Translating an essay when completing a bilingual diploma
Generating practice quizzes or flashcards to help you prepare for exams
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2018.
Web page, YouTube video, Newspaper article, Magazine article
The day, month, and year.
Godwin, Richard. “If We Want to Save the Planet, the Future of Food Is Insects.” The Guardian, 8 May 2021, www.theguardian.com/food/2021/may/08/if-we-want-to-save-the-planet-the-future-of-food-is-insects. Accessed 20 Sept. 2022.
Journal article
Month or season and year.
Williams, Tony. “Space, Place, and Spectacle: The Crisis Cinema of John Woo.” Cinema Journal, vol. 36, no. 2, winter 1997, pp. 67–84. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1225775. Accessed 21 Sep. 2022.
January
Jan.
February
Feb.
New Books in the Library
VSA AI Traffic Light Guide
Paraphrase the text aloud with a partner if possible, or imagine doing this. Use your own words, like telling a story. Write your paraphrase down in your notes with a reference or URL so that you can find it again later.
Check your paraphrase with the original text. Is the meaning the same?
Reword
Review
Copy some useful paragraphs to final assignment document
Change a few words to synonyms
Make a Works Cited page with some websites that look good and hand it in
Use different forms of a word.
Use synonyms. Note that only replacing a few words for synonyms is not paraphrasing.
You should not use a URL inside an in-text citation
Full-stop should appear after the in-text citation (after the last bracket).
When you're citing a book or a journal article, you should always include the number of the page in the original source that contains the quote or information that you are referring to.
Punctuation such as a full-stop should appear after the brackets of the citation, not inside the previous sentence or quote:
This example is incorrect:
" ... without considering the forces that cause them to move." (Whittaker)
This example is correct:
" ... without considering the forces that cause them to move” (Whittaker).
a unique term or phrase is used
you are providing a definition
you are discussing the specific language used in the source, rather than the content
you might alter the meaning of the original source significantly by paraphrasing it
the source material is already famous as a quote
Signal phrases
Quotations should not appear by themselves, but should rather be incorporated into a sentence by using a signal phrase such as:
“According to X”, “Y states that … ”, “Z observes that ...”.
More Signal Phrases Here
Indirect quotes
You can use a source that has been cited by another author if you need to, but it is best to try and find the original source if possible. If you are not able to find the original source use the abbreviation qtd. in (“quoted in”).
According to Green (qtd. in Matheson 132), the degree of …..
Expert tips
The MLA Handbook advises that “when a quotation is directly followed by a parenthetical citation … any required comma or period follows the citation” (88).
While you may need to include quotes more often that in other subjects, make sure that you:
avoid using block quotes unless absolutely needed e.g. you are closely analysing the language used in the entire quote.
avoid padding out your word limit with long block quotations, which will mean that you will struggle to make a strong argument within the word limit.
don't use quotes to just summarise the narrative.
only use quotes when needed to directly support your argument.
Present your argument and analysis of the text, support it with evidence in the form of a paraphrase or quote if needed, and then discuss how this evidence supports your argument and analysis.
If a quotation is not longer than four lines, you should “put it in quotation marks and incorporate it into the text” (75). When quoting a block of text that is longer than four lines, you should indent the quote by 1.25cm. This is known as a block quote. When using a block quote you do not need to include quotation marks.
For example, if you were to include the following long quote from 1984, you would format it as follows (note the in-text citation appears after the full-stop) :
So completely did they dwarf the surrounding architecture that from the roof of Victory Mansions you could see all four of them simultaneously. They were the homes of the four Ministries between which the entire apparatus of government was divided. The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs. Their names, in Newspeak: Minitrue, Minipax, Miniluv, and Miniplenty. (Orwell 10)
Editing quotes
Ellipsis and Other Alterations
Whenever you alter a quotation by removing words, use an ellipsis to indicate that words have been omitted. This indicated in your writing by 3 periods, preceded and followed by a space ( … ).
If you need to alter a quote by inserting text, indicate this using [square brackets].
Works Cited
MLA Handbook. Modern Language Association Of America, 2021.
If you are citing multiple works by the same author, identify which source you are citing from by including a comma after the author’s name, followed by the title (or a shortened version of the title) e.g. (Austen, Pride ).
Where should I put my in-text citations?
In-text citations should usually be placed at the end of a sentence.
Manga scholar Mike Hill notes that "the influence of Disney can be seen in the character designs and storytelling techniques used in many manga" (34).
If you quote or paraphrase from two different pages in the same source you can include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:
In the period from 1979 to 1999, Hong Kong's film production averaged 133 films annually, while the mainland made less than 100 films per year in the 1980s (127; 134).
If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can also include these in one in-text citation, separated by a colon:
In a recent study, it was found that "music can have a positive impact on memory recall" and this has been subsequently backed up by research (Green 67; Wang 89).
Where can I can include the original publication date of a work?
MLA allows for to be included, such as the date of original publication. This should be included after the title and preceded by a full-stop.
How do I cite an author’s name if I only know the initials?
In some situations it may be acceptable to cite an author using their initials onlt.
See also MLA Style Guide and .
How do I cite multiple quotes from the same source in the same paragraph?
These should be separated by a comma, or a hyphen for consecutive pages e.g
(Camus 45, 56, 88-89)
How do I cite multiple quotes from the same source in the same paragraph?
These should be separated by a comma, or a hyphen for consecutive pages e.g
(Camus 45, 56, 88-89)
What should I do if I can't find an author for a source?
Is it acceptable to use an organisation name as an author?
Don't use the organisation name as the author if you're citing a dictionary or encyclopedia.
It is stated in the MLA Handbook that, “When a work is published by an organization that is also its author, begin the entry with the title, skipping the author element, and list the organization only as publisher” (25).
But when the author of a work is a division or committee of the organization, list the division or committee as the author, and list the organization as the publisher
Don't reverse the name for organisations e.g.
I'm writing my extended essay in Spanish. Should I still use MLA?
Yes. The only major difference is that you should label your works cited list:
Obras Citadas
Should I cite a summary generated by Google’s AI Overviews feature like a source?
No, you should click through to one of the sources and see if you can use that source instead. See the for more information.
Use the organisation as the author
Leave out the author and start the reference with the article title
Key Terms
English Term
Chinese term
Definition
Paraphrasing
改述, 改寫
Rewriting someone else’s words or ideas in your own words.
Plagiarism
剽竊, 抄襲
Copying someone else’s words or ideas without acknowledging them.
Sources & References
參考文獻
A source is any place you get information from (website, book, person); a reference is how you list a source in a bibliography or works cited page. You should write all your references in MLA format.
Key Terms
English Term
Explanation
Chinese Term
Chinese Explanation
1. Generative AI
A subfield of artificial intelligence that focuses on creating new content, ideas, or solutions autonomously.
生成式 AI
一个人工智能子领域，专注于自主创建新的内容、想法或解决方案。
2. Deep Learning
A subfield of artificial intelligence that uses artificial neural networks to mimic human brain functions for learning.
深度学习
Citing from PressReader
You can't just paste the URL from PressReader into MyBib, or you will get a result like this. This doesn’t contain any information about the source - no author, no title, no magazine name.
“PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions.” Www.pressreader.com, www.pressreader.com/uk/top-gear-uk/20240403/page/12. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Follow the instructions below instead.
Introduction
A reference for an article from PressReader should look like this:
Ridgway, Andy. “How Dogs Can Help Us Live Healthier, Longer Lives.” BBC Science Focus, 25 June 2020, pp. 54–61. PressReader, pressreader.com/article/ 282432761399940. Accessed 28 Aug. 2023.
The basic structure is:
Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Magazine Name, Publication Date, Page Numbers. PressReader, URL (you can delete the http:// bit). Date Accessed.
Creating a reference using MyBib
Acknowleding AI Use
Acknowledging the use of AI in an Appendix
If your teacher has allowed you to use AI tools when completing an assessment, they may also ask you to include a statement acknowledging that you have used AI, with further details on what tools you have used, including screenshots and prompts. Include this text in an appendix before your works cited list. For example:
Your teacher may also ask you to document how you have used AI tools with details about prompts used and/or screenshots.
Appendix
I used to brainstorm ideas about my project. I used the following prompt: “5 possible ways to explore language learning in virtual reality”. I have not presented any content generated by AI tools as my own work. Screenshot:
Whenever you use other people's words, ideas, images or data you need to provide a source. If you don't provide a source you are claiming that the work is completely your own. Failing to acknowledge the sources of data in tables and figures may be considered to be plagiarism or academic dishonesty.
PressReader
With over 7,000 publications from over 100 countries in 60+ languages including Chinese, French & Spanish
Important Update: Google sign-in is no longer available for off-site access. Please create a password and use this instead.
No login is required while at school, but you need to .
ATLs
These are some of the most important ATLs when conduting research:
"A dynamic action scene of a knight battling a dragon on a cliffside, with roaring waves below, inspired by the Romanticism movement, reminiscent of the works of Eugène Delacroix."
>>> could be simplified to >>>
Knight Battling Dragon.
Works Cited page
引用文獻
A list of references for all the sources that you have used in your assignment.
Documentation
Summary
Quotation
Style guide
Source
來源
Citation
Reference
Academic honesty
学术诚实
一个人工智能子领域，使用人工神经网络模仿人脑功能以进行学习。
3. Neural Network
A computer model inspired by the human brain, consisting of interconnected nodes or neurons.
神经网络
受人脑启发的计算机模型，由相互连接的节点或神经元组成。
4. GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer)
A type of generative AI model that can understand and generate human-like text based on given input.
GPT (生成预训练变换器)
一种生成式AI模型，可以根据给定输入理解和生成类似人类的文本。
5. Training Data
The data used to teach a machine learning model how to perform a specific task.
训练数据
用于教授机器学习模型如何执行特定任务的数据。
6. Fine-tuning
The process of refining a machine learning model's performance using additional data.
微调
使用额外数据优化机器学习模型性能的过程。
7. Natural Language Processing (NLP)
A subfield of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language.
自然语言处理 (NLP)
一个人工智能子领域，使计算机能够理解、解释和生成人类语言。
8. Model
A mathematical representation of a system or process that can be used to make predictions or decisions.
模型
用于预测或决策的系统或过程的数学表示。
9. Bias
A systematic error in a machine learning model's predictions due to flawed assumptions or training data.
偏差
由于错误的假设或训练数据导致的机器学习模型预测中的系统性错误。
10. Hallucination
An output generated by a machine learning model that is not grounded in reality or input data.
幻觉
机器学习模型生成的与现实或输入数据无关的输出。
If you quote or paraphrase from different sources in one sentence, you can place the in-text citation directly after the quotations if needed to link the quotation more clearly to the correct source. You can also do this to clearly distinguish your ideas from those of others.
According to Yip, video game arcades were a common sight in the city (45), while Mak makes the point that "people of all ages were flocking to arcades" (211).
correct: United Nations
incorrect: Nations, United.
You can abbreviate the name of an organisation if you use it multiple times. Spell it out the first time you use it.
Organisation names in in-text citations can be abbreviated to the first noun phrase e.g.
Potato Society of Guernsey >>> Potato Society
A Report Written and Published by Different Corporate Entities
All tables and figures need both a label and a number (e.g. Table 1, Fig. 2), a caption (with an in-text citation), and a reference for the full source in your works cited list (unless you have created the data yourself).
Don't include tables figures for decorative purposes in an academic report or essay. If you includes tables or figures, they should be there to support your argument.
Tables and figures should be placed as close to the relevant part of the text as possible. If you refer to them in your text (e.g. see fig. 1, see table 2), then the table or figure shold be appear as close as possible to this.
Try to create your own tables and figures rather than using screenshots taken from sources.
If you do reproduce a table directly, use the word "Source:" in your caption and include enough information about the source to allow the reader to easiliy find the complete citation in your works cited list.
Use the phrase "Adapted from:" if you have made significant changes to the original.
Tables in MLA
Tables use rows and columns to display data. Format tables that use data from a source in the following manner:
Table 1
Most Popular Influencers on Douyin
Infuencer
Number of Fans (Millions)
Yang Ge (Crazy Xiaoyangge)
65.34
Ares Cheng
51.01
Chen Xiang
49.14
Li Ziqi
47.31
Sun Hongliang (Monkey Bro)
38.80
Adapted from "Number of Fans of the Leading Influencers on Douyin”.
Include an in-text citation in your caption to allow the reader to find it in your works cited list. In the above example there is no author, so the title would be used in the in-text citation, and there is no need to repeat the title of this source as it has been used as the description in the caption. You also need to include the full reference for the source in your works cited list.
"Number of Fans of the Leading Influencers on Douyin (Tiktok) in China as of May 13, 2022 (in Millions)." Statista, 13 May 2022, www.statista.com/statistics/1227126/china-most-followed-influencers-on-douyin-chinese-tiktok. Accessed 13 May 2022.
If you have generated the data yourself, there is no need to cite a source (unless there is any ambiguity).
Table 2
Books Borrowed from VSA Secondary Library in April 2022, by genre
Genre
Checkouts
Young Adult
84
YA Mystery & Thriller
78
Light Novels
26
Manga
25
Horror
14
If you need to include a note for your table, use lowercase letters:
Table 3
Books Borrowed from VSA Secondary Library in March 2022, by Genre
Genre
Checkouts
Fantasy
142
Science Fiction
73
a. Including YA Fantasy
Other notes about using tables:
If you have created the table yourself with your own data, you do not need to include any source information below the table, though you should make sure it is clear in your writing that you have done the research yourself.
Each table should be labelled “Table” (with a capital T) followed by a number (arabic numeral) in sequence e.g. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 …
When referring to the table in your writing use a lowercase t e.g. (see table 1).
No fullstop is required at the end of the table title.
Capitalise table titles in the same way as titles in your works cited list.
Figures in MLA
In MLA any illustration or data that is not presented in columns and rows is called a figure.
Figures include charts, diagrams, graphs, maps, photos or any artworks.
All figures require a caption, which should be placed below the image and precede by Fig. 1 for the first image in your work, Fig. 2 for the second, and so on.
Note: In the MLA handbook figures are also referred to as illustrations.
Fig. 1. Adapted from "Distribution of Bitcoin Mining Hashrate from September 2019 to January 2022, by Country" (Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance).
Include an in-text citation in your caption to allow the reader to find it in your works cited list. You also need to include the full reference for the source in your works cited list.
Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance. "Distribution of Bitcoin Mining Hashrate from September 2019 to January 2022, by Country." Statista, 17 May 2022, www.statista.com/statistics/1200477/bitcoin-mining-by-country. Accessed 23 May 2022.
You can refer to a figure in your writing like this:
... an exodus of bitcoin miners from China to Kazakhstan (see fig. 1).
If you use AI you need to cite it. Make sure you are using AI ethically. Submitting AI-generated work and pretending it is your own goes against VSA's Academic Honesty Policy. Remember to be aware of issues like hallucination and bias, and use reliable websites instead of AI when possible.
How can I cite a chatbot?
To cite a chatbot, you need to know:
Your prompt (use the prompt in “quotation marks” as the title)
Website name (formatted in italics, e.g. Poe)
Bot/Model name (e.g. StableDiffusionXL for images, ChatGPT, Claude-2-100k for text; don't use italics for this)
In your works cited list it will look like this:
"Prompt". Website Name, AI Model. Date you used the AI, Public URL.
How can I cite Poe?
In your works cited list a conversation with Poe will look like this:
"Who is Louis Cha?". Poe, Gemini-Pro. 17 Mar. 2024,poe.com/s/AdtEREDku86PE8rUSHCO.
Share a link to the conversation in Poe, don’t copy and paste the URL from the browser address bar. If you click on this link [] you can see that it is a public URL that anyone can view, with the prompt included.
How can I create a public URL that anyone can view?
How can I cite Perplexity?
It's better to click through to the original source and cite this where possible.
The original sources are shown by the numbers in circles in Perplexity's reply. They link to the websites that Perplexity has summarised to give you an answer.
If you still want to cite Perplexity rather than the original sources it has used, you can use this format:
"Who is Louis Cha?". Perplexity. 17 Mar. 2024,.
You can get the public URL by clicking the share button, selecting shareable, and then clicking "Copy Link":
How can I cite Flint?
General Guidelines
Click "Share session" to get a link to your session:
You can then use the following format to create a works cited entry:
"Mr Wright's Physics IA Research Question Development." Flint, app.flintk12.com/activity/physics-ia-rese-3b1ff8/session/42de0982. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
The in-text citation for the above source can be abbreviated to: ("Mr Wright's Physics IA").
For Formal Assesment
If you are submitting your work for assessment by the IB, the URL should be give as , and any personal names and the name of the school need to be removed. You should also include a
Start by naming your session; you can name it yourself, or click "Auto-name" to automatically generate a name:
You can then use the following format to create a works cited entry:
"Session name." Flint, URL. Accessed Date.
For example:
"Learning Physics with CERN Data." Flint, . Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
The in-text citation for the above source can be abbreviated to: ("Learning Physics").
How can I cite Deepseek?
In your works cited list a conversation with Doubao will look like this:
"Tell me about the 1953 coup in Iran". Deepseek. 26 Mar. 2026, chat.deepseek.com/share/73qtp6wsf9x00abqlf.
Click the "Create public link" button to create a public link to share:
How can I cite Doubao?
In your works cited list a conversation with Doubao will look like this:
"What is an AI Agent?". Doubao. 26 Mar. 2026, ]
To create a public link that you can share, click the three dots next to the chat, and then the "share/分享" button:
Make sure you untick "allow access to files" if you want to keep any files you have shared in the chat private:
Should I list the AI tool as an author?
When citing AI tools using MLA, you should not use the AI as the author. Leave the author blank, and start the reference with the prompt or description of the conversation.
Do I need to include an accessed date?
No accessed date is needed, as long as you include the date you prompted the AI.
AI Guidance for Students
The Biggest Academic Integrity Breach
It is a common misconception that using AI is the breach. It isn’t.
The expectation: We expect you to use these tools. We also expect you to document them.
Transparency is the key!
Scenario 12: "A student tries to hide their use of AI... This is not acceptable." (Evaluating 13 Scenarios)
The most common academic integrity breach is unlogged assistance. This means using AI and pretending you didn't.
Using the Template
The template for your work will include these three tabs (the "Essay" tab name may be edited by your teacher):
Essay / Assignment
Notes
AI Documentation Log
What the template is used for:
MYP
DP
Mandatory Documentation
With any summative work, as part of your Works Cited List you are required to include an AI Use Declaration and an AI Documentation Log.
1. AI Use Declaration
You must include a statement after your Works Cited:
Example:
2. AI Documentation Log
The log must include the following information in these columns:
Date
AI Tool
Prompt
Session Link
Example Log
Can I use writing tools such as Grammarly?
While assistance is allowed, replacing your own work is not.
Wholescale Rewriting (Scenario 7): Asking AI to rewrite an essay you wrote is generally unacceptable.
Content Generation (Scenario 3): Copying quotes/information found by AI without verifying the original source.
Translation (Scenario 8): Not acceptable to translate an essay from one language to another.
The Safe Zone: Mechanics & Conciseness
Changes that fix errors in Standard English conventions that do not change the meaning, logic, or argument of your work.
Grammar & Verb Tense: Fixing "She walk" to "She walks".
Punctuation & Run-ons: Splitting comma splices into two sentences.
Conciseness: Replacing wordy phrases like "At the present time" with "Currently".
Why is this ok? These changes fix errors in Standard English conventions without altering the meaning, logic, or argument of your work.
The Danger Zone: The Rewrite
Original
Unethical AI Edit
Why it's Unethical:
New Vocabulary: "Archetypal", "Patriarchal".
New Logic: Shifts from "nobody talks to her" to "structural oppression". This is Plagiarism of Thought.
I used Flint to help me identity what ATL skills that I used as I worked towards my learning goal. Flint asked me to share what I did and helped me identify what ATL skills it relates to.
Flint pointed that the strategies I used related to research skills and information literacy. Reflection: Once I identified the skills that I was using I was better able to identify evidence I could use to show how I was using research and information literacy skills.
Nov 20, 2025
Perplexity
"What were Freud’s views on dreaming?"
I used the links provided by Perplexity to access papers written by Freud.
I think I understood Freud's views on dreams but the language was challenging.
Verification: I watched a YouTube video and read a text book extract aimed at high school students. The video explained it more clearly and now I understand some of the technical terms better and feel confident using them
Jan 15, 2026
Gemini
"I have written a draft of my background research for my Biology IA. Can you review this paragraph for spelling, grammar and clarity? Do not rewrite it: [Paste Paragraph]"
I used the feedback to edit my grammar and spelling.
Gemini suggested changing "Photosynthesis is essential for plant life, it converts sunlight..." to "Photosynthesis is essential for plant life. It converts sunlight..." Reflection: I agreed this sounded more professional for a formal report.
"Curley's wife is lonely because nobody talks to her and she is stuck in the house all day."
"Curley's wife represents the archetypal marginalized figure, suffering from profound isolation due to the patriarchal structures of the ranch."
Changing Meaning: Adding new arguments or evidence you didn't find.
Conciseness: Replacing "At the present time" with "Currently".
Tone Filters: "Make this sound confident/academic/formal."
Clarifying Syntax: Fixing a run-on sentence.
Restructuring: Asking AI to reorder paragraphs or improve flow.
Word Choice: Fixing "their/there" confusion.
Logic: Asking AI to "strengthen the argument."
Make sure there you provide enough information so that anyone reading your work can easily find the original image that you have used.
Include the image as close as possible to where it has been referred to in the text. Don’t cite a google image search as a source, click through to the web page linked to in the search results. If you are publishing your work on a website where people outside VSA can see it, make you use Creative Commons or public domain images to avoid copyright infringements
Don't include images for decorative purposes in and academic report or essay. If you includes images, they should be there to support your argument.
If you've forgotten where you found an image, use google images [click the camera icon to upload an image] or google lens to find it again.
Don’t cite a google image search as a source, click through to the web page linked to in the search results.
If you are publishing your work on a website where people outside VSA can see it, make you use Creative Commons or public domain images to avoid copyright infringements.
Captions should end with a fullstop after the in-text citation.
When do I use italics and quotation marks in a caption?
Italics
Photograph or Painting.
E.g. Under the Wave off Kanagawa
“Quotation Marks”
An individual image from a website which already has a title or description in a caption, or a an individual cartoon or illustration.
No Formatting
A description you’ve created yourself. Do not capitalise each word.
E.g. Photograph of a dog skateboarding
Combination
Screenshot of Mona Lisa
This formatting applies to the title as it appears in both the works cited entry and as it appears below the caption.
Citing an artwork from a website
Fig. 1. Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray (Mondrian).
Works Cited
Mondrian, Piet. Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray. 1921. The Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/artworks/109819/lozenge-composition-with-yellow-black-blue-red-and-gray. Accessed 20 Aug. 2022.
Citing an image that you have edited
You can use a phrase like "adapted from" in the caption to show that you have made changes to the original image. In this case, the original black and white photograph has been colourised.
Fig. 2. Adapted from Air Raid Precautions in Hong Kong, 1941 (Palmer).
Works Cited
Palmer, Fred. Air Raid Precautions in Hong Kong, 1941. Imperial War Museums, www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205206687. Accessed 18 Aug. 2022.
Getty Images
Getty Images allow some of their images to embedded on websites, but you need to give credit to Getty Images and use the embed code they provide.
TONNAJA. Zhangye Danxia National Geopark, Gansu, China. Getty Images, 2019. www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/zhangye-danxia-national-geopark-gansu-china-royalty-free-image/1164560768. Accessed 30 Aug. 2022.
Citing an image from a website
When you are use an image from a website, include a reference for the website where you found the image in your works cited list and an in-text citaton in the caption to link to the reference.
Remember, if you are publishing your image on a website you should use creative commons public domain images. This photograph image of Elvis meeting Nixon below is one of the most famous public domain images in the U.S. National Archives.
Because the caption below the image is not copied from the website, and is just a description of the image, no italics or quotation marks are required.
Fig. 4. Photograph of Elvis meeting Nixon (Carlson).
Works Cited
Carlson, Peter. “When Elvis Met Nixon.” Smithsonian, Dec. 2010, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-elvis-met-nixon-69892425/. Accessed 25 Aug. 2022.
Citing an image from a website that already has a caption
When you are use an image from a website that already has a description or title, you can use that as the caption and include the full reference for the page it came from in your works cited list.
If the image is a photograph or an work of art, the caption should be in italics, otherwise use quotation marks.
Portrait of Oscar Wilde as a Young Man. 1880. Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/artworks/101012/untitled-portrait-of-oscar-wilde-as-a-young-man. Accessed 16 Apr. 2022.
Note that the date above “1880” is followed by a full-stop, as it is an optional element relating to the original publication date of the artwork rather than the date it was published on the website.
“Relating Mindfulness and Self-Regulatory Processes.”
.
Psychological Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 4, 2007, pp. 255–258 . JSTOR, ww.jstor.org/stable/20447394.
Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
How do I cite a film?
The basic format for a film is as follows:
Title. Directed by First name Last name of director, Distributor, Release date.
For example:
Infernal Affairs. Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, Media Asia Films, 1992.
If you discuss the directors of the film directly in your work, list the directors at the beginning of the works cited entry:
Lau, Andrew, and Alan Mak, directors. Infernal Affairs. Media Asia Films, 1992.
You may also want to include other contributors, depending on what aspects of the film you are discussing in your writing.
Infernal Affairs. Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, performance by Andy Lau and Tony Leung,
Media Asia Films, 1992.
Some other common contribution details might include: Adapted by, Directed by, Edited by, Illustrated by, Performance by, Translated by, Created by.
If you need to cite a particular version of a film you can do this as follows:
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. 1977. Special edition, Lucasfilm, 1997.
Cite dialogue using quotes or block quotes as needed. If using block quotes, include the characters' names and indent second and subsequent lines of dialogue by the same character slightly further than the 1.25cm required by the block quote.
When citing audio or video works, give the time or time range in the in-text citation, in hours, minutes, and seconds, separated by a colon e.g. (Infernal Affairs 01:16:34-38), (“Life Hacks I Learnt from Youtube” 00:5:34-38).
While Bresson makes repeated use of hands to convey meaning, Clair uses feet (see fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Still from "And Then There Were None (1945)" (Clair 21:31).
How do I cite an interview?
Use this format for any interview you conduct yourself:
Interviewee(s) Last Name, First name. Interview with the author. Day Month Year of interview.
For example:
Chomsky, Noam. Interview with the author. 11 July 2017.
For an interview that has been published online, use the name of the interviewee as the author, and the title of the interview as the title if published (in “quotation marks”), otherwise describe it as in the example below (without any formatting):
Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed, 25 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May. 2023.
How do I cite a video game?
Title of Game. Game developer’s name, date of release. Platform.
You don't need to list an author if no invidual author is give; just start with the name of the report. You can omit the website name and incldue the company name as the publisher, but leave out any words like: Company (Co.), Corporation (Corp.), Incorporated (Inc.), or Limited (Ltd.). You can also leave out words like "the" at the beginning of the company name. Company names don't need to be italicised (though website names do).
Clair, René. “And Then There Were None (1945).” YouTube, uploaded by Public Domain Films, 16 Aug. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydCqPEoQ-jI. Accessed 2 Sept. 2022.
I acknowledge the use of __________ (Tool Name) to ________________ (Specific Task).
I acknowledge the use of Flint to brainstorm exploration topics. I acknowledge the use of Perplexity AI to research my topic and to explain new concepts
