Plagiarism

Use your own ideas and words.

Practice is essential to learning. Each time you choose your words, order your thoughts, and convey your ideas, you can improve your writing.



Give credit for copied, adapted and paraphrased material.

If you repeat another's exact words you MUST use quotation marks and cite the source. If you adapt a chart or paraphrase a sentence, you must still cite.



Avoid using others' work with minor "cosmetic" changes.

Examples: Using "less" for "fewer", reversing the order of a sentence, changing terms in a computer code, or altering a layout. If the work is essentially the same, you must give credit.



Beware of "Common Knowledge".

You don't have to cite "common knowledge", BUT the fact must really be common knowledge. That Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. President during the Civil War is common knowledge; that over 51,000 Union and Confederate soldiers died in The Battle of Gettysburg1 is not.



There are no freebies.

ALWAYS cite words, information, and ideas you use if they are new to you. No matter where you find it! Even if it's in an encyclopedia or on the Internet, you MUST cite it.

Category:

Education

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• Plagiarism