Avoid plagiarism - credit the source!
Plagiarism is the "...the false assumption of authorship: the wrongful act of taking the product of another person's mind and presenting it as ones own" (Alexander Lindey, Plagiarism and Originality {New York: Harper, 1952}). In writing, it is never acceptable to use the thoughts of another individual unless your sources are acknowledged and properly documented. The following acts would constitute plagiarism:
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Copying any portion of another person's work or ideas without citing (on purpose or by accident) |
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Copying directly from a source, leaving out quotation marks, but citing in the bibliography |
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Borrowing or building on someone's ideas without citation |
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Buying or downloading a paper from the internet and submitting it as your original work |
In writing, it is ok to look for expert knowledge about a topic as long as you clearly document the ideas of others. It is then your turn to add something new to the research you have found. You may choose to react to the research -- agree or disagree, contribute your own remarks, or make your own original ideas and observations.
Keep track of your sources and learn to format your bibliography by using the LMC's Bibliography Worksheet and MLA "Works Cited" Guide. PDF files printing requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
How do you cite your sources?
There are several accepted formats for writing and documenting research. The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is widely used when writing papers. You should check with your teacher to be sure this is the style they would like you to follow. We have provided the following links to help you develop your paper.
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Online Formatting Tools:
Citation Maker - online formatting tool
Noodle Tools: "NoodleBib Express" to make ALA citations!
Evaluating Websites: Information Literacy Tools
Try this guide from UC Berkeley.