Plagiarism

Steal This Handout...But Don't Steal Someone Else's Words or Ideas!

Plagiarism, using someone else's words or ideas and claiming them as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally, is a form of scholastic dishonesty and may result in a loss of credit, a failing grade, or other academic penalties.

Make a "Road Map" for Your Research

Fortunately, plagiarism is easy to avoid. Each time you either directly quote an outside source or restate it in your own words (paraphrasing), identify that source with a citation. To do this, you can use footnotes at the bottom of each page, endnotes at the end of your paper, or the author-date system (citing author and year in the text and listing all sources in an appended bibliography). Different style manuals recommend different citation formats. Instructors may require different citation styles for term papers and other written work. Use a citation format from a style manual appropriate to your subject.

Handouts (APA, MLA, and Turabian) and complete style manuals illustrating some of the most common citation formats are available in the Reference Department of the Renne Library.

Remember, you should cite your source if you are including a direct quote or if you are paraphrasing. Below is a direct quote containing the exact words of the original source (accompanied by a footnote at the bottom of this sheet):

A citation can serve a number of purposes. The first is a matter of honesty: you should give credit to the people from whom you got your material. . . . The last, and perhaps most important, function of a citation is to provide a kind of road map for research.¹

Don't be afraid of using others' words or ideas. After all, most research builds on prior thought and investigation. Just remember to cite your sources, so you give credit where credit is due.

       ¹Diane L. Garner and Diane H. Smith, The Complete Guide to Citing Government Documents (Bethesda, Md: Congressional Information Service, 1984), 1.

Style manual used for this citation: Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 5th ed., rev. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. Call number Ref PE1478.T87 1987.