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Avoiding Plagiarism: The Guide

Learn about plagiarism (which is a form of academic dishonesty) and how to avoid committing plagiarism in this guide.

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Plagiarism Defined

Plagiarism is also known as "academic dishonesty" or "academic integrity."

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition
pla•gia•rize : to steal and pass off (the words or ideas of another) as one’s own : use (another’s production) without crediting the source ~ vi: to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. 

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism

  • Cite your sources! If in doubt, cite your sources!
  • Most of all…do not use other’s work as your own.
  • Don't forget: you need both in-text and a list of references (also called bibliography or works cited) to make a full citation.
  • Avoid confusion between your sources ideas and your own. You can do this by taking good notes of what came from where and on which page.
    • Librarian's Tip: As you're writing your paper, try using different fonts or colors to distinguish between where ideas came from.

Am I Plagiarizing?

Consequences of Plagiarism

As it states on each of your course syllabi:

"All work submitted in this class must be your original work. Work should be generated exclusively for this class, unless given prior permission by the instructor.  The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrasing) should be properly referenced. Any other guidelines required for assignments will be given to you by your instructor and must also be adhered to.  For the consequences of academic dishonesty, refer to the Student Handbook."

Plagiarism in the News

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