Why citing sources is important
- Acknowledge ideas that are not your own
- Helps those reading your work to locate your sources, in order to learn more about the ideas that you are presenting
- Citing your sources consistently and accurately helps you avoid committing plagiarism in your writing
A good citation makes it easy for the reader to figure out who, what, when, and where of the source.
What is plagiarism
"Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's words, ideas, or work - whether accidentally or deliberately - as your own work.
Source material obtained from internet sources requires the same attentiveness to documentation as from all other sources. Student must
properly document the sources of information and ideas received. When in doubt, a good rule is to document any assistance in question."
"Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's words, ideas, or work - whether accidentally or deliberately - as your own work. Source
material obtained from internet sources requires the same attentiveness to documentation as from all other sources. Student must properly document
the sources of information and ideas received. When in doubt, a good rule is to document any assistance in question."
- Always:
- Document in detail as you work; this will ensure complete citations and will preclude forgetting the specific passage, page, or URL of original idea.
- Document all numbers, facts, direct quotes
- follow specific guidelines as laid out by your instructor with regard to format
- when in doubt: DOCUMENT
When can one use information without citations?
If the information is Common Knowledge a citation is not required. Some examples are:
- Well known quotes, axioms, proverbs and sayings
- Widely known information (i.e. Portia Simpson Miller was the 1st Prime Minister of Jamaica; water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit)
Tips for preventing Plagiarism
- Take careful note of your sources during your research process. Include author(s), title, place of publication, publisher, internet source if applicable,
page numbers. More is better; you can always discard unneeded information later.
- Be sure to indicate which phrases and ideas are yours and which are the work of others.
- Decide on a strategy for documenting your resources and follow this procedure throughout your research.
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