Avoiding Plagiarism

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, to plagiarize means "to steal and use (the writings of another) as one's own." Even when it is unintentional, presenting someone else's thoughts, ideas, expressions, or information without proper acknowledgement of the source is an act of academic dishonesty (cheating). Whenever you use other people's ideas or words, you must give them credit.

Intentional Plagiarism Copying a friend’s work Buying or borrowing papers Copying and pasting text from sources “Borrowing” media without giving credit Publishing on the web without the permission of the original creators

Unintentional Plagiarism Using minimal or careless paraphrasing or summarizing Failing to cite sources Quoting excessively Failing to use your own “voice” to present information or ideas

Incorporating Research Any time you use someone else’s words or ideas, you must give credit to that person, whether you quote directly, or just paraphrase. If you do not cite (give credit to) your sources it is considered plagiarism, which will earn you a failing grade on your paper.

What is a Citation? An internal citation, in-text citation, or parenthetical citation refers to the practice of giving credit to an author, singer, or speaker by citing their words/ideas within your paper.

It's helpful to think of internal citations as a kind of "tag" indicating what you've borrowed from an author. This internal citation is then referenced at the end of your paper in your Works Cited page.

How Do I cite my sources? If the information came from a print source (book or magazine), use the author’s last name and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence BEFORE the period. If the information came from the Internet, use the name of the website.

For every sentence, phrase, or idea you borrow you must "tag" it with an internal citation. Borrowing the work's structure, format, or style without giving credit is also considered plagiarism. It is important to remember that merely changing the wording is not enough.

This example paragraph shows a citation after two sentences from the same source and after a direct quote. –The information from the first part came from a book written/edited by Myers. –The information and quote in the second part come from a magazine article written by Hardy. In Florida, Alabama, and only eight Louisiana parishes, Mardi Gras is a legal holiday for celebration; however, New Orleans has the most famous celebration (Myers 197). During the 1800’s, Mardi Gras parades had no floats like today’s parades. The maskers paraded “on foot, in carriages, and on horseback” (Hardy 14). In Mamou, Louisiana, the tradition of horseback parades is still practiced.

This example shows a citation for information that came from a website called Mardi Gras Colors. The famous krewe of Rex, formed in 1872, designated and defined the official Mardi Gras colors and their meanings. The color purple stands for justice, green represents faith, and gold stands for power. Tulane university and Louisiana State University adopted their school colors when local shops stocked up on items in these three colors. LSU bought most of the purple and gold items, leaving green for Tulane, who added blue to their colors ( All information in this paragraph was summarized from the website cited

Five rules to avoid plagiarism: Rule 1:A fact that is not common knowledge must have a citation. Rule 2:When you write about an idea, you must make clear whose idea it is. If it is your own idea, you do not cite the source. Rule 3: If you are writing about someone else's idea, you must cite your source. Rule 4:If you use someone else's exact words, you must put them in quotation marks and cite the source. (An entire sentence in the paper cannot be in quotation marks!) Rule 5:When you use an author's idea without quoting exactly, you must write the idea in your own words, not just rearrange or change a few of his or her words, and you must cite the source.

NOTE: The Works Cited is a list of works (sources/information) that are cited in the paper. Citations and Works Cited must match That’s why your source sheet and note cards are so important!

It is unacceptable to have an entire sentence written in quotation marks anywhere in the paper. This is called a “dumped quote” because it is just dumped in the paper without being set up or properly incorporated.

Q: What if I just want to use a fact from a source, but say it in different words? A: Say it in your own words and still provide a citation In the early days of Las Cruces, riders would race their horses on Alameda Street every Sunday afternoon (Smith 1).

On your note cards: Take careful word-for-word notes paying close attention to wording, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and sources. Paraphrase and summarize when you write your rough draft. (see later in this presentation) Remember to enter your source information on your source sheet to prepare for your works cited.

In your rough draft: Cite as you write. Put in citations for all borrowed material as you write your first draft. Never leave this for later because trying to find sources later for every citation is tedious! Remember that you must cite all borrowed material and information whether you use a direct quote, a paraphrase, or a summary.

One of the most difficult tasks students encounter when they move from note cards to rough draft is successfully incorporating borrowed material into papers. Paraphrasing and summarizing are important skills to help you avoid plagiarism.

Paraphrasing: You should paraphrase most of the borrowed material that you use in your paper. That means rewriting or restating another person's ideas in your own words. Keep in mind the following rules:

–Make sure that you thoroughly understand the passage before you paraphrase it. Note key words and phrases and look up words you don't know. –Clarify and simplify as you paraphrase. –Retain the exact meaning of the original. –Maintain approximately the same length, order of ideas, tone, and message. Do not use the same words and phrases except for the few that cannot be changed because they have no adequate synonyms or because a specific word is essential to the meaning of the passage. –Develop and maintain your own writing style throughout the paper even when restating others' ideas, attitudes, and beliefs. –Provide citations for all paraphrased material.

Summarizing: A summary is a shortened version of a paraphrase. It retains the original writer's main idea and point of view but condenses the material. Like the paraphrase, it uses the writer's (your) own words.

–Read the passage, paying attention to key words and looking up words you don't know. –Restate the main facts and ideas, keeping the order. –Include essential information, but omit descriptive details, examples, illustrations, analogies, and anecdotes. –Try to shrink the passage to about one- third of the original length. –Provide a citation for the material you summarize.

REMEMBER: 1.Cite as you write 2.Cite any information you found during research 3.No dumped quotes 4.Use quotes sparingly; paraphrase and summarize more