Skip to Main Content

Citations & Plagiarism: Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism Explained

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of taking credit for work that is not your own and can have very serious consequences.

Bainbridge State College. (2010, January 5). Plagiarism: How to avoid it. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=150&v=2q0NlWcTq1Y&feature=emb_logo

How to Avoid Plagiarism

5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism

Cite sources both in-text and referenced resources at the end of your paper.

In-text Citations

These happen in the body of the paper and are used when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source:

Paraphrase: If you find information that you want to use in your research paper, read it and then put it into your own words. If you use more than two sequential words from the source you will have to use quotation marks.

Quoting: Use the quote exactly the way it appears. Try to avoid using block quotes- quotes of 40 words or more.

Citing Quotes: Citing a quote can be different than citing a paraphrased source. This usually involves the addition of a page number. 

Citing your own material: If you are using material written previously by yourself, you must cite yourself, just as you would if someone else wrote it.

Bibliographic or Reference Citations

These citations list all references cited in the text of a paper.

Referencing: A reference page or works cited page must be included at the end of your paper. You should first identify what type of source you have. Then, find the corresponding example and format your reference according.