“Citing your sources” What does it really mean?

Citing means that you tell your reader that certain ideas or parts in your paper came from another source. It also lets your readers know where to find the original information you used in your paper. Citing sources is the only way to use other people's work without plagiarizing.

Does citing make my paper look less original? Not at all! Citations actually prove that you have researched your topic and that you tried to substantiate your arguments with other authoritative sources.

When do I need to cite? When you borrow someone else’s ideas. When you quote or paraphrase. When you refer to someone else’s work as a whole.

Do I have to cite for every fact I use? No “Common knowledge”: facts that are readily available from numerous sources and generally known to the public. If you are unsure whether or not a fact is “common knowledge,” you should probably cite your source just to be safe.

How do I cite sources? Styles of citation. Quotes and paraphrases: what’s the difference? Identifying your sources within the text of your paper (in-text citations) - exampleexample Bibliography/Works cited/References (they all mean the same thing) - exampleexample

Examples of style guides See our library’s web page for links to citation style guides, campuslibrary.cocc.edu: campuslibrary.cocc.edu

So, what is plagiarism? Turning in someone else's work as your own. Reusing a paper you wrote for another class without prior authorization from the instructor (multiple submission). Failing to use quotation marks for a quotation. Borrowing a sentence or paragraph without citing it. Using an idea from someone else without giving the original author credit. Giving incorrect (or faking….) information about the source of your borrowed material.

How do you avoid it? Take clear, accurate notes about where you found specific ideas. Write down the complete citation information for each item you use. Use quotation marks when directly stating another person's words. Always credit original authors for their information and ideas.

Additional information Here’s an online tutorial on plagiarism from Acadia University (it takes about 10 minutes to complete): You Quote It, You Note It! Quote It, You Note It!