What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is using the work of another person without giving that person credit. It leads the reader to believe that the essay is original.

What are some examples of plagiarism?

1. Directly copying word for word the information found in a book, encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine or from a Web site without using quotes or citing the source (saying where the information came from).

2. Using information found in a book, encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine or from a Web site and rewording it just a little bit without citing the source. This is known as paraphrasing.

Here is an example of paraphrasing:

Original: A wolf pack is a very tightly-knit family group. There are usually between six and eight wolves in a pack, but some have as many as 30.

Paraphrase: Wolf packs usually have between six and eight wolves. Some packs have as many as 30. The pack is a very tightly-knit family group.

How do I cite the sources I use?

1. Use quotation marks when you use another author's work word for word. In parenthesis put the author's name and the date of the author's work. You must then list the work in your bibliography.

For example:
According to Evans, "Elevated concentrations of zinc are absorbed by the gill tissues of fish, eventually preventing their intake of oxygen from the water." (Evans, 2001)

2. If the quote is more than four lines long, then you must indent one inch from each margin. Do not use quotation marks. In parenthesis put the author's name and the date of the author's work. You must then list the work in your bibliography.

For example:
Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley have conducted arsenic toxicity studies in Argentina, Chile, and India and have found that prolonged exposure to elevated levels of arsenic in drinking water caused cancer and resulted in death for 1 our of every 10 people. (Smith, 2001)

3. If you paraphrase, you must also cite the source of your information. In parenthesis put the name of the author and the page or pages numbers from which you paraphrased. List the source in your bibliography. For example:

Arsenic is an element widely distributed throughout the Earth's crust. It poses a great threat to humans and other animals when it shows up in drinking water. (Lester, p. 22)

Isn't the information found on the Internet public domain?

Much of the information published on Web sites is not copyrighted. It is free to use by anyone who wants to use it. However, just because it's free doesn't mean you can copy it word for word or paraphrase without giving credit. You must still use quotes and cite the source if you use information from the Web.

I have a hard time writing things in my own words. What can I do?

First, do not rely on one source. If you are researching a topic, consult several sources including encyclopedias, Web sites, books, and magazine articles. When you read a source take notes. On a large index card, write down the title of the source and the author. Write down the main ideas and the key points that the author makes. Write down any sentences that you may want to use as a quote. If you have copies of articles, use a highlighter to highlight important points.

When you are finished with your research look at the information you have gathered. Use the information to identify the main idea or ideas. Write them down. Then look at the information you have about each idea.

Begin to organize your essay. Write a topic sentence that tells the main idea. Use the information from your research to write sentences that tell about or support the main idea.

Your first draft might be a little rough, but that is normal. You can go back over your essay and refine your writing. Becoming a good writer takes time and hard work. It may seem difficult at first, but with practice your writing will improve.