Citing Sources and Plagiarism
We encourage students to explore and consult resources that will enrich their understanding of course subject matter, and many assignments ask students to share or present such research. But as you incorporate your research findings into assignments, it is very important to cite these correctly. Using someone else’s ideas or words without properly citing them is plagiarism, and the consequences can be serious. The Academic Integrity Policy goes over consequences for plagiarism in Distance Learning courses. Beyond high school, the consequences can be even more severe. In college and professional careers, plagiarism can result in official reprimands, failing courses, and even being expelled from school, losing your job, or facing legal action.
Citing correctly, paraphrasing, and avoiding plagiarism is an essential skill in Distance Learning courses, and post-secondary education and careers. Therefore, we created the following guide to help you know what to cite, when to cite, and how to do so correctly. This guide is just a starting point. As you learn more or have questions, please ask your teachers for assistance to ensure you are citing correctly.
What to cite
Anytime you incorporate someone else’s words or ideas in your writing, you need to cite the source. This gives the original author proper credit, allows readers to analyze your sources and conclusions, and helps others to use your writing and research as a springboard to dig deeper into the topic on their own.
There are three ways of using other writer’s work in your writing, all of which need to be cited.
Quotations- This is if you use the exact words of another person. Quotations must match the source document word for word. Quotations should be used sparingly to highlight an important phrase, sentence, or passage.
Paraphrasing- When you use someone else’s words, but rewrite them, you are paraphrasing. Paraphrases often shorten or focus a larger passage to meet the context of your writing.
Summarizing- This is if you use the ideas of someone else in your writing. Even if you don’t use the words of another writer, if you use their ideas you need to cite your source.
Besides citing other writer’s words and ideas, keep in mind that the source of items, such as statistics, images, videos, diagrams, or charts also need to be cited.
What you don’t need to cite
· Your own original thoughts, observations and conclusions on a subject;
· Your own lived experiences;
· Common knowledge or generally accepted facts. For instance, you can write, "George Washington was the first president," without providing a citation.
Make your work original
Finally keep in mind that most assignments involving research are not looking for just a compilation of cited quotes, paraphrases and summaries. Rather the object is to use research to inform and support the presentation of your own original ideas and analysis. Here are a few strategies to ensure your writing and ideas are original.
· Start with defining the focus of your presentation. You should have a very clearly defined thesis statement or topic.
· Do research from multiple sources to gain knowledge and perspectives on your topic. Take specific notes that seem relevant to your focus. As you do research, consider if you need to adjust or fine-tune your focus.
· Synthesize all of your research into the main ideas you want to convey. Think about how to connect these ideas as a narrative to present your thesis or topic. Develop these thoughts into an outline of your ideas.
· As you start to write, consider how you would verbally explain your points to someone. This is a good way to put the ideas in your own words.
· Sometimes a passage of writing in your sources says something just perfect, or in a unique and significant way. This is where you quote or paraphrase. This should be used sparingly (normally 1-3 times in a presentation or paper); most of your wording should be original.
· Cite anything you quote or paraphrase. And cite the source of the ideas from your research that are the building blocks for your presentation. When in doubt, be safe and cite your source!
How to cite
While correctly citing may seem complicated at first, it is often very simple. There are two parts to correctly citing: in text citations and a bibliography.
In text citation
Many students think it is sufficient to just have a bibliography at the end of the presentation with a list of their sources. But for citations to be useful, writers must identify the specific spots in their writing that are from each source. This is done by referencing the citation in parenthesis at the end of the sentence or passage being cited. You should not place the full citation in your text, that will be in the bibliography. In the middle of your text you are merely highlighting that this is a citation and referencing the full citation in the bibliography. Do this by placing in parenthesis the first item that appears in the bibliography entry that corresponds to the citation (e.g. author name, article name, website name, film name). In addition, you may need to add further details, like a page number if you are citing a book, or date.
According to Roger Sipher, a solution to the perceived crisis of American education is to "abolish compulsory-attendance laws and allow only those who are committed to getting an education to attend" (Sipher, 1977).
Bibliography
The bibliography contains detailed information about all the sources you cited in your presentation. You may include other sources that informed your research and writing, even if you did not specifically cite them in text. The two most widely used styles for bibliography citations are APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association). In general either style is acceptable as long as you are consistent, although some teachers may have a preference.
Sipher, Roger. “So That Nobody Has to Go to School If They Don't Want To.” The New York Times, 19 Dec. 1977, p. 31.
Making the Citation
One of the easiest way to create your bibliography citation is to use an online citation generator, such as Citation Machine. However, keep in mind citation generators don't just magically create a correct citation. You are responsible for accurately inputting all the needed information, identifying the type of source, and using the citation correctly.
For more information on how to make an APA or MLA citation, visit the following visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab pages on APA and MLA Style:
Further resources on plagiarism and citing
The Plagiarism Spectrum - The Plagiarism Spectrum identifies 10 types of plagiarism based on findings from a worldwide survey of nearly 900 secondary and higher education instructors. Each type has been given an easy-to-remember moniker to help students and instructors better identify and discuss the ramifications of plagiarism in student writing.
Purdue Online Writing Lab Research and Citation Resources- This comprehensive website includes sections on:
Avoiding Plagiarism- Short 2 minute video explaining basics of plagiarism.
How to Paraphrase- Short 2 minute video explaining how to effectively paraphrase from a source.