Avoiding Plagiarism by Excelsior College
Use Information Correctly - Avoiding Plagiarism by GCF Global
Plagiarism What it is, how to avoid it and how teachers detect it by Dr. Rick Hölsgens1 TU Dortmund University; Faculty of Social Sciences, Social Research Centre
Plagiarism - avoid it at all costs! Created Jan. 28, 2016 by userJenny Collery
Quoting and Paraphrasing (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
This section of the UW Madison Writer's Handbook goes over how to incorporate sources into your writing through quotations and paraphrasing.
The main way to avoid plagiarism is by writing majority of your paper in your own words. Only use direct quotes or paraphrasing to enhance your own ideas or to add addition facts to prove your point.
The key to a good paper is that your paper should have no more then 25% of the paper cited or paraphrased.
Always cite your sources and include in-text citations.
Make sure all citations are complete and accurate that way when the reader goes to review your sources it will lead them to the correct location and the proper person or subject will be credited for their work.
Quoting a Source
When using direct quotes always incorporate quotation marks around the exact words being used and include an in-text citation. Include a citation on your source page at the end of your paper.
When direct quoting you must keep all the words in the sentence or quote exactly as it is written in the source.
Paraphrasing
When paraphrasing you must take one's idea and rewrite it in your own words and vocabulary but still keep the original meaning or points. Remember to cite your original source you paraphrased.
You must always cite ideas, items, or materials that are not your own individual thought or idea. If you use information from a previous paper or assignment for a new assignment you must cite your previous work.
The only time you do not have to cite information from another source is if it is common Knowledge information. Common knowledge is information that is readily available and consistent in several different sources and alot of the public is believed to know the information. Common examples of common knowledge would be:
Historical dates, There are four seasons and 365 days in a year, water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, Etc.
Comon knowledge can also be based on the audience you are writing the paper for. For instance if you write a paper for a psychology class full of students pursueing a psychology major, definitions of certain Mental disorders can be considered common knowledge but if you are writing the same paper for just a general class it may not be. Common knowledge can be tricky at times, so if you are unsure just Cite it!
