TERMS TO KNOW

 

Words Cited: The list of books, magazine, interviews, websites, or other sources used in preparing a piece of writing.

 

Cite: To acknowledge the author of words or ideas  used in a paper. Usually there is a specific format for citing sources (such as MLA): these citations refer to the sources listed in alphabetical order in the Words Cited page.

 

Common Knowledge: “You don’t have to cite ‘common knowledge,’ but the fact must really be commonly known. That Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. President during the Civil War is

common knowledge; that over 51,000 Union and Confederate

soldiers died in the battle of Gettysburg is not” 1

 

Idea: The resulting opinion, deduction, or reasoning when an

author or speaker brings together various sources and knowledge. You must give credit to an author or speaker for ideas, even if you put those ideas into your own words.

 

Paraphrase: To put an author’s ideas into your own words.

 

Quotation Marks: Punctuation marks used to show that an exact word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph has been reproduced within a paper. (See use of quotation marks used in Common Knowledge above.)

 
PLAGIARISMWHAT IS IT?How do I avoid it?

The  # 1 suggestion for avoiding plagiarism is to

GIVE YOURSELF TIME

to take thorough notes

&

to review your paper  for

   Ideas that may not be your own

                                Here is why ….                                                                                   

 

THE MC Student Code of Conduct explains 

Plagiarism as:

“Each student is to present his or her own work.  All assignments must be original or explicit

acknowledgement must be given.  A student may not  use another person’s ideas or language without the proper  acknowledgement” 2

 

 

Forms of Plagiarism:

1. “Failure to use quotation marks: All work is quoted directly...should be enclosed in quotation marks

       followed by a proper reference …

       Failure to properly identify a quotation, even if

       a  footnote source is  Provided, is plagia-

       rism” [emphasis added]

2. “Failure to document ideas: When a student uses one or more ideas from and/or paraphrases…, he or she must give exact page or pages…”

3. False Documentation: Falsifying or inventing source

       or page references is plagiarism.” 2

 

To put it simply, you cannot use another person’s words or ideas  without giving that person credit, so think carefully about the words and ideas you include in any paper.