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How to Avoid Plagiarism Easy Tips and Tricks to Cite Right!
How to Avoid Plagiarism Easy Tips and
Tricks to Cite Right!
Welcome to Doctortext.com - an INTERACTIVE
service! Doctortext.com is committed to helping our
clients learn how to avoid plagiarism and to cite
sources correctly when order custom term papers. The
following article is provided to aid Doctortext.com
writers in learning the basics of how to cite right.
Wikipedia.org (2008) defines plagiarism as the intentional or unintentional "use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work." Plagiarism has been a problem for millenniums. Even famous writers such as William Shakespeare have been accused of "lifting" ideas and text from other authors; similarly, rap artists "sample" the music and lyrics of other musicians. But in business and academic writing, using the ideas and words of another without giving credit is unacceptable. The consequences for committing plagiarism are harsh and can include failing a class, termination from college or a job, and total loss of academic and professional credibility.
The Internet yields huge amounts of information. Almost any topic is easily accessible with a few clicks of a mouse. For the most part, this information is fair game and can be used by writers in their work as long as sources are properly cited. The Purdue OWL website (2008) states that one reason that writers fall into the trap of improperly citing their sources is they "aren't aware of or don't know how to follow" the rules of citation. The OWL notes, "Gaining a familiarity of these rules … is critically important, as inadvertent mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism." To that end, the key to avoiding plagiarism is to learn the rules of citation and to use them consistently when writing and editing one's work.
How can you learn the rules of citation?
One basic tool for learning the rules
is a good writing handbook such as Prentice Hall's
Quick Access Reference for Writers. Be sure to select
a handbook that includes MLA (Modern Language Association)
and APA (American Psychological Association) style
guidelines. A handbook is a great educational investment
- keep it close by as you write. If money is an issue,
online style guides such as the Purdue Owl (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/)
are excellent, free, and updated regularly.
It is not necessary to totally commit the rules of citation to memory. Even professional writers consult their handbooks when citing sources. The difference between MLA and APA styles is enough to give you a headache; use your handbook and spare the pain!
Other useful tools to learn the citation
rules are online tutorials. Schoepp (2003) has an
APA tutorial at http://www.kevinschoepp.ca/APAtutorial/contents.htm.
The University of Mississippi offers an MLA tutorial
on their website (http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/tutorials/mlatutorial/tutorialindex.php).
A Google search will show you dozens of additional
tutorial sites. The point is that by investing a half
hour in learning the basics, writers can avoid unintentional
plagiarism and improve your writing.
Citation Tips and Tricks
The most important rule for accurate citation is to keep track of your sources as you work. Why? Because you might take the book you used for information back to the library, forget which web sites you accessed, or misplace the journal article you quoted before you record the bibliographic information in your paper. Here are some tips for managing sources:
-
Start your Works Cited, References,
or Bibliography page when you set up your paper.
When you copy and paste information from a web
site, also copy and paste the URL (web address)
next to the text and on your Works Cited page.
Note: Start Works Cited, etc.
on a separate page in your paper.
-
Make a photocopy of the publisher
information in the front pages of a book or journal
that includes title, author, publication date,
publisher, and other pertinent data.
-
Keep a pack of note cards or scratch paper
handy. Write down ALL sources and web sites that
you cite. Remember that someone (such as your
professor or boss) may check up on your work;
avoid embarrassment by recording and citing ALL
sources.
-
Don't worry about formatting
the sources in your Works Cited until you do your
editing, but be meticulous about recording bibliographic
information as you use the resource.
Check your handbook or online style book for more tips about managing and formatting your sources
Give credit where credit is due…
Now that you have gathered your sources and information, you need to give credit to the author for the ideas and text you used in your paper. The two main methods used in giving credit are direct quotes and paraphrases. Direct quotes that are less than 40 words and are enclosed in quotation marks, such as: "The key to avoiding plagiarism is to make sure you give credit where it is due. This may be credit for something somebody said, wrote, emailed, drew, or implied" (Purdue OWL, 2008). Long quotes (40 or more words) are indented without quote marks, as in the following example:
Here, then, is a brief list of what needs to be credited or documented:
-
Words or ideas presented in
a magazine, book, newspaper, song, TV program,
movie, Web page, computer program, letter, advertisement,
or any other medium.
Information you gain through interviewing or conversing with another person, face to face, over the phone, or in writing.
When you copy the exact words or a unique phrase.
When you reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts, pictures, or other visual materials.
When you reuse or repost any electronically-available media, including images, audio, video, or other media. (Purdue OWL, 2008).
For more information about direct quotes, consult your writing handbook, the Purdue OWL, or your Doctortext.com Editor.
A more problematic form of citation is
paraphrasing. Wikipedia.org (2007) states that paraphrasing
is a "restatement of a text or passage, using other
words." This means that you read an author's work
and restate the ideas in your own words. To properly
paraphrase a source is not to substitute synonyms
for words in the original text, but instead, it is
your version of what you read. The easiest way to
avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing is to read a passage
several times and then restate what you read without
looking at the text. Then be sure to cite the source
inline and in your bibliography. For more guidelines,
visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/03/.
Several web sites offer tools that
will do your citations and bibliography for you automatically
such as Bib Me (http://www.bibme.org/)
and Citation Machine (http://citationmachine.net/).
Newer versions of Microsoft Word also have a tool
that generates Works Cited or References pages; check
it out in the Help feature of your word processing
program.
Another important rule about sources is to use credible, professional resources in your paper that have been peer reviewed by experts in the field. Wikipedia.org is a great place to start your research on a topic, but be aware that articles may have been written by a less than trustworthy author who is biased by personal interest. Similarly, articles from entertainment publications such as the World Weekly News or Soap Opera Digest are not considered to be credible by the academic community. Your best course of action is to stick to professional journals, books, and websites. A reliable resource for research information is the United States federal government; check out CIA.gov for pages and pages of data about demographics and country statistics.
Finally, to insure that your work
complies with the rules of citation, consult your
Doctortext.com
Editor for help with citing sources in your paper.
Our Editors are professional writers who are trained
in APA
and MLA styles. We are here for you in
real time. Good luck with your writing work - and
if you get stuck, contact us at Doctortext.com.
We appreciate you taking the time to read
this article. Once you order send us an email to customercare@doctortext.com.
Simply ask for the plagiarism prevention rebate and
you will be rebated 10% of the total cost of your
project.
Good Luck!
About the Author:
Editor 195 is a practicing college professor who is
often requested by DoctorTEXT clients. To see more
about her check out our Editor Bios link on our home
page. You may request this editor in your order instructions.
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