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Plagiarism: Avoid Plagiarism

This guide offers information on what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

Writing Practices

Writing Practices to Avoid Plagiarism

Purdue OWL has great suggestions on both preparing your research for writing and writing methods to help you avoid plagiarism.

What You Don't Need To Cite

Your own ideas...but make sure they are your own

Your conclusion...if you are restating things you already cited in your paper

Common knowledge... how do you decide if something is common knowledge?

  • many scientific and historical facts fall into this category (Lincoln was assassinated, Einstein originated the theory of relativity)
  • things you would expect people would already know (the United States is made up of many ethnic groups)
  • common sayings, quotes, or folklore ("ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country")

If you are not sure, ask your teacher or a writing center specialist!

St. Charles Community College, Common Knowledge

Tips to Avoid Plagiarism

Don't Procrastinate
Plan ahead! Do not wait until the last minute. The more time you give yourself, the less rushed you will be and the fewer errors you will make.

Take Good Notes
Keep a list of all the sources (incl. page numbers or URLs) you gathered. Mark the section(s) of sources you will be using. And write down the ideas in your own words.

Keep Track of Your Sources
As you search across Google, the library website, and other resources, save materials you plan to use. Either print them out or save them electronically. Keep a list of citations for all the resources that you used or plan to use either at the end of your paper, or in a separate document. If using a separate document to keep track, make sure to include it at the end of your paper as well. 

Properly Cite In-text

Put quotations when you use a resource word-for-word, followed by a citation. Paraphrase resources by putting the content into your own words and syntax, followed by a citation. Or summarize the main points of a resource, followed by a citation.

Ask for Help
If you have a question about integrating sources into your paper, ask your professor or someone from the Writing Center.

Did I Plagiarize?