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Plagiarism

Citation

The best way to avoid Plagiarism is to provide appropriate citation for sources.

In academic writing, proper citations generally use a style guide such as APA, MLA, or Chicago to name a few. The citation style used is up to the discretion of the Professor. Below is a list of the three most commonly used styles and courses in which they might be used.

  • APA  Style (generally used in Business, Education, Health Science, Political Science, Psychology, and Social Science courses)
  • MLA, Style (generally used in English, Foreign Language, and Cultural Studies courses)
  • Chicago/Turabian Style (generally used in Business, History, and Fine Art courses)

https://libguides.asu.edu/c.php?g=263988&p=1762928

What Needs to be Cited?

When deciding what to cite in order to avoid direct or indirect plagiarism, here are some guidelines to consider.

  1. Are there distinctive ideas or opinions expressed?
  2. Was any data provided, such as facts, statistics, or tables?
  3. Was the information or data pulled from a particular source?
  4. Does the item include its own quotes or paraphrased content?
  5. Does the information qualify as common knowledge or not? Remember, common knowledge does not need to be cited.
  6. When in doubt, provide a citation.

from The SAGE Encyclopedia of Higher Education.

Understanding Common Knowledge

Common Knowledge is information your readers will know and accept without having to look it up.

  • The Earth revolves around the Sun
  • Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit

Common Knowledge can change based on your audience.

  • Something written for a group of professionals may include information related to their field of expertise that is common knowledge to them and does not need to be cited.
  • Something written for the general public that includes information understood by experts is not common knowledge to the general public and must be cited.
Common Knowledge Categories:
  • Birth dates of famous people
  • Geographical features
  • Historical Dates
  • Title of a book or well-known artwork
  • Information known by people in a specific industry

https://guides.library.jhu.edu/avoidingplagiarism/common_knowledge

Strategies to Avoid Plagiarism

Take Good Notes

  • Include quotes and paraphrased information in your notes
  • Write down citation information with your notes from each source (title, author, page numbers, publication date, etc.)

Use Quotations

  • Place quotation marks around everything that is used verbatim from the source
    • Hint: when taking notes, place quotations marks around these passages to easily recognize direct quotes when transferring information to use in your paper

Paraphrase: show your understanding of the author's content by using your own words.

  • Think about what you just read
    • What is it about?
    • What point does the author make?
    • Why is it important?
    • Do you agree or disagree?
    • Does it raise questions for you?
  • Use your own words to describe the key concepts
  • Hint: try reading the passage you want to paraphrase then write about what you read without peaking at the original source.
  • Hint: double check your paraphrased passage against the original source to make sure that it does not use the same words or phrases.

Citation: learn how to cite correctly

  • Select an approved citation style or use the citation style assigned by your professor
  • Contact your professor or the ASU Writing Center with questions about citation
  • Include all necessary citation information with your notes
  • Give proper credit for all ideas, words, images, tables, etc. that are not exclusively your own

Use Citation/Reference Managers

  • Using Citation/Reference management software is an efficient method for storing, organizing, and citing references for sources (journal articles, books/eBooks, websites, etc.) used in research assignments.
  • Benefits of using Citation/Reference management tools include:
    • Great for keeping research organized by storing references in one location
    • Helps maintain consistency with citation
  • Some popular Citation/Reference Management software include:

Give Yourself Time

  • Being rushed opens the door for mistakes such as accidental plagiarism
  • Check your paper for errors and omissions
  • Have questions, ask your professor or a librarian

https://library.an.edu/c.php?g=571586&p=3940429

 

Plagiarism Checkers for ASU Students

Checking Outside of Your Blackboard Course

Turnitin Draft Coach  has tools for checking similarity, citation, and grammar

Checking In Your Blackboard Course

Turnitin  ASU faculty may include a Turnitin assignment from within your course.
  • Unlike Draft Coach, there may be a limited number of times you can submit your assignment for a plagiarism check
  • Pay close attention to the information and directions provided by your professor
  • Need additional help? ASU students can follow these instructions: How can students submit a Turnitin Assignment?

 

Additional Resources