Citation help

The ECSU Student Code of Conduct defines plagiarism as:

10.1. Plagiarism: Using another’s work, in whole or in part, without acknowledging the source, presenting that material as one’s own academic work or in violation of course assignment standards.

Avoiding plagiarism is easier when you know why and how.

Why?

• Authorship: In addition to the idea of academic honesty or integrity, there is the idea of authorship. Protecting authorship is the idea of giving credit where credit is due, acknowledging who created the piece being referenced or quoted in your work. Copyright, patents, trademark and some licensing agreements protect an author's right to be credited for their work and decide how their work can be used by others.

• Further Research and Accuracy: When reading an academic text you can use the sources cited to further your own research, or to check if there have been any new developments or discoveries since the paper was written. It can be a way to further your research and gain a more thorough understanding of the topic. Your paper should include citation for your readers to do the same.

How?

• Cite: Citation is the process of explaining from whom and where in their work you found the information you used. There several places in your paper citations can go: within the text, at the end of your paper, and in footnotes. Different academic fields use different citation styles and throughout your college career you may learn to use different styles depending on your professors' guidelines.

• Use your own words: A well researched paper will cite many sources, but over-citing without using your own words or paraphrasing too closely to the text you're using is plagiarism. The more you understand the more you can think about the topic and write confidently using your own words. Citations should supplement your ideas, not the other way around.

• Keep track of your research: Keeping a research log is a great way to make sure you don't lose track of the sources you are using for your paper or project. It is also a simple way to keep track of how you have been conducting your research so you can find the methods and patterns that work best for you, or if you get stuck ask your professor or a librarian for more search strategies. List the resources you find helpful or unhelpful and why, what search terms you used and how you found different sources. Having more information is like having a safety net; it allows you to back track through your searches and search strategies.