Give Credit Where Due
Take Credit for Your Research

Using someone else’s ideas and words without giving them credit is wrong – it’s called PLAGIARISM. Give credit where credit is due – when using the work of others, document where you got the ideas or words.

Not crediting ideas, not documenting sources is plagiarism. Intentional or unintentional, it does not matter.

It’s wrong – it’s academic misconduct. Students can get “Fs” on a project or even flunk a class. Students can be expelled from tech schools, colleges, and universities. Plagiarism is cheating. It prevents learning.

Avoiding plagiarism is easy. NEVER copy full text. When taking notes, always put them in your own words. This is called “paraphrasing”. Writing the notes you take using your own words makes it highly unlikely that you will directly plagiarizes the words of someone else. Different people express themselves and speak differently.

Don’t be afraid to directly quote someone, just be sure to fully cite the source – give people credit for what they say and how they say it. Give people credit for their ideas.

Give your teachers some credit too - they know you.  They probably know you better than you think.  English is a complex language - there are many ways to express yourself.  There are many ways to structure sentences and paragraphs.

When a paper if plagiarized from different sources - it stands out.  It just does not sound like you.  it does not read coherently, at least not to someone that understands writing.  There are many web-based tools that can be used to find out if a paper has been plagiarized. 

Often, just taking an odd-sounding sentence and running it through Google will determine where it came from.  People that know how you speak and write can easily see when words and ideas have been taken from someone else.  Don't plagiarize - it isn't worth it. 

Besides, part of a research project is finding sources.  Give yourself some credit - properly cite your sources.  Indicate where ideas and direct quotes come from.  It makes you look good.  It highlights your research skills. 

Citing sources is important. It is the right thing to do. It shows others that you do great research. It is respectful. Always cite direct quotations. Always cite paraphrases. Always cite the ideas you borrow or use.

You want to be recognized for your good work, other people do too. When doing research – show off the good work. Cite your sources. Let people know that you did the project right. Show people what you learned.

Avoid plagiarism. It’s the right things to do. Cite the work of others. Think for yourself and take pride in your work. Let your ideas shine and give credit where credit is due.