UNDERSTANDING & AVOIDING PLAGIARISMAshworth College

Learning Resource Center

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the use of another’s ideas or works in one’s own work without citing the original resource.

In simpler terms plagiarism is taking the words or ideas from someone else and passing them off as your own.

Ashworth’s Plagiarism Policy

“Students are not permitted to receive, attempt to receive, knowingly give, or attempt to give any unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any work required to be submitted for credit as part of a course. When students use direct quotations, they must use quotation marks and cite the relevant source(s). When students paraphrase material, quotation marks are not used, but the sources still must be cited. Students must also cite sources for any use of language, ideas, theories, data, figures, graphs, programs, electronic information, or illustrations.”

-Ashworth College Student Handbook

3 Kinds of Plagiarism

Quoting something without using quotations and citing the source (make sure to do both!).

Paraphrasing someone else’s words or ideas without citing the original resource.

Any other use of language, ideas, theories, data, figures, graphs, programs, electronic information, or illustrations without citing the source they came from.

DOs for Avoiding Plagiarism

DO use quotations marks when using the exact words of another.

DO cite any ideas you use that are not your own, whether you are directly quoting or just paraphrasing or summarizing.

DO include full references in a bibliography at the end of your essay or in footnotes.

DON’Ts for Avoiding Plagiarism

DON’T just change a few words and try to call them your own. If you don’t cite the original source of the idea, this is still plagiarism.

DON’T worry about providing a citation for general knowledge.

DON’T be afraid to build on the ideas of others or use their ideas to support your ideas. Just make sure to give credit by including the appropriate citations.

When in Doubt…

Cite!

Cite!

Cite!

Learn More

Check out Ashworth’s Learning Resource Center (LRC) to learn more about:

Plagiarism Making APA Citations Conducting Research and Much more!

Sources Used

Ashworth College. (2009, July 1). Ashworth Undergraduate Student Handbook. Retrieved January 2013, from Ashworth College: http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/ pdfs/students/AshworthUndergraduate

StudentHandbook.pdf

Ashworth College. (2013). A student's guide to avoiding plagiarism. Norcross, Georgia:

Ashworth College.