Learn more about how to cite for your research!

1. Plagiarism
How to Avoid it with Proper Citation Techniques

2. A Brief Review
• So we now know what plagiarism is, and how it’s typically
unintentional, but with major consequences.
• Citing your sources properly prevents plagiarism.
• To avoid the hassle of plagiarism, it’s in your best interest to learn
how to best cite your sources.

3. When Should I Cite?
• You should cite your sources any time you integrate them into your
work.
• There are three ways to integrate sources:
• Quote – An exact phrase from a source and put inside quotation marks.
• Paraphrase – A restatement from a source, only put in your own words,
around the same length as the original passage.
• Summary – A shorter rephrasing of the main idea of the source, typically
one or two sentences.
• All of these ways require that you cite your sources. Not doing so
is plagiarism.

4. Other Great Reasons to Cite
• Aside from avoiding plagiarism and giving credit to those who
influenced our work, there are some other great reasons to cite
your sources.
• Citing sources shows that your points are supported by evidence,
and your argument is therefore strengthened.
• It will make it easier for other to retrace your steps, and see how
you made your conclusions based on your evidence.

5. How Do I Cite?
• Your citations really depend on the course you are taking.
• There are quite a few citation styles out there, such as MLA, which is
typically used for humanities research, and APA, which is typically used
for the social and health sciences.
• Speak with your instructor to determine which style is best for your
research in that course.
• There are tons of resources available to help you. Check out the Purdue
OWL, or if you are using library databases, look for the citation icon.
• Be sure to review your citations to make sure they are correct!

6. Other Methods for Avoiding Plagiarism
• Be sure to take detailed notes when you are researching. Write
down your sources, and keep track of quotes you intend to use.
• Try paraphrasing without looking at your source to avoid bad
paraphrases.
• Try to focus more on the meaning of the text, than the actual
text.
• Be sure to proofread and revise your work to catch mistakes and
missing citations.