This document provides information about plagiarism and how to properly cite sources using APA format. It defines plagiarism and outlines the consequences, which include receiving a zero on the plagiarized assignment, being dropped from a course, or expulsion from school. It then explains how to avoid plagiarism by always citing sources in the body of the paper and including a reference page, even when paraphrasing. The document provides examples of how to format in-text citations and references according to APA style.

1. Plagiarism & APA Format
A Brief Tutorial

2. Plagiarism Consequences:
You will be given a zero
for plagiarized work.
You can be dropped from
the course.
You can be expelled from
school.

3. Plagiarism Is:
 a. Representing the ideas, expressions, or
materials of another without due credit.
 b. Paraphrasing or condensing ideas from
another person’s work without proper
citation.
 c. Failing to document direct quotations and
paraphrases with proper citation.

4. Sounds scary, doesn’t it?
 But it doesn’t have to
be if you know how to
avoid it!
 And the best way to
avoid plagiarism is to
give credit where credit
is due!

5. But, how do we give credit where credit is
due?
 Always cite your sources in the body of the
report.
 Always create a reference page.
 Always use quotation marks when quoting.

6. Avoid Plagiarism Always:
 To avoid plagiarism, you must cite your
sources within the body of your paper and
create a properly formatted reference page.
 Even if you paraphrase from a source, you
still must cite – you are borrowing someone
else’s ideas, so you must give him/her credit!

7. So, how do we do that?
 By using APA format
to add in-text citations
and a reference page at
the end.

8. It is easier than it sounds! For paraphrased material, just
do the following:
 Cite the author in the body of the text where you use the source
information.
 Use the author’s last name and the copyright date (Peterson, 2010).
 If the source is online without a copyright date, use the retrieval date
(Peterson, 2010).
 If the source does not have an author, use a word from the title (“Report,”
2010).
 When in doubt, cite!

9. For in-text citations after a quotation, just do the
following:
 Cite the author after every direct quote you include in your paper.
 “Use the author’s last name, the copyright date, and the page number”
(Peterson, 2010, p. 5).
 “If the source is online without a copyright date, use the retrieval date”
(Peterson, 2010, p. 5).
 “If the source does not have an author, use a word from the title”
(“Report,” 2010, p. 5).
 Don’t use more than three quoted sentences per page of text.

10. Reference Page
 Your reference page belongs at the end of your
paper, but before an Appendix if you have included
one.
 For APA format, title your reference page,
References.
 Place the title, References, at the center of the page,
two spaces below the header.
 Format each reference according to APA guidelines.
 Do not EVER make a list of website addresses and
use that as a reference page!

11. Wrong
1. http://www.wronganswer.com
2. http://www.neverdo.com
3. http://www.bigtrouble.com
4. http://www.bigfatzero.com
5. http://www.failinggrade.com

12. Correct
Cox, A.M. (2000). Study shows colleges' dependence
on their part-time instructors. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 47, A12-A14.
Hrebiniak, L.G., and Alutto, J.A. (2005). Personal and role-related factors in the
development of organizational commitment. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17, 555-572.
McCain, T., & Jukes, I. (2001). Windows on the future: Education in the age of
technology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
McCracken, H. (2005). The importance of learning communities in motivating and retaining on-line learners.
Motivating & Retaining Adult Learners Online, 1. Retrieved Sep 29, 2005, from
http://www.geteducated.com/books/motivatingstudents.asp.

13. Was that so hard?
 Just follow those
simple rules and you
will never get into any
trouble!
 And remember, when
in doubt, cite!