Use Sources and Avoid Plagiarism
Additional resources about writing academically are available through the links below. While they are not case-specific for Liberty University, they are good resources to review for working, researching, and citing in an academic environment:
- Writing
Original Work
- Avoiding
Plagiarism
- Quoting
- Paraphrasing
- Quote
vs Paraphrase
- Summarizing
- Good
Note Taking
When you begin searching for content on the topic of any writing, you must be sure to take good notes for the information you find. If you collect source information, use it in your writing, and either 1) do not cite the source at the end of each sentence where source information is used, or 2) only place a citation at the very end of the paragraph, this constitutes plagiarism. As I am sure you are aware, plagiarism is grounds for a 0 for an assignment, failure of a course, and possibly dismissal from the college/university.
Plagiarism can come in many forms (CLICK HERE), and whether it is intention or not, it is still plagiarism, thus subject to the punishments preset by your instructor and institution. Please do not put your instructors in the situation where they must assign you a score of 0 for your assignment, a grade of F for the course, or report you to the institution for plagiarism review and possible expulsion.
In educational institutions, today, students often think, "I've got to pass the class so that I can get my degree;" however, the true meaning of education is to learn knowledge. Being educated is not the same thing as having a degree. Nonetheless, if you go through the steps to become educated, it typically culminates with you securing a degree. While a degree is a blessed outcome of going to college, it should not be the first reason for going to college, nor should you be willing to skip over your education (by cheating) just to secure your degree. Learning about the world, strengthening your skills in a specific field, and being able to communicate clearly while doing so are valuable outcomes associated with higher-education. By plagiarizing—whether intentional as in the example of purchasing an assignment or unintentional* by forgetting to place an in-text citation at the end of a sentence where sources were used—plagiarism defeats the whole purpose of education.
If you purchase assignments, copy assignments, or re-submit assignments that you used in another class, you have not learned anything new to add to your toolbox of enrichment from college. While I understand the panic of not completing work on time and looking for a quick fix to the dilemma before you, you risk too much by doing this. You also short-change yourself and your future employers. When you go for an interview, handing over your resume showing your grade point average, awards, accolades, and ultimately, the degree you received from your institution, the employer assumes that you know everything that was necessary to complete that degree—which includes life skills: planning, organizing, and thinking. If you have cheated and plagiarized your way through college, then you have not gained the necessary skills that the piece of paper says you completed successfully.
Some of the main skills you learn from seeking a higher education are how to plan, organize, and independently think. To gain these skills, you need to be sure that you set up a study plan, organize your life so that you have time to complete your studies on time and with distinction, as well as learn to analyze the subject matter taught while independently thinking through each subject. As we move through these links on how to use sources, please keep the greater-goal of education in mind. Keep your future in mind. Most importantly, keep learning about source usage so that you never take the risk of punishment due to plagiarizing.
*NOTE: Even though not placing a citation within the sentence where sources are used is often considered 'unintentional' plagiarism, technically, it is still plagiarism. After all, students are responsible for only using source materials when they are properly cited. If you do not know how to properly cite source materials, and you have not sought out this information from your textbooks, handbooks, or the Internet, then you have chosen--by not educating yourself--to plagiarize. In this world of easy-access to intellectual property, a basic skill for an educated person includes knowing how to properly cite sources. Please educate yourself in this manner.
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Before starting your research on a topic, please go through this tutorial on Citing Information. Also, please see the two videos below on HOW and WHY we cite.
Why We Cite This is a presentation tutorial
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CITATIONS
Citing
sources properly is essential to avoiding plagiarism. No matter if plagiarism
is intentional or unintentional, all un-cited source usage counts as plagiarism
and will negatively impact your standing with the instructor, your assignment
grade, and possibly result in expulsion from the class. Learn about citations
so that you do not plagiarize. See the Source Citation content below.
Source Citation
Citation Rules
Images in Writing
USAGE
Source
usage is essential to quality writing, making the difference between an
unsupported, under-developed essay and a highly-persuasive essay easy to spot.
You must incorporate sources into your Body Paragraphs to assert your ideas,
defend your argument, and develop your support. You will prove your
thesis in your Body Paragraphs through source usage (not in the introduction or
conclusion). See the content on Source Usage below.
Source Usage
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