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Research Skill Toolkit: Avoiding Plagiarism

What is plagiarism?

The information on this page will answer that question, and also will provide guidance on how to avoid it. For instance, how do you determine if something is "common knowledge" and doesn't require a citation? What is WCSU's policy on academic honesty? How does one credit another's ideas? Most people don't set out to deliberately plagiarize, but may do so either out of a lack of understanding or correct information. Use the different tools on this page, and then add your expertise on plagiarism to your Research Toolkit.

Food for Thought

"What a good thing Adam had. When he said a good thing, he knew nobody had said it before."

-  Mark Twain

"Plagiarism is the fear of the blank page."

- Mokokoma Mokhonoana

 

Additional Resources

Plagiarism and How to Avoid it - Bainbridge State College

Grammar Bytes! Presents:: Plagiarism - Avoid Academic Theft for Research Success

How to Paraphrase Correctly

Test yourself

Test your understanding of plagiarism by answering the questions above. And, if you are ever unsure about whether or not something is plagiarism, check with your professor or a librarian. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Building Your Own Research Toolkit

Research Skill #7:

How to Avoid Plagiarism. Check out WCSU's Academic Honesty Policy below for the definitions and procedures followed by the University in the event of an accusation of plagiarism. Understanding what constitutes plagiarism gives you the tools you need to avoid it.

WCSU Academic Honesty Policy