When writing a research paper or nonfiction piece, carefully cite each source of information used. Attribute facts to their sources by noting that they are "according to" an authority or that an expert or report "states," "reports," "says" or "indicates" the facts. A student citing a statistic on the number of deaths related to smoking might use the following citation: "Smoking leads to 400,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the Virginia Tobacco Use Control Project." The citation indicates where the student got this piece of information.
The Council of Writing Program Administrators lists poor time management and lack of preparation as two of the causes of plagiarism. If your teacher gives you two weeks to complete the assignment, start gathering information as soon as you learn about the project's requirements. Spend time evaluating the information, taking notes and creating an outline. Because pressure to complete an assignment quickly may lead to sloppy citations or the failure to properly cite your sources, adequate preparation will help you avoid plagiarism.
Taking good notes will help you track all of the information from your sources, reducing the chances of copying information directly from a source without citing it in your paper. When you take notes, think about what the author of the source is trying to explain. Using your own words, write down the main points of each source.
In some cases, you will not need to cite the source of your information because it is common knowledge. The Writing Center at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill explains that something is common knowledge if you already knew it before you started your research or if it is your own original idea. Otherwise, you must cite the sources of your information.
Some students make the mistake of copying text and changing just one or two words to make it their own. This is still a form of plagiarism, even though it may be unintentional. Students should use paraphrasing to avoid this type of plagiarism. Paraphrasing involves reading your sources and then writing the information in your own words. You still need to cite the source of your information when using paraphrasing, however.
A style manual contains standards for writing and formatting documents. Some common style manuals used for academic purposes include the "MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers," "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" and "A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations." Using the style manual specified by your teacher will help you document your sources properly to avoid plagiarism.
When an author's words are so powerful or an idea is so complex that you do not want to paraphrase it and distort its meaning, you may use a direct quote. Place double quotation marks at the beginning and end of the quote and cite the source of the information.
Avoiding plagiarism involves more than just citing your sources properly. You also need to ensure you do not distort the meanings of your sources when paraphrasing or summarizing information. When taking notes, make sure you understand each piece of information before recording it. You should also pay special attention to statistics, as just one wrong digit can significantly change the meaning of the information.
The Cornell University Library website defines a bibliography as a list of sources consulted by an author while preparing a document. Including a bibliography in your paper allows you to credit each source you used for your research. Ask your teacher which style manual you should follow when preparing this portion of your document, as each manual has specific requirements for preparing a bibliography.
Unintentional plagiarism sometimes occurs when students read their sources and immediately use the information. Reading your sources and then stepping away from them will help you avoid this type of plagiarism. This gives you time to process what you read and develop your own understanding of the information. When you return to your assignment, write down what you remember from your sources. This will help you avoid copying sources too closely and allow you to write the paper in your own words.