Cite each source from which you have borrowed information. Place parentheses at the end of each sentence that contains a quote, paraphrase or summary and inside the parentheses put the name of the author and the page number where anyone can find the borrowed passage or idea. Regardless of intention, failing to cite a source is plagiarism.
Model: The author of the article "Writing Matters" reports that "Writing is recursive" (Jones 6).
Use two sets of quotation marks around a source's words, one at the beginning of the sentence and one at the end. Putting quotes only at the beginning or only at the end raises questions about the accuracy of the quote. You commit plagiarism when the reader can't tell which words belong to the source and which to you as writer of the paper.
Give credit where it is due. Examine to confirm the correct source when borrowing words or ideas. If Dr. Smith's name appears before words quoted by Dr. Jones, it is plagiarism. If Dr. Smith is cited after a quote by Dr. Jones, it is also plagiarism.
Proofread to ensure that quoted material can be found on the page indicated in the citation. Borrowing words on page three and citing page six is plagiarism. Failing to provide page numbers is plagiarism. Occasionally, an online source may lack page numbers; in that instance, providing complete information about the source leading up to the quote will prevent plagiarism.
Model of source with no pages: In Writing Today, the article "Writing Matters" by professor John Jones reports that "Writing is recursive."
Works Cited: Jones, John. "Writing Matters." Writing Today. 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.
Avoid at all costs failing to acknowledge that you have borrowed words or ideas from a source. When cutting and pasting words from an online source into your paper, always quote and cite. Know that it is easy for teachers to spot plagiarism when borrowed passages are in a different font or font size than the rest of the paper or if the paper contains complex language or ideas not previously seen in a student's work.