"The purpose of a research paper is to synthesize previous research and scholarship with your ideas on the subject. Therefore, you should feel free to use other persons' words, facts, and thoughts in your research paper, but the material you borrow must not be presented as if it were your own creation."
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th Edition. New York: MLA. 55. Print.
Here are some useful online tools to help you create your citations.
When do I need to cite a source?
If you are...
When do I not need to cite a source?
If you are...
How do I refer to a source?
Many different tools exist to assist you in the process of creating a citation entry. There are advantages and challenges to working with these tools.
Common mistakes include:
The biggest mistake is in completely trusting a citation generator to make no errors. Make sure you closely review all citations created in this way. You'll also still want to refer to your citation style guide to learn how to format your works cited/reference page.
Plagiarism is "the wrongful appropriation or purloining, and publication as one's own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas (literary, artistic, musical, mechanical, etc.) of another."
The Oxford English Dictionary
So what does that mean?
Plagiarism is using someone else's ideas, words, or other original work without giving them credit. In essence, it is presenting their work as your own.
Sometimes it is obvious - taking someone's paper & putting your name on it - but sometimes it is more complicated. What does "original work" refer to? What about "common knowledge" - do I have to cite the source where I found that Toni Morrison was born on February 18th? This page provides links to many helpful guides to help you navigate these questions.
For more help with your papers, be sure to contact the staff at the Writing Center.
Email for an appointment: writingcenter@morgan.edu
Call to make an appointment: 443-885-4205
"Under the auspices of the Department of English and Language Arts, the mission of the Morgan State University Writing Center is to support undergraduate and graduate students from all academic disciplines to become more effective and confident writers and communicators."
-Morgan State University Writing Center
Adapted with permission from the Butler University Libraries Citations Guide http://libguides.butler.edu/citations.
