Plagiarism is using other people's ideas without giving them proper credit for it. When you do this, you're implying that the ideas are your own. Doing this violates ethical standards. It can also endanger your grade. When in doubt, ask your professor or a librarian for help.
Here are three quick tips for avoiding plagiarism:
- If you cut and paste from an article or website, put it in quotes and cite it.
- If you want to paraphrase, put it in your own words. If you don't understand something, look it up. Onelook.com or Merriam-Webster are good for words. Britannica Online or Wikipedia might also be good places to check. You still need to cite things that you paraphrase.
- Your paper should essentially be your own ideas. Use other people's ideas only to support or develop your own.
For more resources, see Plagiarism and How to Avoid It.
Last Updated: Jul 28, 2025
