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Simple Ways to Cite Sources without Plagiarizing
- Quotations (quotes) use the exact words from an original source. You may include a few small quotes, but using long or overly many quotes is unacceptable. When adding a quote to your paper, identify the author and publication clearly, and make it clear that you are quoting. Include the quoted words within quotation marks without any changes.
- Example: As Smith said in his 1996 book, The Environment and Our Youth: “The habits of young people will dictate how our planet fares in the future.”
- Follow all quotations and borrowed ideas immediately with a citation. Attribute ideas to their original source as soon as you feature them in your text. The specific procedure varies among writing style systems, but should always be done to avoid plagiarism.
- To make the proper in-text citation with IEEE style see the In-Text Citations and Bibliography tab.
- Change the sentence structure, language, and voice of a passage when paraphrasing. Be vigilant about rewriting ideas taken from source material so that you properly paraphrase without accidentally plagiarizing. Paraphrasing should restate the author's message in your own voice, putting it into the context of your own paper. Be sure to change:
- The way the sentences are constructed in the source text.
- The source's vocabulary, by swapping as many words as possible with synonyms.
- The tone of the writing so that it is clear that you are writing in your own words.
- Use your own voice to cite specific ideas in that come from material you read. To be safe, credit every source you consult for your writing, even if you are not sure of how much you borrowed. Doing this will eliminate the risk of accidentally plagiarizing someone’s work.
- For example, if you state an opinion such as, “Information security is arguably the most important subject for young students to understand,” then you should cite an article you read that makes a good argument for this statement.
- Source your work as you write instead of adding citations later. This will help you avoid errors that might lead to plagiarizing. As you write the first draft of your text, add in-text citations right away so you will not lose track of the works you cited. Start compiling a “works cited” bibliography page right away that you can edit later.
- Citing sources right away will remove the stress of having to organize your references at the end of your writing process, which could make it stressful to meet your deadline.
- Read material carefully so that you understand it very well before using it. Citing a source does not mean simply re-wording. It means understanding it thoroughly enough to explain it in your own words. Take the time to read your sources (and re-read if necessary) then explain the ideas in your own words. Your reference to the idea of another author should place it in the context of your own writing, not reiterate it as it was originally stated.