When you are writing a research paper, a persuasive essay, or maybe doing a science fair project, you might wonder “Why do I have to use in-text citations or create an annotated bibliography when I have already done SO MUCH WORK!”

It is SO IMPORTANT to cite your sources. Researchers do a lot of work in order to give others the information that they need to learn. Being a responsible scholar means that you are giving credit to those researchers. Citing your sources is like saying “THANK YOU” to the researchers who helped you with your assignment!

It is also important to be honest and avoid plagiarism. Anytime you quote a phrase from your sources, YOU MUST CITE IT! Even if you are paraphrasing something that another researcher said, you need to cite it. Any thought that is not your original thought needs to be cited!

Lastly, when you properly cite your sources you are allowing readers to track down those same sources that you used to create your research assignment. They can use your footnotes, bibliography (works cited), or reference list to help them find information. You are helping the world, one citation at a time!

Attribution:

WHY and HOW do we cite sources? |  Karlee Genther

License:OER Commons Open Educational Resources

​​​​​Plagiarism is intentionally or unintentionally representing another person's work as one's own.  Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Quoting, paraphrasing or summarizing another's work or ideas without properly acknowledging or citing the source of the work
• Submitting another person's work as one's own, including purchasing another's work to submit as one's own

Attribution:

Western Technical College

Plagiarism Practice Worksheet

Plagiarism is using someone else's words or ideas without giving proper credit. Use this worksheet to learn how to recognize and avoid plagiarism.

Part 1: True or False

Write T for true or F for false.

1. _____ Copying a sentence from a website without quotation marks or citation is plagiarism.

2. _____ Paraphrasing someone else's idea in your own words without citing it is not plagiarism.

3. _____ If you include a citation, it's okay to copy and paste large parts of someone else's work.

4. _____ Using your own words to express a researched idea and giving credit is not plagiarism.

5. _____ It’s okay to use material from your old papers in a new assignment without citation.

Part 2: Is it Plagiarism?

Read each example and write YES if it is plagiarism or NO if it is not.

6. _____ You copy a paragraph from a book and put it in your paper without quotes, but you add the author's name at the end.

7. _____ You summarize a YouTube video in your own words and give credit to the creator.

8. _____ You find a great sentence in an article and copy it exactly, using quotation marks and a proper citation.

9. _____ You copy your friend's homework and change a few words before submitting it.

10. _____ You write your own analysis of a topic using ideas from multiple sources, all of which you cite properly.

Part 3: Practice Paraphrasing

Read the quote below. Then write a proper paraphrase in your own words and cite the source.

"Social media has drastically changed the way young people communicate and build relationships."

– Dr. Lisa Grant, *Digital Youth Today*, 2022

Your Paraphrase:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

ANSWER KEY:

Self-Assessment: Understanding the Importance of Citing Sources

Instructions: Read the following statements and questions carefully. Reflect on your own understanding and experiences with citing sources. 

Part 1: True or False
Circle “T” for True or “F” for False.

1. T / F – Citing sources is only necessary if you directly quote someone.
    
2. T / F – When you paraphrase information from a source, you still need to give credit.
    
3. T / F – Properly citing sources helps readers find the original information.
    
4. T / F – Not citing your sources can be considered plagiarism.
    
5. T / F – Citing sources is a way of showing respect and saying “thank you” to researchers.

Part 2: Reflect on the following questions: 

1. Why is it important to give credit to researchers when writing a paper or completing a project?
    

2. How does citing your sources help avoid plagiarism?
    

3. How can proper citations help other people who read your work?
    

Part 3: Reflect and Rate
Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 5 for each statement, where 1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree. Reflect on your answer.