Apply information literacy skills by:
a. Recognizing the ethical and legal considerations of copyright and plagiarism.
b. Demonstrating profiency in applying APA and/or MLA documention styles.
Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.
- Get started early to avoid panic situations which might tempt you to plagiarize.
- Take careful notes on what you read and where you found the ideas.
- Acknowledge ALL Sources from which you use ideas.
- Always cite:
- Direct quotations taken from sources - place quotation marks “” around direct quotes as you write them down, to remember which are direct quotes and which are not
- Paraphrased ideas and opinions taken from someone else's work.
- Summaries of ideas taken from someone else's work
- Factual information, including statistics or other data – with the exception of anything that is considered common knowledge (i.e. well known facts like "British Columbia is a province in Canada").
- Different disciplines use different style guides, so check with your instructor to make sure you are using the right one.
- Some of the most common style guides are MLA , APA, and Turabian/Chicago
- When reviewing your paper, ask yourself:
- Is the idea or argument presented mine?
- Are the words my own?
- Can my work be clearly distinguished from the work of others?
(Source: MDC Academic Integrity)
Why is it important to remember your copyright responsibilities?
Why is it important to avoid plagiarism?
Why is it important to be sure the information you and others share is correct?
