Plagiarism: What is Plagiarism?

This guide is intended to help you:

• Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes plagiarism
• Use paraphrasing and quotations in order to avoid plagiarism
• Understand why it is important to cite sources used in writing and speeches
• Recognize quotes, paraphrases, and other types of information that require citation
• Record all pertinent citation information for future references
• Locate a cited work in the library using the Briggs Library catalog or the Journals List

According to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, to plagiarize is "to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own." When you use an idea, whether you completely rewrite the idea, paraphrase another, or quote the original, you must give credit to the originator of the idea using citations. Plagiarism at SDSU is governed by the SDSU Student Code 3.f.ii.1.

• Is it PLAGIARISM? (a flowchart) - Created and published by the Poynter Institute.