Most people think of changing a name to theirs on an essay when they think of plagiarism, but this action is so much more than stealing someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. Did you know improperly citing someone else’s words or ideas also counts as plagiarism? Students and writers accidentally plagiarize the work of others on a regular basis, and the method of citation varies. The concept seems super tricky at first, but with my favorite resource you’ll be well on your way to avoiding the dreaded “P” word.
Throughout my life as a college student, tutor, and now professor, the Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab has been a game changer. The OWL offers myriad resources for better writing, but my favorite sections have helped me switch between the Modern Language Association’s (MLA) and the American Psychological Association’s (APA) writing styles. What’s considered proper documentation and citation in MLA might be plagiarize in APA, and vice versa. The OWL offers examples and instructions on how to write bibliography entries and in-text citations, which helps a writer cover their bases. While you could try a citation creator website, sometimes those sites skip crucial citation information (think publication dates, publisher names, etc.).
In blog posts, it is typically accepted that the writer links the source and credits the original author. You could get formal if you wish, but the bottom line comes down to making sure other people know you’re not claiming another person’s work as your own. At minimum, plagiarism makes you look like a jerk; at worst, you could face severe legal penalties. Always cite your sources!
