Avoiding Plagiarism

and Using APA Format

What is plagiarism?

Using other people’s ideas or research without giving them credit

Theft of intellectual property Cheating – using someone else’s work See the ASU Catalog or Student Handbook

for more information and consequences

Examples of plagiarism Copying or paraphrasing from a source without crediting the

author Using another person’s words or ideas as if they were your own Copying another student’s work Quoting from another person without indicating that it is a

quotation Summarizing information from another source without indicating

where it came from “Cutting and pasting” from an online source or the Internet

without citing the source Copying an image from the Internet and inserting it in a

presentation without giving the source Handing in a paper to one class that you wrote and handed in

for an earlier class

Common Ways to Use Information from a Source

Quoting -- Direct quotes from a source Paraphrasing – Summarizing or rewording

information from a source Borrowing – Using ideas, concepts,

organizational patterns, themes, motifs, etc.

To avoid plagiarism …

Credit (cite) all your sources– In the text– In the reference list or bibliography

Some style formats MLA – for language and literature CBE – for biology/life sciences Chicago – for history Turabian – for history and humanities APA – for behavior sciences Bluebook – for law

College of Business style ASU College of Business requires APA style Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th edition) Concise Rules of APA Style (6th edition) Note: 6th edition was published in July 2009;

check with your other professors to verify which edition they want you to use

What to cite in your paper According to APA:

– cite the work of those individuals whose ideas, theories, or research have directly influenced your work. They may provide key background information, support or dispute your thesis, or offer critical definitions and data. … In addition to crediting the ideas of others that you used to build your thesis, provide documentation for all facts and figures that are not common knowledge. (APA, 2009, p. 171)

APA In-text citation format

Author-date system Give last name of the author and date of

publication for every source Include page numbers or paragraph numbers

for exact quotes

Example: Exact quote

Zuckerman (2006) has shown that the value of a college degree has increased dramatically in the past century. “The income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do” (p. 71).

Example: Paraphrase

The value of a college degree has increased dramatically in the past century. The difference in income between people with college degrees and those without has doubled since 1980, and almost all American CEOs now have college degrees (Zuckerman, 2006).

Example: Quote, no author or page numbers

A study conducted at Florida International University found that “the present value of future after-tax earnings plus fringe benefits for the average high school graduate comes in at almost $1 million. For the average college graduate, the value of earnings plus benefits—less the cost of tuition and the loss of four years of earnings while attending college—doubles to approximately $2 million” (“New study,” 2007, para. 10).

Example: Personal interview

Tax specialist J. Lasky emphasized the importance of continuing professional education for tax accountants (personal communication, July 15, 2007).

The reference list

Includes all sources used in the text of the paper except personal communications

Arranged alphabetically by author’s last name or title of work (if no author given)

In-text to Reference list correspondence Text:

– …and almost all American CEOs now have college degrees (Zuckerman, 2006).

Reference list:– Zuckerman, M. (2006, June 12). Rich man,

poor man. U.S. News & World Report, 71-72.

Typical information for citations

Author(s) Date of publication Title of the work you are citing If you are citing something that appeared in a larger

work (like a chapter or article), the title of the larger work

For an article, the volume (and issue) of the magazine or journal

For a book, the publisher and place of publication For an edited book, the name of the editor For an article or book chapter, the page numbers For an Internet source, the URL

Points to remember Authors – always list by last name and

initials, not full name. If the source has multiple authors (up to six), list all of them.

Capitalization – article, chapter, or book titles: capitalize only the first word of the title, first word of the subtitle, and any proper nouns or adjectives are capitalized. Journal titles: capitalize all important words.

Double-space and use hanging indent

Example: Books

Standard form: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work:

Capital letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher.

Example: Scott, D.M. (2005). Cashing in with content: How

innovative marketers use digital information to turn browsers into buyers. Medford, NJ: Information Today/CyberAge Books.

Example: E-books

Standard format: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work:

Capital letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher. Retrieved from URL

Example: Robert, M., & Racine, B. (2001). E-strategy pure

and simple: Connecting your internet strategy to your business strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from http://www.netlibrary.com

Example: Scholarly Articles

Standard format: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C.

(Year). Title of article. Title of periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.

Example: Howell, R.A. (2004). Turn your budgeting

process upside down. Harvard Business Review, 82(7/8): 21-22.

Example: Daily or weekly publication Standard format: Author, A. A. (Year, month day). Title of

article. Title of periodical, volume, pages.

Example: Williamson, E., Farnam, T.W., & Mullins, B.

(2009, July 1). Finance lobby cut spending as feds targeted Wall Street. Wall Street Journal (Eastern ed.), pp. A1, A10.

Example: Internet periodical

Standard format: Author, A. A. (Date). Title of article. Title of

periodical, volume, pages. Retrieved from URL

Example: El-Erian, M.A. (2009, May 21). Life after the

financial crisis. BusinessWeek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_22/b4133073646280.htm

Example: Article with no author given Standard format: Title of article. (Date). Title of periodical,

volume, pages.

Example: Study looks at trends in online banking.

(2009, February 13). Credit Union Journal, 13(7):18.

Example: Page from website

Standard format: Page title. (Date). Website title. Retrieved

from URL

Example: History. (2009). John Deere company

information. Retrieved from http://www.deere.com/en_US/compinfo/history/index.html

Example: Web page, organization as author

Standard format: Name of organization. (Date). Web document

title. Retrieved from URL

Example: U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Western

Hemisphere Affairs. (2009, April). Background note: Belize. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/

r/pa/ei/bgn/1955.htm

Parts of the APA-style paper

Title page Abstract Body of the paper Reference list Tables Appendices

Some specifics – Running head Running head – a shortened version of the

title Appears on each page, with page number Starts on title page (page 1)

Some specifics - References Placed at end of paper Headed References Entries arranged alphabetically by author (or

by title, if no author is given) When you have several items by the same

author, arrange these (1) alphabetically and (2) chronologically

Use hanging indent

Some specifics - Headings

Level 1: Centered, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading

Level 2: Flush Left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading

Level 3: Indented, boldface, lowercase, heading ending with a period.

Level 4: Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase heading ending with a period.

Level 5: Indented, italicized, lowercase heading ending with a period.

Some specifics – writing style

Logical organization Correct grammar Smooth transitions Interesting tone Concise language Precise word choice Third person Bias-free language

For more information, details, rules and examples Concise Rules of APA Style Publication Manual of the APA

– Copies available at the ASU Library or through bookstores

Questions? Contact your professor or the ASU Library– Mary Aquila, mary.aquila@athens.edu– refdesk@athens.edu or 256-216-6650