After doing research for reports or presentations, it is important to present your ideas using your own words. It is also important to cite your sources. The word cite means "to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.), especially as an authority." Telling your readers where you got your information allows them to read further if they are interested in your topic. It also allows them to verify the facts you are presenting.

You should always be able to tell your teacher, or anyone reading your work, where you got your information. The links below offer help on citing sources.

For more information on citations, visit these websites:

• TurnItIn.com provides research resources, including definitions of plagiarism, guidelines for proper citation, answers to frequently asked questions, and definitions for important research-related terms .
• NoodleTools.com provides information on citations, including a Knowledge Base of frequently asked questions, but requires a subscription for full use. For one or two quick citations, they do have a free NoodleBib Express or NoodleBib MLA Starter version which is simple to use, but has fewer citation options.
• EasyBib is a free automatic bibliography composer.

Plagiarism

Do not copy another person's writing, nor claim it as your own. That is called plagiarism, which is defined as "the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work." You may not copy passages from articles, encyclopedias, books, websites, or any other sources without proper reference to those works.

For more information about plagiarism, and tips on how to avoid it, visit TurnItIn.com.
(Under "Preventing Plagiarism," click on "student plagiarism prevention.")

Copyright

Copyright is defined as "the legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work." That means the person who created the work has the rights to it, and you can't use it without his or her permission, unless that use is for certain educational purposes.

For more information about copyright, go to the Copyright Kids website.