Avoiding Plagiarism
Why is citing important?
It's important to cite sources you used in your research for several reasons:
- To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas
- To allow your reader to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by way of footnotes, a bibliography or reference list
- To uphold BU's Academic Conduct Code, which establishes an environment of professionalism that helps to assure each individual receives appropriate recognition for their work
What is plagiarism?
- Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words without giving them proper credit. Plagiarism can range from unintentional (forgetting to include a source in a bibliography) to intentional (buying a paper online, using another writer’s ideas as your own to make your work sound smarter)
- Beginning writers and expert writers alike can all plagiarize
- The best way to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite every source used in your work
What is academic integrity?
- The International Center for Academic Integrity defines academic integrity “as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals to action"
- For more information about plagiarism and academic integrity, see the Boston University Academic Conduct Code
