Mass Media Arts: Academic Honesty

All schools have policies on plagiarism or academic honesty. The consequences are real and could result in a failing grade for the class, or expulsion from the class or college/university. It is paramount that you read and understand the policy of your institution.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

To avoid the potential for plagiarism, a good rule of thumb is to provide a citation for any idea that is not your own. This includes:

• > Direct quotation
• > Paraphrasing of a quotation, passage, or idea
• > Summary of another's idea or research
• > Specific reference to an obscure fact, figure, or phrase

You do not need to cite widely-accepted common knowledge (e.g. "George Washington was the first President of the United States."), proverbs, or common phrases unless you are using a direct quotation.

When in doubt, avoid the possibility of plagiarism and cite your source.

Further information can be found in the So, Cite Your Sources panel on the far right. Or visit CITATION & WRITING STYLE GUIDE.

These videos explain what plagiarism is and gives examples.

There are several accepted ways to cite the resource you used to write your paper. If you are wondering which to use, ask your professor. The library also has copies of the style manual, a book that gives detailed instructions on how to cite references.

Ask the Information Desk for copies to use in the library. You can also click links to guides listed below.

Yes, people do write about it! Here are some useful books that cover the topic of plagiarism. You can find other books like these in our Library catalog.