Paraphrasing is a very important part of the research and writing process. Paraphrasing means using your own words to give the information and ideas from a source written by another author. When you paraphrase, you include the important points from another author's writing, but you write that information in words and phrases YOU normally use. When you write a paragraph including some information you know and some you learned from a source, your successful paraphrasing will make that paragraph sound as if it were written by one person--you.
How should you change writing from your source?
When you paraphrase, you still cite at the end of the paraphrased section because you are using someone else's ideas, even though you aren't using someone else's words.
If you put quotation marks around the words you've taken from a source, you will have a quote. If you put quotation marks around the words you've taken from one source, and then you put quotation marks around the words you've taken from another source, you will have a list of quotes. A list of quotes, even if the quotes are cited properly, is a list of quotes, not an essay you've written in your own words. So you paraphrase the sources you consult, and you quote only sparingly.
Have the courage of your convictions. Your own words really are fine.
Review MLA and APA citation formats here.
This plagiarism statement explains what plagiarism is and how students can avoid plagiarism. Read this information carefully.
The University instructs faculty who suspect cheating/plagiarism to send suspected cases to the Honor Committee. I follow that instruction. See Honor Code--Student Responsibilities.
Required reading:
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