How to Avoid Plagiarism in MLA
When writing research papers, it is important to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is when you have written something in a paper that someone else stated and you have claimed it as your own. In addition, simply citing a source incorrectly can also be considered plagiarism. It is possible to accidentally plagiarize, which is why it is important to pay close attention to how you use and cite all sources. Instructors generally have a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism, but there are ways to make sure you avoid plagiarizing.
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Instructions
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List all of your sources on the "Works Cited" or "References" page of your paper. After you have researched all sources you are planning on using in your paper, the easiest way to organize them is to create the reference list right away in proper MLA format for each individual type of source. You can always add to or remove from this list later on.
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Cite all direct quotations. If the author makes a statement that you feel is worthy of directly quoting, it is acceptable to use direct quotes from sources in your paper. Be sure to place the entire statement in quotation marks. In addition, you must include an internal (or in-text) citation in parentheses after the quote, outside of the quotation marks. The citation should state both the last name of the author of the source and the page number where you found the information. For example, "studies have shown that cats and parrots get along very well" (Smith 70).
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Cite all paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is when you take a quote from a source and rewrite it in your own words. You must still cite the source at the end of the sentence in parentheses, including both the last name of the author of the source and the page number where you found the information. For example, parrots and cats can become friends despite their differences (Smith 70).
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Proofread your paper before turning it in to your instructor. Check all quotations, paraphrasing and internal citations to be sure they are accurate. It is possible to make mistakes in the writing process, so proofreading is a good chance to re-read your paper and check for any errors in citations.
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Tips & Warnings
Some instructors may limit the number of direct quotations you are allowed you use in a paper. Be sure to review the requirements for the paper to see how many direct quotes you are allowed to use.
References
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