Cite your sources
11 Learn Why to Cite
A citation or reference is a referral to an information source. Citing your sources is the best way to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism can be deliberate – knowingly using someone else’s work as your own. It can also be inadvertent. Sometimes plagiarism accusations are simply the result of not following a specific style properly. The particular citation style you use will dictate the details of how you should cite your sources. In this chapter, you’ll learn more about the importance of citation and how to avoid plagiarism.
Tips
Before you begin the chapter, take a look at these top tips for developing a topic.
- Read the Policy.
Become familiar with your college’s Academic Integrity policy. Not knowing the policy will not prevent you from facing disciplinary action. - Know When to Work Alone.
Make sure you know when it’s okay to work in groups on an assignment and when you ought to work alone. Collaborating on a test, quiz, or assignment can get you into trouble if you are supposed to be working alone. - Start Fresh.
Using work from an old class on a new assignment is almost always against the rules. Instead, start fresh on every project with new ideas and up-to-date research. - Cite Your Sources.
When doing your research, keep a record of your information sources and learn to cite them accurately. Accidental plagiarism is still plagiarism.
Important Terms Used in this Chapter
About Citing and Academic Integrity
Citing your sources lets your reader know what information you came up with yourself and what comes from someone else’s work. In addition, it gives credit to the creators of the original works. There are many citation styles that you can use, including APA, MLA, and Vancouver. The most commonly used citation style in Nursing and other Health Sciences programs is APA style, but check with your professor if you’re unsure. To learn more about citing in APA style, see the Cite Using APA Style chapter.
Citing sources is a crucial element of academic integrity, specifically avoiding plagiarism. Explore the tabs to learn more about the following topics:
- Why citing is important
- Academic integrity
- Plagiarism and how to avoid it by citing properly
Why is Citing Important?
- Citing gives credit where credit is due.Information has value, whether it is found in books or journals or freely available on the web. People work to create it, and that work should be acknowledged. When you cite your source, you acknowledge the original author/creator of the idea you are using in your research.
- Citing helps you share what you’ve found.Citing your sources allows others to find them and benefit from what you’ve learned.
- Citing strengthens your argument.Citing other people’s work gives authority to your argument/essay/creation.
- Citing helps avoid plagiarism.Accurately citing other people’s ideas wherever they occur in your research is the best way to avoid plagiarism.
Academic Integrity
Before we explain plagiarism and how to avoid it, it’s important to understand that plagiarism is only one part of a bigger concept known as academic integrity.
Academic integrity means upholding your school’s values concerning the production of your academic work and the completion of quizzes, tests, and exams. Every college in Ontario has an academic integrity policy. Read your college’s academic integrity policy and be sure you understand your responsibilities as a student and scholar.
Here are some examples of academic integrity offences:
- Plagiarizing
- Looking at unauthorized notes during an exam
- Having someone else write your exam for you
If you break the academic integrity rules (for example, if you are caught plagiarizing), there are a range of disciplinary actions that you could face, which should be outlined in your college’s policy. Depending on the severity of the offence and whether it is your first offence, you may face consequences such as the following disciplinary actions:
- Receiving a mark of zero on your assignment.
- Receiving a failing mark in the course.
- Being suspended from your program.
Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism
Plagiarism involves integrating another person’s ideas and intellectual material into your writing without giving them credit or citing them. In nursing, you will cite sources such as peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, and websites.
It might seem funny, but you can also plagiarize yourself: self-plagiarism is a type of plagiarism where you don’t reference ideas that you previously wrote about in other assignments. Watch the video and read the information below to learn more about plagiarism and how you can avoid it. You can also read the Plagiarism and You Video Transcript.
Test Your Knowledge Activity
- For attributions, please see the Attributions page in the table of contents. ↵
Academic integrity means upholding your school's values concerning the production of your academic work and the completion of quizzes, tests, and exams. Every college in Ontario has an academic integrity policy.
Source: Academic Integrity by The Learning Portal, licensed under CC BY-NC.
Plagiarism means using someone else's words or ideas without giving them credit. It includes intentional plagiarism, where you deliberately present someone else's work as your own, and accidental plagiarism, where you unintentionally fail to cite your sources.
Self-plagiarism is when you reuse work you've previously submitted for course assignments without citing your previous work. Your instructor will probably not accept work you've previously submitted, even if you cite yourself.
