What is plagiarism?
"Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which you knowingly use another person's words or ideas without giving him or her credit. Plagiarism is considered a form of theft and is a serious breach of the University Code of Conduct." ---The Temple University Writing Center
Plagiarism can also be inadvertent. If you are careless, you may be unaware that you've used someone else's words or ideas. If you haven't given credit to your source, whether you are aware of it or not, it is still plagiarism.
Plagiarism occurs when you borrow another's words (or ideas) and do not acknowledge that you have done so. In this culture, we consider our words and ideas intellectual property; like a car or any other possession, we believe our words belong to us and cannot be used without our permission.
Plagiarism is a very serious offense. If it is found that you have plagiarized -- deliberately or inadvertently -- you may face serious consequences. In some instances, plagiarism has meant that students have had to leave the institutions where they were studying.
The best way to avoid plagiarism is to cite your sources - both within the body of your paper and in a bibliography of sources you used at the end of your paper.
