Plagiarism: UNC Quick Notes (Page-by-Page)

Definition (UNC): Plagiarism is the deliberate or reckless representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in connection with submission of academic work.
Consequences: Plagiarism is a form of cheating; can lead to course failure and suspension.
Reckless vs deliberate: Many cases are not intentional but stem from a lack of understanding. It is your responsibility to understand when and how to acknowledge others’ contributions.
Why citations matter: In university work, knowledge builds on others’ ideas. Citations distinguish building-block ideas from your own analysis and help readers find related material.
What instructors want: 1) Show clear understanding of the material; 2) Refer to sources to support your ideas; 3) Distinguish your analysis from the authors’ analyses.
Common knowledge: Not everything you read is automatically common knowledge. If you didn’t know it before the course or it didn’t come from your own brain, you likely need to cite the source.
Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing means putting ideas into your own words, not just changing a few words or the sentence order. Paraphrasing still requires attribution and a citation. Take notes with the book closed to ensure you rephrase in your own words; check with the instructor if unsure.
Do you need to cite when paraphrasing? Yes.
Step 1: Accentuate the positive. Understand the value of citations.

Paraphrasing and citation rule: Paraphrase is acceptable to support your argument when you attribute the material to the author and cite the source.
Step 1 (continued): Citations demonstrate understanding, show authority behind your knowledge, and help readers locate the sources.
Keep a clear thesis or main idea that your writing centers around while organizing source material around that point.
Note that excessive or too few citations can be addressed by reviewing the assignment and seeking a second reader’s input.
Always consider whether you have enough evidence or proof to support your points and whether additional expert voices would strengthen the argument.
If you’ve used course material or others’ ideas, you must cite it.
Step 1 actionable takeaway: Accentuate the positive of citations and use them to support your own analysis.

Step 2: Improve note-taking to avoid plagiarism.
Practical steps for note-taking:
- (1) Collect bibliographic information for your works cited page from the start; photocopy front pages when possible to capture bibliographic details; use library databases if needed.
- (2) Treat notes as a transitional space between reading and writing: imagine discussing with the author and ask:
- What is the author trying to explain?
- Why are these points important?
- How did the author construct the argument?
- How does the structure affect the reader’s response?
- How effective is the argument?
- (3) Use quotation marks for exact words and practice note-taking with the book closed to ensure you put ideas into your own words.
An example note format can show the author, work, and a concise summary of key points to help you later distinguish ideas.

Step 3: Locate the appropriate style manual.
- Identify the required citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, CSE, etc.). If not specified, check the syllabus or ask the instructor.
- Style manuals provide formulas for citations; do not guess.
- Example format (MLA, single author):
- Author’s name. Title of the book. Publication information.
- Example: Berlage, Gai Ingham. Women in Baseball: The Forgotten History. Praeger, 1994.
If you need more, consult the UNC Libraries citation tutorial.
Step 4: Seek instruction.
- Ask your professors to review drafts early and point out passages that need better citation.
- Consider using a Writing Center coach with your draft and source materials to learn paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting, and attribution strategies.

How can I tell whether I’ve plagiarized? Use this checklist:
1) If you place direct quotes in quotation marks, you still may need a citation for the surrounding ideas.
2) If you replace words with synonyms, you still need a citation.
3) If you paraphrase ideas, you still need a citation.
4) If your sentence is mostly your own thoughts but includes the author’s ideas, you need a citation.
5) If you mention the author’s name in the sentence, you still need a citation.
The moral: When in doubt, give a citation.
Where to look for more information: UNC Honor System webpage for exact definitions and policies on plagiarism.
Consequences: Punishment typically includes suspension for one semester and an F in the course.

Works consulted (representative list):
- Alberti, Leone Battista. Ten Books on Architecture. Translated by James Leoni. A. Tiranti, 1955.
- Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behren. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook. 4th ed., Allyn & Bacon, 2000.
- MLA Handbook. 8th ed., The Modern Language Association of America, 2016.
- Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 7th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2007.
Licensing note: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License. You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you reproduce the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, UNC Chapel Hill, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/plagiarism/

Additional references listed (as used in creating the handout): Alberti, Leoni; Rosen & Behren; MLA Handbook; Turabian.
License reminder: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; follow the attribution and non-commercial usage terms.
The handout emphasizes proactive learning and seeking guidance to prevent plagiarism; it provides a practical framework for citation, note-taking, and use of style manuals to support academic integrity.