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Historical Research Methods (HIST 3001): Cite Sources

Course guide for HIST 3001: Historical Research Methods

The trouble with plagiarism...

Student sitting on steps looking sad

Plagiarism is:
  • Prohibited at Augusta University and is typically prohibited in all universities and colleges.
  • Ilegal; it is theft of another person's intellectual property.
  • Easier to recognize than you think. 

Possible Consequences

The consequences of plagiarism can be severe. Some include:

  • Failing the assignment
  • Failing the class
  • Expulsion from university
  • Deprived of entrance into college programs or graduate school
  • Deprived of scholarships and grants
  • Getting fined
  • Inability / more difficult to obtain a job.
It is plagiarism if you...
  • Paraphrase or use some text from a generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Google Bard, or CoPilot, and don't cite it
  • Copy only part of someone else’s work, and don't cite
  • Don’t use the author’s exact words, but you still don't cite
  • Shorten two pages of text into one sentence, but still don't cite
  • Include the work in the Works Cited page but forget to include an in-text citation
  • Turn in a paper written for another class
  • Cite the author but not the book/article
  • Don't cite because you can’t remember where you found the information
  • Don't use quotation marks for something that you quote word-for-word, even though you cite it
  • Buy a paper on the internet and turn it in!
  • Plagiarize by accident. 

Derived from Trish Hammond

Tips for avoiding plagiarism

Young woman typing on laptop, with mug and notepad to her left

The only way to avoid plagiarism is to correctly give credit (or 'attribution') to words and ideas that you got from another person

Credit must be given when you quote, paraphrase, or summarize someone else’s ideas. 

Follow these tips to help you stay on top of appropriately attributing sources.

 

Tips for preventing plagiarism
  • Start your assignment as soon as you can: If you leave your assignment to the last minute, you'll rush and may miss properly citing sources that you use.
  • Log in using your JagID credentials to the Libraries' GALILEO, Gil-Find Catalog, or the individual databases you frequently use (some databases may require you to create a free account). Save the sources you find to these accounts so you can easily cite them. 
  • Record the citation details for each source you save, and record your own notes about each source you want to use.  GALILEO and individual databases have a cite generator that can used to generate and save citations.
  • Write your rough draft in only your own words, and only quote sparingly. Add quotes after your main argument has been made.
  • Use quotation marks around phrases or sentences that you have cited verbatim from the source. 
  • Consult the appropriate citation guide or handbook, e.g., MLA or APA,  so you know how to paraphrase, quote, and cite correctly in that citation style.
  • Run your paper through TurnItIn* early if your professor has activated it for your course through D2L. Otherwise, you can run it through a free text-matching application (see suggestions below). Make any revisions if necessary.
  • Still aren't sure? If you aren’t sure how to do any of the above, ask your professor well before your paper is due.

*Turnitin is a text-matching web application to help you detect plagiarism so you can revise your paper before final submission. If your professor doesn't use TurnItIn or another text-matching application, you can test your papers on these free sites:

Citation Style for History

In history, use the Chicago Manual of Style for referencing and citing of your sources. Chicago Manual of Style Online provides recommendations on editorial style and publishing practices for the digital age. The full contents of the 16th and 15th editions are now online. 

Chicago Manual of Style

Chicago Style Guides