Is That Plagiarism?: Tips for Citing SourcesMandi GoodsettMPAL Graduate Assistantgoodset2@illinois.edu

By the End of this Workshop, You Should …• Understand why we cite sources• Know the difference between a direct quote, paraphrasing,

borrowed facts/information, and common knowledge• Recognize your own method of organizing information

while researching• Have more confidence citing sources

Photo by betka on Flickr

Citation Basics• What does it mean to cite my sources?• What is plagiarism?• When should I cite my sources?

Photo by dlanb on Flickr

Why Cite Things?

According the Arizona State University LibGuide on Citation and Plagiarism, there are four main reasons to cite:• To acknowledge the author(s) of the work you are using in your

paper.• To demonstrate that the sources for your paper are of good

quality and that the paper is well-researched.• To allow readers to follow up on ideas mentioned briefly in your

paper by finding the sources of the ideas and reading further.• To give readers a context for your work and to provide links to

others who have researched about the topic so readers can explore what else has been said about it.

Helpful Resources• Student code• At MPAL• Style Guides/Manuals• Online Citation Tools• Library Guides (www.library.illinois.edu/mux/)• Reference Desk/Librarians

• Other resources• Library reference desks• Writers’ Workshop• Purdue OWL and other plagiarism sites (

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/) • We want you to succeed!

Direct Quote vs. Paraphrase vs. Borrowed Facts

• Direct Quote: word for word use of someone’s work (must be in quotation marks and cited immediately afterward & in bibliography)

• Paraphrase: a summary or partial use of someone’s work (immediately cite and often use introductory phrase; cite in bibliography)

• Borrowed Facts: information from a source that is not common knowledge (at least one citation for every several sentences, acknowledgement in bibliography)

• Common Knowledge: anything people are expected to already understand; often is found in many sources (no citation necessary

Example Research Material

• Biographers have always recognized the Alto Rhapsody to be one of Brahms’s most personal works; indeed, both the composer and Clara Schumann left several unusually specific comments that suggest that this poignant setting of Goethe’s text about a lonely, embittered man had a particular significance for Brahms.

• Reynolds, Christopher. "Brahms Rhapsodizing: The Alto Rhapsody And Its Expressive Double." Journal Of Musicology 29.2 (2012): 191-235. Music Index. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

Direct Quote

• “Both [Brahms] and Clara Schumann left several unusually specific comments that suggest that this poignant setting of Goethe’s text about a lonely, embittered man had a particular significance for Brahms” (Reynolds, 191).

In bibliography: Reynolds, Christopher. "Brahms Rhapsodizing: The Alto

Rhapsody And Its Expressive Double." Journal Of Musicology 29.2 (2012): 191-235. Music Index. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

Paraphrase

• Biographers have found several comments in the writings of Brahms that suggest that the “Alto Rhapsody” had special significance for the composer (Reynolds, 191).

In bibliography: Reynolds, Christopher. "Brahms Rhapsodizing: The Alto

Rhapsody And Its Expressive Double." Journal Of Musicology 29.2 (2012): 191-235. Music Index. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

Borrowed information

• The “Alto Rhapsody” by Brahms is set to text by Goethe about a lonely man.

In bibliography: Reynolds, Christopher. "Brahms Rhapsodizing: The Alto

Rhapsody And Its Expressive Double." Journal Of Musicology 29.2 (2012): 191-235. Music Index. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

Common Knowledge

• For Brahms, the “Alto Rhapsody” is a very personal work.

Activity• Decide whether the examples on the handout are• Quotations• Paraphrasing• Borrowed information• Common knowledge

• After about 5 minutes, find a partner and compare answers• After 5 minutes we’ll compare answers as a group

Keeping Track of Information When Researching• Zotero• http://uiuc.libguides.com/zotero

• Refworks• http://uiuc.libguides.com/content.php?pid=203751

• Savvy Researcher Workshops• http://www.library.illinois.edu/sc/services/savvy_researcher.html

• Homegrown Systems• What works for you?

What We learned• Why citing is important• The difference between a direct quote, a paraphrase,

borrowed information, and common knowledge• Some ways to organize information while researching• Where to go for help

Photo by tbballgirl03 on Flickr

Reflection• One thing you learned• One thing you wish you knew more about• Comments and/or feedback about the workshop

Please feel free to contact me with questions!Mandi Goodsett

goodset2@illinois.edu