Research Paper Survival Guide - Fayette County Schools

Documentation and Plagiarism
Why do I have to document my sources?
Failing to document sources in a research paper is plagiarism. Authors deserve credit
for their ideas and words. Researchers give credit to others ideas by documenting in
both parenthetical documentation and a Works Cited page. Citing authorities gives
credibility to your own argument. Documenting sources is essential to all research.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the representation of another’s ideas or writing as his own.
What are the kinds of plagiarism?
A deliberate attempt on the part of the student to pass off as his own writing or ideas of
another person (student, parent, published or unpublished author, et al.) A failure to
acknowledge indebtedness to outside material that results from the student’s lack of
attention to proper procedures for documentation.
What happens if I plagiarize?
Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity. In most cases in can result in a
grade of zero on an assignment and a disciplinary referral.
See the Fayette County Schools “Statement of Plagiarism” for middle schools and high
schools and the Code of Conduct for more information on penalties associated with
plagiarism.
How do I document my sources?
Documenting sources means carefully recording the sources you use when you are
conducting research. All ideas that come from another source must be credited to that
source in the paper and in the Works Cited. All paraphrases and direct quotations must
use correct parenthetical documentation.
In the research process, writers document sources with Source Cards and Note Cards.
Some writers also complete a Research Log.
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Research Paper Survival Guide