How to Avoid Plagiarism: Home

Definition of plagiarize (“Plagiarize.” Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarize.)

• to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source
• to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, and you have plagiarized whenever you present someone else's ideas, whether verbatim or as a paraphrase, as your own without documenting the source. Proper documentation gives credit to the source in a style appropriate to the discipline.

To help students recognize the ethical use of information and prevent plagiarism, Yeshiva University Libraries have published a guide with a video tutorial explaining

• Why we cite sources;
• When we cite sources;
• How we cite sources.

For personal assistance, ask us! Chat or send email.

As evidence of the Libraries' reinforcement of careful research methodology and proper source attribution, the Student Library Research Award is made each spring to a student whose submission demonstrates skilled information seeking and high-quality source documentation.