How to Avoid
Plagiarism
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Cite everything that is not
common knowledge.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Common knowledge is
general information most
people already know or could
easily locate in any number of
reference sources.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Citations are necessary with
information
that has appeared in only a
few sources
How to Avoid Plagiarism
That is highly specific (as
with statistics)
That is a direct quotation
How to Avoid Plagiarism
That is controversial or
may be surprising to some
readers or listeners.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
1. Elvis Presley died in August of
1977.
Common knowledge
How to Avoid Plagiarism
2. Elvis Presley may have died in
the bathroom while attempting a
bowel movement that taxed his
heart.
Citation needed
How to Avoid Plagiarism
3. Elvis Presley left most of his
estate to his daughter, Lisa Marie
Presley.
Common knowledge
How to Avoid Plagiarism
4. Many consider Graceland, his
home to be the most valuable
asset in his estate.
Citation needed
How to Avoid Plagiarism
5. Elvis Presley arguably made the
greatest contribution to rock ‘n
roll of any performer, living or
dead.
Citation needed
How to Avoid Plagiarism
6. “ Elvis Presley and his ‘Elvis the
Pelvis’ gyrations were
responsible for the moral decay
of young people in the 50’s and
60’s.”
Citation needed
How to Avoid Plagiarism
7. Elvis Presley’s fortune was
worth$ 23.8 million at the time of
his death.
Citation needed
How to Avoid Plagiarism
8. Elvis Presley was in the army
for a couple of years.
Common knowledge
How to Avoid Plagiarism
“Overcite” rather than risk
plagiarism.
In a written paper include these
in parentheses after the
information is used.
In a speech say these before the
information is used. This is called
a signal phrase.