Plagiarism

Plagiarism: Citing, Sourcing....yada yada...Let me just say that this whole citing and sourcing process is very complicated. Not the fact that you have to do it, that is clear. APA format however, is very precise. There are so many specifics as to how you have to cite and reference withing APA format. I understand that, if done correctly, it would be very easy for someone to figure out what type of work you are referencing, however, it is very time consuming to do it all properly. The importance of citing and referencing your work is great. If someone were to use something I had written for their own benefit without giving me the credit I deserved for it, I wouldn't be a happy camper; that is for sure. Obviously, for plagiarism to not be committed, it is very important to give credit where credit is due. That is clear. Unfortunately, one little mistake, and you could be accussed of plagiarism. Honestly, I have been accussed of this during a course that I have taken here at Kaplan in a previous term. It was an honest mistake, where I filled out an incorrect template. A mistake on my behalf, but just a mistake. Thankfully, it all worked out, but plagiarism is scary business. You have to be very careful to follow directions and cite and reference every bit of information that is not your own idea!!

I personally never use sites like Wikipedia. Just the fact that any information on the site can be altered by anyone, is reason enough not to use it. It is too difficult to decipher whether the information is fact, opinion, or just plain wrong!! I am glad to have use of the Kaplan Library exactly for that reason. Knowing that your sources are reliable is very important!!

From the experiences I have had so far, I know that I will carefully review all of the sources I find for my topic, and make sure to properly cite and reference the information I do decide to use!! Good luck to everyone in this process!!