Political Science/Geography

WU's Academic Impropriety Policy as taken from the Faculty Handbook (10th ed.) contains more than plagiarism expectations.

First comes the nitty gritty of the research process, followed by the organization, and finally you are ready to write the research paper.  For some, writing is easy, but for many writing is an acquired skill only honed by many trials and errors.  The sources to the right are tools to help with the writing process.

Use them to your best advantage for they can be very helpful.  A proper use of English grammar will go a long way towards a great final research project.  Sometimes having someone read a draft can be useful.  Keep that in mind. 

Keep accurate track of notes!  Link notes correctly every time! Want to make your instructor unhappy?  Leading an instructor on a chase with an inaccurate citation note will do it EVERY time.  You can count on that!  Want to impress the instructor?  Cite neatly and accurately EVERY time!>

The SOURCES to the right will help you with formatting notes.  You can not be expected to remember every detail about citing.  Use the proper form correctly and be consistent.  Library reference staff can help if you have a question on citations.

There are many sites which help students with plagiarism.  The sites below are examples of what three libraries have done.

Sources to help with preparing citations. Several styles are provided below.

In the political science field, you'll use APA formatting for your citations.  Below you'll find a list of resources to help you with this style.

Sources to help with writing

Sources to help with preparing citations

Plagiarism is defined as the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work (Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd ed.).

When doing research, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the expertise and authority of sources.  Many students accidentally plagiarize because they cannot find a way to get their points of view into the essay they are trying to write.  The links to the right are intended to inform you about, and help you to follow standard practices.

Penalties for plagiarism may vary but you can expect two things for certain: 1)  All instructors will have them, and 2) They will be severe.  Know what each instructor expects of you as a student writer.  Stay away from trouble.  Don't plagiarize!  And don't forget:

Ichabods Have Integrity