When another person's ideas, information, or expressions are used without acknowledging that person's work, it is plagiarism. When the ideas, information, or expressions of another person are passed off as your own, then it also constitutes plagiarism. Morality and ethics are questioned, as many times instances of plagiarism fall between the boundaries of copyright infringement, and your own inner conscience (67).

Even with high moral standards, plagiarism is sometimes difficult to avoid. When writing a research paper it is ok to borrow material from others, but the material used must not be presented as your own (69). Many students unwittingly tread the path of plagiarism early and never let go of the habit. This may include Joseph Gibaldi's so called “research methods” that include copying word for word a subject found within an encyclopedia (70).

One tactic is to carefully distinguish your ideas, summaries, and paraphrases of others' ideas and facts from the exact wording you copy from sources (70). Writing a paper in a second language provides dangerous grounds for potential unintentional plagiarism (70). One solution for this problem is to double check with an instructor and make sure the sentence structures were not plagiarized. With a little practice and careful planning, it is possible to overcome the hazards of plagiarism.

The surefire way to avoid plagiarism is to correctly cite the material used. When repeating or paraphrasing wording or taking a particularly apt phrase, remember to cite the source being used after the information is used. This is done by inserting the author's name and parenthetical documentation. The author's name refers to the works cited description while the parenthetical documentation identifies the location of the source (72).

Citing material also applies to paraphrasing an argument or presenting a line of thinking. Again, cite the source using the author's name and a parenthetical documentation at the end of the paraphrase (73). When determining whether or not to cite a source, common sense and ethics should play a role in your decision (73). Familiar proverbs, well-known quotations, and common knowledge do not require citation (73).

Finally, plagiarism is not limited to simply copying others work and using it as your own without proper citation. Reusing a research paper is fraudulent, as it is deceitful and defeats the purpose of the assignment. Collaborative work is not considered plagiarism when appropriate credit is given to all contributions, but should not be cited to any one individual exclusively. Copyright infringement is a legal offense that does not allow for the reproduction of a source, even with the proper citations (74). Avoiding plagiarism is only the first step. Writing unique, properly cited papers is the last step in becoming a better writer.