What is the difference between plagiarism, paraphrasing, and direct citation?
You commit plagiarism when you present someone else’s words or ideas as your own. Paraphrasing is when you put someone else’s ideas into your own words, and should not contain any of your own ideas or interpretations. Direct citation is when you use the exact same words the original author used. Paraphrasing and direct citation are acceptable as long as they are properly cited. Improper paraphrasing occurs when you paraphrase but don’t include a citation, or include a citation in the wrong place. The citation should come at the end of the paraphrase, since any material which follows the citation a reader will assume is your own work. The Writing Room can help you with specific examples you are working with. You should check your favorite style guide for specific citation conventions.
