Plagiarism happens when you claim the words, ideas, or data of another person as if it is your own, without appropriate referencing. Plagiarism can range from copying an entire paper to changing only a few words and not citing the original source. It’s important to familiarize yourself with what constitutes plagiarism. One way you can do this is to consult your institution’s academic integrity policy so you know how to avoid a charge of plagiarism.

Citation Styles

When it comes time to write your review, you will need to demonstrate that you understand when and how to cite your sources. Keeping them organized will help you with this task. By using a citation management tool, you will be able to access your sources in one place and pull the citation information needed to cite them correctly. Before sitting down to write your review, make sure you familiarize yourself with the rules of your citation style. While it is true that some citation management tools will offer you a plug-in for your word processor that seemingly does all the work, it can make mistakes. Getting to know the rules yourself will save you a lot of time and reduce the risk of plagiarism. Table 3.4 below provides a curated list of citation style resources to help you familiarize yourself with the rules.