If you use some else's work, you must give them credit. If the words are not your own, place them in quotations. Discussing your general approach or ideas with me, other students, or faculty, revising your work in response to a colleague's criticism, or using words or ideas from a text or another source with proper attribution or referencing is acceptable, and is, in fact, an important aspect of intellectual discourse. Students are bound by the University of Florida's Student Code of Conduct. Cheating on examinations and plagiarism are violations of the academic honesty standards of the University of Florida, will have a serious effect upon your grade in this course, and will be referred to the appropriate University authorities for disciplinary action.
Parsimony is a virtue.
Avoid long, rambling paragraphs. Avoid contractions and slang. It is sloppy and informal. Watch your spelling. You must prove you have read the material and thought about the work.