There will be a final take home exam due during finals week covering material from the entire semester. Plagiarism is a form of stealing. It occurs when an author uses the words or ideas of others as if they were the author's own original thought. Plagiarism is often unintentional. It can be avoided by always acknowledging one's debt to others by citing the exact source of a quotation or paraphrase.
Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic honesty and carries serious penalties.
However, when it comes time to write your papers and exams, you are expected to do your own work-write and research your papers on your own. It is permissible, though, for you to help each other by proofreading one another's work. I'd be happy to meet with you in office hours immediately following class or at another mutually convenient time. See me to set up a time to talk. This is my number at Rice University, where I also teach.