Many American students share these problems, and help is seldom far away. If you are not a native English speaker this may seem difficult even foolhardy and you may be tempted to quote your sources word for word. You will find that if you truly understand the ideas you are dealing with, you will be able to express them clearly. Find an instructor or U.S. student, perhaps a volunteer tutor or conversation partner, who will read your papers, point out passages that are unclear, and help you find phrasing that conveys your meaning. You may have to sacrifice the elegance of the original quotation, but your paper will gain coherence from the effort you put into synthesizing all of the material you use.
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas without acknowledgment of their source.
Borrowed words and ideas must always be clearly documented. If you expect to experience writing difficulties, you should get help as soon as possible. Grades International students sometimes find that their U.S. classmates are preoccupied with grades. This can be explained partly by the spirit of individual competition that is fostered and supported by American society. It is also a pragmatic matter, as grades are an important factor in gaining admission to graduate school or getting a job after graduation.