To return to my web page. When you write a research paper, you must document your sources, that is, give credit for the facts, interpretations, ideas which you use in your work and give this credit in the proper form. Use of the accepted forms enables your reader to find easily the works to which you refer. Although the rules of documentation are revised from time to time by the Modern Language Association , the American Psychological Association , and other groups which determine forms of documentation in a given field, the rules are the same for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals who publish in the journals of their fields. It is a grave academic offense and can be punished by dismissal from the university .
Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional.
Unintentional plagiarism occurs when the writer is unaware of the need for, or the rules of, documentation. It is the student's responsibility to understand these rules, plagiarism is no less serious an offense because it is unintentional. Unintentional plagiarism often occurs when the student misunderstands the function of paraphrase. When paraphrasing, it is not enough to change a few words or to rearrange a sentence. The passage must be digested and completely rewritten.