Your smile and patience will make life easier for everyone. Of course, there will always be a few jerks out there who won't even try to understand you. Sincerely, Judy Dear Judy, For one of my English classes I had to write a paper about my hometown in Japan. I used some good information from a library book, so I am sure my grammar and vocabulary were fine. Yours truly, Shocked from Shinjuku Dear Shocked, Sorry about that F, but my guess is that you didn't write the name of the library book and its author in your paper.
Teachers think that a student who plagiarizes is dishonest.
When you use ideas from a book, you MUST give the name of the book and its author. You may use a few direct quotes, but more often you should put the information into your own words. It is usually a good idea for you to give your own opinions, too. The same advice goes for magazines and other sources. Visit your teacher during her office hours and ask her to give you advice on how to cite books and authors in papers.