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COM Library has created guides for MLA, APA and ACS styles.

Get specific examples of frequently used sources in COM Library, such as articles from our online databases, and Internet sites and how to cite the EZ way.

View the quick tutorial, You quote it, you note it!

Choose Dylan or Maiko as your players for MLA style examples, Emma or Tyler for APA.

Note: The tutorial includes audio, so you may want to use headphones.

Cite Your Sources
If you are doing research for a paper, once your sources are selected you will need to cite them. The main purpose of citation is so that anyone reading your research, specifically your instructor, can find the sources you used. Your instructor may want to evaluate the sources you used to see if they are college level and appropriate for your assignment.

There are several styles of citation, and even though they may require the same basic information, different fields of study use different styles. Your instructor will let you know which citation style they want you to use. The most commonly used style at COM is the MLA style, especially in the Humanities; APA is also used, especially in Nursing; and ACS is used in the sciences. 

What's Plagiarism?

"Plagiarism, An act or instance of plagiarizing ( i.e., taking the writings of another person and passing them off as one's own). The fraudulence is closely related to forgery and piracy practices generally in violation of copyright laws."

~Source: Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (c)1995.

Don't Let This Happen to You!

You can receive a grade of "0" or even fail your class if you plagiarize. Plagiarism can happen in several different ways. Some you may be conscious of doing and others may be unintentional. Examples:

• Failing to cite sources you used.
• Copying text from a source and pasting it into your paper.
• Getting someone else to write your paper.
• Buying a paper and turning it as your own work.

So Now What?

Now that you know what plagiarism is and some of the consequences, how can you avoid it? Here are two steps that can help:

1. Make sure you get all the info you need to cite your sources when you first find them.

2. Citation is usually the last thing you do before turning in your paper, but it takes longer to do than you think. Ideally you should leave enough time to be able to ask your instructor about any citations you are not sure about.

COM has a Writing Center on campus. Check out the hours and services they provide.