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APA Style 7th Edition

This guide explains the basics of APA Style 7th Edition.

Avoiding Plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is using someone else's work as your own. Examples of plagiarism include:

  • Using text word-for-word from a resource like a book or an article without citing where it's from.
  • Using someone else's ideas or research without giving proper credit.
  • Having someone write your paper for you and submitting it as your own work.

Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, which is prohibited by FSCJ (see the "FSCJ Policy" tab for details). Plagiarism can qualify a student for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school. 

Plagiarism is easy to avoid!

The easiest way to avoid plagiarism is to give credit to (or cite) your sources.

  • If you're using exact text from a resource, use quotation marks and an in-text citation to indicate that the words are not your own. Include the resource in your reference page at the end of your paper as well.
  • If you're using an idea from a resource, you can paraphrase the text or idea using your own words. You can learn more about this in the paraphrasing section of this guide.
  • Keep track of your resources as you write your paper. Using in-text citations as you write is the easiest way to do this. Always be sure to note when a quotation or idea is not your own.
  • Use plagiarism detection tools like Turnitin.

The District Board of Trustees (DBOT) of FSCJ expects all students to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty.

The following activities and behaviors are considered violations of expected academic honesty and are subject to disciplinary action:

  1. Cheating, which is defined as the giving or taking of any information or material with the intent of wrongfully aiding one's self or another in academic work considered in the determination of course grade or the outcome of a standardized assessment.
  2. Plagiarism, which is defined as the act of stealing or passing off one's own work the words, ideas or conclusions of another as if the work submitted were the product of one's own thinking rather than an idea or product derived from another source, including the product of artificial intelligence.
  3. Any other form of inappropriate behavior which may include but is not limited to:
    1. falsifying records or data
    2. lying
    3. unauthorized copying
    4. tampering
    5. abusing or otherwise unethically using computer or other stored information
    6. any other act or misconduct which may reasonably be deemed to be a part of this heading

Any student alleged to have committed any act of academic dishonesty as defined herein shall be entitled to due process as set forth in DBOT Rule 6Hx7-11.1, Student’s Rights and Responsibilities  prior to the administration of disciplinary action including suspension and dismissal.