One of the best ways to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity is to cite your sources. The purpose of citation is primarily to show how your work fits into the larger conversation taking place on your particular topic. Citation also ensures that the original authors or originators of an idea receive proper credit for their work.
What does this mean for you?
According to the High Point University Honor Code: "Every student is honor-bound to refrain from plagiarism."
But what does it mean to plagiarize something?
Plagiarism involves quoting or paraphrasing without proper acknowledgment. You plagiarize if you submit, without appropriate documentation or quotation marks:
(High Point University Student Government Association, The University Honor)
Summary: You plagiarize when you take credit for someone else's work, either on purpose or by accident.
You can also plagiarize yourself. Called "self-plagiarism," this occurs if you reuse work from one course in another course without your instructors' permission. This is considered academic dishonesty.