MLA is the preferred formatting and citation style for most courses in Modern Foreign Languages. Some courses may also allow the use of other citation styles. Check with your professor first! If you need a different citation style, consult our Citation Guides page.
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Citation Guides
Handouts (PDF)
Citation managers can help you keep track of the articles, books, and other resources that you find, as well as help you cite them in the appropriate style in the text of your paper and in your references or works cited list. For more help with citation managers, ask a librarian!
Citation may seem like a bunch of rules designed to make writing your paper even more difficult. However, the purpose of citation is primarily to show how your work fits into the larger conversation taking place on your particular topic and to help facilitate the exchange of ideas between scholars (that means you, too!). 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.
HPU Librarians are always happy to help you with your citation questions! If you have questions that are related to general writing style or to writing in a particular discipline, we recommend that you utilize the resources below.