For a better understanding of plagiarism and how you can avoid it, click here.
Proper citation is an expectation of all college students. Ask a Librarian for help or click on a link below:
Past research assignments may have involved restating information you learned elsewhere. College-level research involves work that is fresh and original - it's your work, not someone else's. Here are some tips:
Ask original and interesting questions;
Use academic resources;
Use proper citation;
Draw original conclusions;
Work to create a new understanding or new ideas about a topic.
Academic resources tend to be:
Scholarly in nature;
Peer-reviewed;
Written by experts in a field;
May be the result of original research, experimentation, or study.
Think: Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, not Wikipedia
Think: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, not Health magazine
Think: The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, not Lincoln in the Bardo
Why work with a Librarian?
Librarians are experts in identifying and locating appropriate resources for various information needs. Librarians can help with research projects, papers, speech assignments, citations, and more.
The Harper College Library offers a variety of virtual services to support online learning.
Call: 847.925.6584
"Information Literacy" refers to the skills necessary to successfully locate, evaluate, and use information.
The TRAAP test helps to determine the strength of a source:
Timeliness - Is the information timely?
Relevancy - Is the information relevant?
Authority - What authority does the author have on the subject?
Accuracy - Is the information accurate?
Purpose - What is the author's purpose for composing this information?
Download the full document below.
