Writing at a College Level

College instructors expect a higher level of research and writing, but they want you to do well on their assignments. Your best resource is your instructor! Visit them during their office hours, send them an email, and ask their opinion. Do not be shy about contacting them, but remember to be patient and allow enough time for them to send a reply.

Consider using these awesome resources to help you write your paper.

• What is an Academic Paper? This website from Dartmouth college has everything you need to help you write your paper, from picking a topic to editing your final draft. The language is very friendly - they know that writing this way may be new to you!

• The Purdue OWL This website by Purdue University is one of the biggest free resources for writers. Your professor may have suggested you use it to help create your bibliography or works cited, but it also can help you write the rest of your paper.

Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism is taking credit for the work of another writer or artist. This includes finding pictures for power points! Any time you fail to mention where you got an idea, a quote, a statistic, an image, etc, you might be plagiarizing.

Harper College does not tolerate plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. The Student Conduct Office has good suggestions to keep your work honest, as well as links to the consequences of academic dishonesty. The Student Handbook also lists the college's Academic Honesty Policy in the Policy Section.

General Knowledge - You do not have to give credit when using facts that are considered "General Knowledge." It can be hard to decide what is or is not "General Knowledge." If you are at all unsure, check with your instructor. Generally, statements of fact or dates are considered general knowledge. If all or most of your sources list a fact, you can count it as general knowledge.

Cite Your Sources

The easiest way to prevent plagiarism is to cite your sources. Many instructors require a bibliography or a works cited page as part of college level writing. As you find sources, take the time to put them in your bibliography.

Bibliographies or works cited pages must follow specific rules. These rules make it easier for someone reading your paper to find the same sources you used. These rules are called citation styles. Two common citation styles are APA and MLA. The Criminal Justice field typically uses APA style but you should always check your assignment or ask your instructor about which style to use, just in case.

• Citing Sources: APA & MLA Style is an excellent page featuring links to examples of how to cite almost anything.

• APA Style Guide from The Purdue OWL is also a great free website that has examples and rules for citing in APA style.

If you found an article online through our Find Articles section, often the site you found it on often includes correct citations.