First Year Seminar

Welcome to the Library

The Clarkson Library is the key to being successful in your research projects during your time here at Clarkson. We can help you with finding books and articles, evaluating websites, creating citations, and much more. The library website, clarkson.edu/library, is the place to go for your research needs. 

NOTE: To see a larger version of any of the images on this page, right click and select “Open image in new tab.” 

The Library Assignment

Click here to access the library assignment. Email Lisa Hoover, lhoover@clarkson.edu, or the reference staff at askalibrarian@clarkson.edu with questions. 

Where can I get help? 

  1. The Library website.
  2. Schedule a one-on-one research appointment with a librarian.
  3. Call us at 315-268-2292 or email us at askalibrarian@clarkson.edu.
  4. Stop in and see us. Library hours are listed here. Research librarians are usually in the office between 8am and 4:30pm Monday-Friday during the regular semester and 8am to 4pm during the summer and semester breaks. 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own : use (another’s production) “without crediting the source” – Merriam Webster 

Also includes copying, infringement of copyright law, piracy, theft, stealing, cribbing, etc.

Types of Plagiarism 

Direct Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism occurs when a student copies the work of another author verbatim without citing the source and without using quotation marks. Think “Cut-and-Paste”.

Self Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism occurs when a student “Recycles” material from another one of his or her own papers without citing that paper as a source.

Mosaic Plagiarism

Mosaic plagiarism occurs when a student “Cherry-picks” words, phrases or more general concepts from another source, then finds synonyms or changes the wording slightly, without acknowledging the source.

Accidental Plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism occurs when a student forgets or neglects to properly cite his sources. Not knowing what consititutes plagiarism, making errors in attribution, or simply forgetting still results in an offense.

Avoiding Plagiarism 

Ask Yourself…

Did I know this information without having to look it up?
Are there data or images I did not produce?
Is this an idea that is not my own?

Tips

  • Cite whenever you use an exact quote, and make sure you use quotation marks
  • Make sure you cite periodically if you’re paraphrasing another’s ideas or work
  • Take detailed notes as you read
  • Keep track of the citation information for your sources
  • Keep your thoughts clearly separated from the experts in your source
  • If you’re not sure if it should be cited, ask a librarian!
  • When in doubt, cite!

Citations

For help with your citations, check out our “How to Cite Sources” guide. You can also set up an appointment to sit down with a reference librarian one-on-one for citation help.

We also offer support for the citation management software Zotero.