The Center for Academic Excellence offers courses, academic coaching, tutoring, and mentoring with the goal of helping students to succeed at UMass Boston.
The Writing Center provides free services for undergraduate and graduate students to support their academic and professional writing at any stage of the writing process.
Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism
Don't Copy and Paste. When using electronic information, read the material and then turn away from the computer and write in your own words the idea you would like to use from the source. This technique also works when you’re using a book, journal or other print materials.
Use Citationsand Cite Information Accurately. Make sure you follow the proper citation style for your assignment. Citation manuals have tons of examples for you to follow. If you don't have a manual, you will find them in any library, bookstore, or on the web.
Pay Attention. Be a careful writer. Make sure you are presenting your own ideas and give credit to others when you use their ideas.
Ask for Help. Talk to your professors or librarians about what constitutes plagiarism. If you have questions, bring up specific examples.
Plan Ahead. Don't wait until the last minute to research and write a paper. This is when people make mistakes and may plagiarize unknowingly. This is also when people might be tempted to purchase papers online or get a friend to write a speech. A huge mistake!
