Don't Plagiarize! Learn to Cite Correctly!

As the semester moves on, a lot of you are asking about citing your sources to make sure you don't plagiarize accidentally. Here's a little more on the topic.

Plagiarism involves the use of someone else's words as if they were your own - accidentally or intentionally. HCC considers plagiarism to be a form of scholastic dishonesty, and "possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of '0' or 'F' on the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System."

To avoid plagiarism you must document direct quotations, paraphrases (when you rephrase someone else's writing), and original ideas that are not your own. This is called "citing" your sources. In order to cite your sources properly, you'll need to know which citation style your instructor requires (for example: ALA, MLA, or Chicago).

The two types of citations that you'll deal with most often will be in-text and bibliographic citations. In-text citations are brief, and occur within the text of your research paper. Bibliographic citations offer more details, and come in the form of a list at the end of your paper (this would be your bibliography, "works cited," or "references" page).

For examples showing how to prepare in-text and bibliographic citations for many types of sources in several different styles, visit this website.

For more explanation and examples, visit OWL, Purdue University's "Online Writing Lab" or take a look at this great tutorial created by Acadia University.

Are you required to create an annotated bibliography? Have a look at these tips, also from Purdue University's Online Writing Lab.

Need help learning how to format an MLA style paper? This video from American River College Library may help-

Finding Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, and Journals

Google and Yahoo are convenient, but they won't give you access to as many high-quality newspaper, journal, and magazine articles as the HCC library databases will. Look up complete electronic versions of articles from the Houston Chronicle, New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, Time Magazine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and thousands of other publications that you would normally have to subscribe to in order to read! Often times you'll be able to view both current articles and articles dating back several years.

Though not all articles from HCC library databases are available in full text (complete electronic versions), many are. You may browse a complete list of HCC databases, or view databases organized by subject.

Remember: many of these databases require you to log in for off campus use. If you are having trouble with that, see these instructions or ask a librarian for help.

If you'd like a brief introduction to database searching, check out our tutorial! Or, view the database tutorials here.

Keeping Up with Copyright!

Keep up with the latest news on copyright issues with our customized news reader below. It captures real-time information from the leading copyright and intellectual property blogs and news sites. Do you have a favorite resource? Post a comment and let us know! We might feature it in the reader!

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Books? Yes, We Have Them!

When was the last time you read a book?! Even though we have access to more and more information on the Web or through our databases, there are times when nothing beats the convenience and thorough coverage that a book offers. More on how to find the right ones for your projects and papers (or just good, fun reading!) below.

Need Help? Ask A Librarian!

HCC librarians are proud to announce that we have expanded our Ask a Librarian service to give you more ways to reach us. You can ask us questions via:

• Live Chat
• Email
• Phone

So, if you need to chat with a librarian online, we're usually here for you Monday-Thursday from 10AM-4PM and Fridays from 12NOON-2PM, so drop in and chat with us!


What kind of things can a librarian help you with? Here are just a few:

• finding sources of information for a paper or presentation
• citing your sources properly so that you don't plagiarize accidentally
• finding excellent articles by using the HCC Library databases from home
• much, much, more!

Ever use the Ask a Librarian service? Leave a comment and let us know what you think if you have used it, or why you don't if you don't!

Event on the Horizon!

LIBRARY LUNCH PROGRAM SERIES AT SOUTHEAST COLLEGE

Michele Snelson will speak on the topic of “A Peek into the Professional World of Face, Hair, and Nails,” Wednesday, March 27 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Eastside Campus in the Library iCafe (Learning Hub-3rd Floor).

Michele is the Lead Instructor at the Southeast College-Eastside Campus Cosmetology Department. She will share what it takes to become a professional cosmetician and the ins and outs of the HCCS Cosmetology program. Eight lucky attendees will each receive a professional manicure provided by eight current cosmetology students under the direction of Blanca De Leon, a full-time faculty member in the department.

The event is open to HCC and the public. Please RSVP by emailing Keitha Robinson at keitha.robinson@hccs.edu or call 713.718.8298. Light refreshments will be served. Attendees may bring their lunch. Contact Keitha if you want your Department or yourself to be showcased in one of our lunch programs.