What if I decide not to cite my sources? 

When you don't give credit to your sources, it's considered Plagiarism, and plagiarism means big trouble! 
 

What is Plagiarism? 

 Plagiarism is intellectual theft. It doesn't matter whether the work that's being stolen was written by a professional writer or by the student at the next desk. If you're using someone else's ideas, art work or graphics (such as charts), statistics, or words (paragraphs, sentences, or even phrases), you need to give credit to the original author. 

    Sometimes it is unintentional, but intentional or not, the penalties for plagiarism are severe. If you are caught plagiarizing, you could be given a failing grade for your paper, you could be given a failing grade for the class, or you could even be expelled. The punishment is up to your school. Plagiarism is not worth the possible consequences.  

How can I avoid plagiarism and still use resource material? 

There are ways to integrate research material into your text. You can quote or paraphrase another’s work.  When you directly extract the material from another’s work, put quotations around it: 
 

 

One environment critic has noted, “The most important element for the survival of humanity on this planet, in the face of depleting fossil fuels and other natural resources, is  his/her willingness to recycle the resources currently is use.” (Lawrence 87).

 

 

One environment critic has noted that depleting resources are threatening our survival. He  maintains that we must be willing to recycle in order to survive. (Lawrence 87).

 

Notice that even in its re-written form that the information needs to be cited because the idea is not original.