An act of plagiarism occurs when, without putting the quoted material in quotation marks and giving its source, you use the exact language of someone else, including anything printed, said, or written. This includes both printed and digital (online) sources.
To avoid plagiarizing, ask yourself the following:
1. Am I deliberately recalling any particular source of information as I write this paper or do this project?
2. Am I consulting any source as I write this paper or do this project?
If the answer to these questions is no, the writer need have no fear of using sources dishonestly. The material in his/her mind, which is then transferred to the written page, is genuinely digested and his/her own. If the answer is yes, make sure that you let your reader know where you got your information by quoting/citing it properly (see the "citations" page for more information).
It should be noted that copying the work of any designer or using photographs of another designer’s work as part of one’s studio work without attribution or citation is considered a form of plagiarism. Students should affix an attribution for any image of a designer’s work used as part of a presentation or “inspiration” board.
From the NYSID Student Handbook
