As you research, it's important to keep track of the resources you are using as you go--that way you don't have to try to retrace your steps later on when you need to cite your sources. We recommend that you copy and paste the citations directly into your notes--most of the resources and databases mentioned in this guide will automatically generate a citation for you.
The NYSID Librarians have created a LibGuide about MLA (Modern Language Association) citation style; you can link to it here.
Also, Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) has a fantastic MLA 8 citation style guide, complete with a sample paper and sample works cited page.
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
