Copyright Guide for Thesis Preparation

Academic Integrity: Citation & Avoiding Plagiarism

An important part of engaging in research and scholarship is giving other authors proper attribution and recognition for their ideas, words, and contributions. This is especially important in preparing a thesis, since your thesis must be an original work in your own words. Naturally, you will cite other works, quote and paraphrase from them. You must do so in a consistent and transparent manner, using a citation or style guide.

Whenever you use someone else’s work, cite it according to the conventions or style guide of your discipline. If you are unsure which citation style to use, consult your supervisor early in your thesis writing process. The Thesis Preparation and Thesis Examination Regulations guide prepared by the Thesis Office lists some commonly used citation manuals. The Library maintains information on citation guides, and offers workshops on best practices and use of reference management tools.

Keep track of the sources you use and make proper citation a practice as you conduct your literature review and research. Citation or style guides will show how to cite a variety of scholarly sources, including journal articles, books, conference proceedings, news sources, archival documents, films, audio recordings, and more.

For more information on citing sources and how to avoid plagiarism, consult the following Concordia resources:

What is plagiarism? https://www.concordia.ca/conduct/academic-integrity/plagiarism.html

Information about different citation and style guides:https://library.concordia.ca/help/citing/

Concordia’s Academic Code of Conduct