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Research Process: A Step-By-Step Guide: Step 5: Cite

This guide walks you through the steps of the research process.

Using Information Legally and Ethically

The legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of information goes beyond avoiding plagiarism and properly citing sources.

Researchers should be knowledgable about isses related to: 

  • privacy
  • censorship
  • freedom of speech
  • intellectual property
  • copyright
  • fair use 

For more information, view this guide on Copyright and Fair Use.

Plagiarism and Citation Styles

Turnitin.com

Turnitin helps educators check students’ work for proper citation or possible plagiarism by comparing it against three continually updated content bases:

  • billions of pages of web content,
  • millions of pages of proprietary content from subscription publications, and
  • over 80 million student papers previously submitted to Turnitin.

Easy-to-read Originality Reports help teach students about proper citation and ensure their academic integrity.

Your instructor may choose to use the Turnitin service which is embedded within the D2L course management system.