MUGN-T121-F01: Music and Politics: Home

Properly citing resources is key to avoiding plagiarism. Follow the links below to find the appropriate style guide for your class.

Please see our Appropriate Use of Electronic Resources (last revised Aug. 2013).

Search these resources to find articles. Articles may be from academic journals, newspapers, magazines, or other types of periodicals. 

1. Accuracy

• Who wrote the page and can you contact him or her?
• What is the purpose of the document and why was it produced?
• Is this person qualified to write this document

• Make sure author provides e-mail or contact address/phone number
• Know the distinction between author and Webmaster.

2. Authority

• Who published the document and is it separate from the “Webmaster?”
• Check the domain of the document - what institution publishes this document?
• Does the publisher list his or her qualifications?

• What credentials are listed for the authors?
• Where is the document published? Check URL domain.

3. Objectivity

• What goals/objectives does this page meet?
• How detailed is the information?
• What opinions (if any) are expressed by the author?

• Determine if page is a mask for advertising; if so, information might be biased.
• View any Web page as you would an infomercial on television. Ask yourself why was this written and for whom?

4. Currency

• When was it produced?
• What was it updated?
• How up-to-date are the links (if any)?

• How many dead links are there?
• Are the links current or updated regularly?
• Is the information on the page outdated?

5. Coverage

• Are the links (if any) evaluated and do they complement the documents’ theme?
• Is it all images or a balance of text and images?
• Is the information presented cited correctly?

• If page requires special software to view the information, how much are you missing if you don’t have the software?
• Is it free or is there a fee to obtain the information? Is there an option for text only, or a suggested browser for better viewing?

Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523.

Plagiarism is using other people's ideas or words as your own without properly giving credit to the original author. Oftentimes, plagiarism is unintentional.

What is unintentional plagiarism?

• Using ideas, quotes, or paraphrasing from the original text without citing the source.
• Paraphrasing a portion of the original text using the same sentence structure.
• Paraphrasing a portion of the original text using words that are not your own.

What can you do to avoid unintentional plagiarism?

• Become familiar with appropriate citation styles.
• Try using Zotero or Mendeley to keep track of the resources you're using.
• Not sure if you've fully processed an idea? Ask your professor, a writing tutor, or a librarian.