In the process of gathering research materials, you will probably locate resources in various formats, including books, articles, and websites. Not everything you find, however, will be suitable or trustworthy. It's natural to experience information overload. Today we're bombarded with so much information, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.
Remember that it's important to evaluate your sources by considering the following factors:
Writing a research paper involves building your argument by using existing literature that pertains to your topic. In order to avoid plagiarism, you must cite your sources and acknowledge other authors’ ideas that you are using in your paper. There are several style manuals and guides that describe how to cite books, articles, and other resources. The most commonly used style manual in the social sciences is from the American Psychological Association. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and other style manuals and citation resources are listed below.
This is a quick introduction to the American Psychological Association (APA) Style for references and citations. For more comprehensive information, consult the library's APA 7th Edition Guide, Publication Manual of the APA, APA Style website, or Purdue OWL APA website.
Note: The APA Citation Style is generally used for psychology, social sciences, and health disciplines. Please check with your instructors which style to use in your assignments.
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association by 
APA/MLA Guidelines - 7th/9th Editions Style Reference for Writing by
APA Citation Style
Book:
Valfre, M.M. (2009). Foundations of mental health care. Mosby Elsevier.
Journal article from a library database:
Smith, J. A., Johnson, M. B., & Davis, C. R. (2020). Exploring the impact of technology on workplace productivity. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 25(3), 45-62. https://doi.org/xxxxxxx
Webpage within a website:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). COVID-19: Vaccines for you and your family. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
ERIC (Education Resource Information Center) is one of the most useful comprehensive databases for education research and provides unique identifiers for published documents that should be included when citing. The ERIC document number can be found in the ERIC database record and in the article itself, beginning with the letters 'ED.'
Here is an example of the proper format for citing an ERIC document in APA 7th Edition:
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of document: Subtitle if given (ERIC document number). Database Name.
Reference List Example:
Nelson, J., & Herber, H. L. (1981). A Positive Approach to Assessment and Correction of Reading Difficulties in Middle and Secondary Schools.(ED217377). ERIC.https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED217377.pdf
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Author, Year)
Example: (Nelson & Herber, 1981)
In-Text Quote:
(Author, Year, p. Page Number)
Example: (Nelson & Herber, 1981, p. 5)
At the University of Central Missouri, plagiarism is considered a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. This policy clearly defines what plagiarism is and describes the process that will be used for a student who has been accused of plagiarizing. Most if not all universities and colleges have a similar policy in place.
While plagiarism is a problem often associated with school or college, these are not the only places where one can face the consequences of plagiarism. iThenticate, a leading producer of anti-plagiarism software, reports on six different consequences of plagiarism:
The consequences of plagiarism can be personal, professional, ethical, and legal. With plagiarism detection software so readily available and in use, plagiarists are being caught at an alarming rate. Once accused of plagiarism, a person will most likely always be regarded with suspicion. Ignorance is not an excuse. Plagiarists include academics, professionals, students, journalists, authors, and others.
Consequences of plagiarism include:
Plagiarism allegations can cause a student to be suspended or expelled. Their academic record can reflect the ethics offense, possibly causing the student to be barred from entering college from high school or another college. Schools, colleges, and universities take plagiarism very seriously. Most educational institutions have academic integrity committees who police students. Many schools suspend students for their first violation. Students are usually expelled for further offences.
A professional business person, politician, or public figure may find that the damage from plagiarism follows them for their entire career. Not only will they likely be fired or asked to step down from their present position, but they will surely find it difficult to obtain another respectable job. Depending on the offense and the plagiarist’s public stature, his or her name may become ruined, making any kind of meaningful career impossible.
The consequences of plagiarism have been widely reported in the world of academia. Once scarred with plagiarism allegations, an academic’s career can be ruined. Publishing is an integral part of a prestigious academic career. To lose the ability to publish most likely means the end of an academic position and a destroyed reputation.
The legal repercussions of plagiarism can be quite serious. Copyright laws are absolute. One cannot use another person’s material without citation and reference. An author has the right to sue a plagiarist. Some plagiarism may also be deemed a criminal offense, possibly leading to a prison sentence. Those who write for a living, such as journalists or authors, are particularly susceptible to plagiarism issues. Those who write frequently must be ever-vigilant not to err. Writers are well-aware of copyright laws and ways to avoid plagiarism. As a professional writer, to plagiarize is a serious ethical and perhaps legal issue.
Many recent news reports and articles have exposed plagiarism by journalists, authors, public figures, and researchers. In the case where an author sues a plagiarist, the author may be granted monetary restitution. In the case where a journalist works for a magazine, newspaper or other publisher, or even if a student is found plagiarizing in school, the offending plagiarist could have to pay monetary penalties.
Plagiarized research is an especially egregious form of plagiarism. If the research is medical in nature, the consequences of plagiarism could mean the loss of peoples’ lives. This kind of plagiarism is particularly heinous.
The consequences of plagiarism are far-reaching and no one is immune. Neither ignorance nor stature excuses a person from the ethical and legal ramifications of committing plagiarism. Before attempting any writing project, learn about plagiarism. Find out what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it. The rules are easy to understand and follow. If there is any question about missing attribution, try using an online plagiarism checker or plagiarism detection software to check your writing for plagiarism before turning it in. Laziness or dishonesty can lead to a ruined reputation, the loss of a career, and legal problems.
("6 Consequences of Plagiarism." Plagiarism Detection Software. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2017.)
Surprisingly, the answer is YES.
When a paper you submit to satisfy a class assignment was originally written for a different assignment in a different class, that is considered self-plagiarism and is a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy.
"The Ethics of Self Plagiarism" an article from iThenticate which explains self-plagiarism and the issues that surround it.
Student Plagiarism in an Online World by 
