Which action is necessary to avoid plagiarism?

• A. Cite sources in the text.
• B. Copy large blocks of text with no citation.
• C. Ignore the source entirely.
• D. Only rely on memory.

Answer: (A)

Giving proper credit to outside sources through in-text citations is the action that prevents plagiarism. When you cite, you show which ideas come from someone else and clearly separate them from your own thinking. It lets readers find the original material and demonstrates honesty about where your information comes from. Citing sources isn’t just about quoting; it acknowledges ideas, data, or perspectives that influence your work, ensuring you’re not presenting someone else’s work as yours. Copying large blocks with no citation makes those words appear to be yours, ignoring the source means you never acknowledge where an idea came from, and relying only on memory can still obscure where you learned something, risking misattribution. In short, citing sources in the text is the essential practice to stay credible and avoid plagiarism.