ACS Citation Examples and Plagiarism
ACS Citation Examples
| Source Type | Citing In the References List |
| Books with Author only [No editor]: | Author, A. B.; Author, C. D. Book Title; Series Name and number; Publisher: City, STATE (2 letters), year; Vol. 1, pp xx-yy. |
| Books with Editor only [No Author Named]: | Book Title; Editor, A. B.; Editor, C. D., Eds.; Series Name and number; Publisher: City, STATE (2 letters), year; Vol. 2, pp xx-yy. |
| Books with Editors and Authors Named: | Author, A. B. In Book Title; Editor, C. D.; Ed.; Series Name and number; Publisher: City, STATE (2 letters), year; Vol. 3, pp xx-yy. |
| Journals: | Author, A. B.; Author, C. D. J. Abbrev. 19XX, vol,
xx-yy. NOTE: No punctuation in journal abbreviations except periods. No conjunctions, articles, or prepositions in journal abbreviations. No comma or semicolon before or after journal titles. |
| Online Journal Article: | Author(s). Title of article. Journal abbreviation [Online] year, volume, pages. |
| Patent: | Author, A. B. U.S. Patent 3,123,456, year. |
| Thesis: | Author, A. B. Ph.D. thesis, Institution Name, City, STATE,
year. NOTE: Do not include the title of the thesis. |
| URL (Web Page): | Author, if available. Title of page as listed on the site. Address of page (date accessed). |
| Unpublished Results: | Give author names and affiliations. Describe submitted material as unpublished. Unless an article has been published, it is either unpublished or accepted, in which case it is in press. Include the journal name and year. |
Citing in the Text: Indicate references in text by either:
- By number in parentheses or superscript at the end of the
line of text:
The enantioface differentiation depends on the reaction conditions and on the structure of the chiral auxiliary.2
The enantioface differentiation depends on the reaction conditions and on the structure of the chiral auxiliary (2). - By Author and Date:
The enantioface differentiation depends on the reaction conditions and on the structure of the chiral auxiliary ( Andres et al., 1997).
- Lichtman, Judy. American Chemical Society (ACS) Citation Style for Internet Sources. http://www.an.psu.edu/jkl1/chem/citing.html (November 2002).
- American Chemical Society. ACS Books Reference Style Guidelines. http://pubs.acs.org/books/references.shtml (November 2002).
- ACS Guidelines for Documenting Sources. http://iws.ohiolink.edu/chemistry/info/acs.html (November 2002)
Plagiarism
In writing, we draw upon others' words and ideas and the intellectual heritage underlying human progress. Scholarship entails researching, understanding, and building upon the work of others, but also requires that proper credit be given for any "borrowed" material.
WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?
Plagiarism means using another's work without giving credit. You must put others' words In quotation marks and cite your source(s) and you must provide citations when using others' ideas, even if those ideas are paraphrased in your own words.
"Work" consists of original ideas, strategies or research in the form of:
- writing (sentences, phrases, innovative terminology, formatting)
- art or graphics
- charts
- paintings
- photographs
- diagrams
- movies
- computer programs
- music and other creative expression
- various communication or recording media
- books
- magazines
- newspapers
- websites
- plays
- class lectures or notes
- class handouts
- speeches
- other students' papers
- material from a research service
WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED ABOUT PLAGIARISM?
- If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don't get specific feedback geared to your individual needs and skills.
- Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of another as your own.
- Plagiarism violates the Wash U Code of Academic Conduct and can result in Suspension or Dismissal.
- Plagiarism devalues others' original work as well as your previously submitted work if you use others' work or even your own previously submitted work without giving proper attribution. Submitting a professional writer's work as yours is taking an unfair advantage over students who do their own work.
- It is wrong to take or use property (an author's work) without giving the owner the value or credit due. Further, copyright violations can result in fines or damages.
- Washington University's reputation affects the value of your degree; student dishonesty hurts the university's standing and can make your diploma worth less.
Know what plagiarism is: ignorance will not excuse a violation.
Intentional plagiarism is deliberate copying or use of another's work without credit.
Unintentional plagiarism can result from not knowing citation standards ("I thought the Internet was free!"), from sloppy research and poor note-taking, or from careless "cutting and pasting" of electronic sources. Both intentional and unintentional plagarism are violations.
Dovetailing is submitting the same assignment for different courses or the same course. Submitting the same work (presumably your work) for two different assignments is considered plagiarism and will carry the same consequences, even if the two assignments were completed at different institutions.
GUIDELINES for AVOIDING PLAGIARISM:
- Use you own words and Ideas. Practice is essential to learning. Each time you choose your words, order your thoughts, and convey your ideas, you can improve your writing.
- Give Credit for copied, adapted, or paraphrased material. If you repeat another's exact words, you MUST use quotation marks AND cite the source. If you adapt a chart or paraphrase a sentence, you must still cite. Paraphrase means that you restate the author's ideas, meaning, and information in your own words (see examples).
- Avoid using others' work with "minor cosmetic" changes. Examples: using "less" instead of "fewer," reversing the order of a sentence, changing terms in a computer code, or altering a spread sheet layout. If the work is essentially the same, give credit.
- Always cite words, information, and ideas you use if they are new to you (learned in your research). No matter where you find it - even in an encyclopedia or on the Internet - you cite it!
- Beware of "Common Knowledge". You don't have to cite "common knowledge," BUT the fact must really be commonly known. That Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. President during the Civil War is common knowledge; that over 51,000 Union and Confederate soliders died in the Battle of Gettysburg' is not common knowledge.
- When in doubt, Cite. Better to be safe than not give credit when you should!
- Avoid panic situations that result in plagiarized work. One of the challenges of university work is learning to understand your personal limits and work habits. No one can properly prepare an assignment in one draft; we all need time to research, write, review, and edit several drafts before submitting a polished work with in-text citations (or endnotes, or footnotes) and an accurate bibliography. Understanding personal limits and work habits will allow you to develop realistic time lines for completing major assignments and research papers.
Examples of Plagiarism
Link to: Examples of Plagiarism from the University of Kentucky Department of Chemistry
Link to: Examples of Plagiarism from Widener University Department of Chemistry
Link to: Examples of Plagiarism from the Office of Research Integrity
Link to: Examples from "On Being a Scientist" © National Academy Sciences
Link to: Cases of Research Misconduct from University of California - San Diego