Even those with excellent training for preparing written work are likely to find themselves with questions. It may be the first time to use a required citation style, the first time to work with a co-author, or some other new situation. Some of the basics don't change:
- Give appropriate credit to others.
- Even when credit is given, there are limits on what and on how much can be re-used.
- Make sure that citations get readers to the source.
- There will be gray areas.
We recommend familiarizing yourself with the basics of copyright and with the general guidelines of one of the major citation styles (IEEE and APA are two examples). This should be before you begin researching and gathering sources. Also before you begin gathering sources, we advise that you start using one of the citation management tools (such as Zotero or EndNote).
We all know this: Time management is important. Allowing enough time for the job helps us avoid errors.
The pages below will --- we hope --- help with being an ethical author.
