CJSA 1393 (Forensic Anthropology) - Dr. S. Baldon

Before submitting your reaction essay:

• Attach a copy of your chosen research article to your reaction essay.
• Include citations for all direct quotes.
  • Dr. Morris prefers APA-style citations.

If you're confused about citations:

Check out the "APA Citations" box on this page or ask an MCC librarian for help by stopping by the library or by using the links in the "Get Research and Citation Help" box on this page.

1. Read your assignment carefully.
2. Make sure you understand the assignment requirements:

• Assigned topic (if one exists)
• The goal of the assignment, such as: discuss, explore, relate, compare (or compare and contrast), analyze, etc.
• The word count (or number of pages) you must create
• The type of information sources you are allowed (or required) to use for research
• The style guide required for the assignment, which determines:
  • Format (margin width, font, headers, sections of paper, etc)
  • Citation and reference style 
• Any special requirements your instructor has assigned
• The grading rubric your instructor will use (so you can strive to meet the standards it contains)
• Due date(s)

3. Ask your instructor if you have questions. It is best to ask your instructor instead of your classmates or other college staff because only your instructor knows exactly what she/he/they expect.
4. Make sure the paper you turn in meets all of the expectations you found during this process.

It's easy to understand most types of cheating because we learned about them as children. It's harder to understand plagiarism though.

Take a look at McLennan Community College's Academic Integrity policy to learn how the college defines cheating and plagiarism and discover the penalties for each.

Afterward, visit Purdue OWL's Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing or its Best Practices to Avoid Plagiarism to make sure you know how to avoid accidental plagiarism. (Yes, you can accidentally commit plagiarism!)

The video below also offers some useful information on plagiarism and tips for avoiding it.

Are you struggling to find research materials, use our library databases, or write citations and references? Our research librarians can help!

Just need a little help? Visit the Learning Commons' third-floor desk in the Learning Technology Center (LTC), or contact us via live chat or email. You can also call us at 254-299-8325.

Need a lot of help? Schedule a research consultation with one of our research librarians. It's their job to help you succeed!

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Academic Support and Tutoring (AST) provides free tutoring to MCC students (including writing and citation assistance) and free support and tutorials for college-related software.

AST offers in-person support in the Learning Commons, located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Learning Technology Center (LTC). You can also reach out to AST via phone, Zoom, or email.

Use the link above to learn more about AST and locate its contact information and hours. 

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.