Citations Tool Discourages Online Plagiarism
In an effort to curb Internet plagiarism andshow students that online works should betreated like those in print, GuruNet (www.gurunet.com) has launched a citations toolon its free answer-based search engine,Answers.com, which, in just one click,enables users to cite the information theyfind on the Web site. The tool automaticallyproduces bibliography entries for the site’scollection of more than a million topics,drawn from a database of over 100 referencesources. The new feature displays a “Cite”button next to each copyright at the bottomof all Answers.com pages. Users can choosethe sources they’ve used in their work, clickthe button, and be directed to a page with thefully formatted citation ready for copying.The tool even offers users a choice of citationstyles, including MLA, Chicago, or APA. Thecompany is now offering a free downloadableposter that highlights Web resourcecitation guidelines for anyone who logs on towww.answers.com/main/citations.jsp.
This article originally appeared in the 08/01/2005 issue of THE Journal.