Question

how do citations prevent plagiarism
they show the actual author or source of ideas or information
they show that you claimed credit for someone else's ideas or information
they show that the you created the idea or gathered the information
they show that you paraphrased someone else's ideas or information

Answer 1

Citations prevent plagiarism primarily by:

1. **Showing the actual author or source of ideas or information**: Citations give credit to the original creators of the content, making it clear where the information originated. This helps distinguish between your own ideas and those of others.

While the other options touch on aspects of citation, they are not as directly related to the primary function of citations in preventing plagiarism:

- **Claiming credit for someone else's ideas or information** is misleading; citations are meant to acknowledge the original source, not claim it as your own.

- **Showing that you created the idea or gathered the information** is incorrect; citations indicate that the ideas or information come from someone else, not that you created it.

- **Showing that you paraphrased someone else's ideas or information** is part of the citation process but does not encompass the full scope of why citations are important for avoiding plagiarism.

Thus, the correct primary function is that citations show the actual author or source of ideas or information.