Internet Safety
While the internet is a fast and useful tool for research (as well as entertainment), it is also a potentially dangerous place if you don't know how to protect yourself. And I don't just mean from faceless boogey people (although those exist too) on the other side of the web. I'm talking about how to keep yourself safe physically, mentally, AND legally. The video below is a good overview of some dangers of the internet. It's about 15 minutes long. Please take the time to view it before looking at some more detailed descriptions of specific issues below
Physically and Mentally...
Often, teenagers use the internet without thinking about its consequences
Talking to Strangers
The advice adults gave when you were younger is still true on the internet, if not more so: Don't talk to strangers! Like the video above demonstrated, on the internet, you can be anyone you want to be. So can the people that you talk to. Protect yourself from strangers and don't give out your personal information, don't post anything you don't want others to see, and don't make appointments to meet with people that you don't know. Remember, keeping yourself safe in the virtual world helps keep you safe in the physical world. If you are not careful in the virtual world, you might learn very quickly how much the virtual world and the physical world are interlinked. |
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is often more difficult to define than what we think of as "normal" face-to-face bullying is. And while we often think of bullying as physically picking on someone, it often gets ignored that being teased or called mean names is bullying as well. Students often find it hard to talk about being bullied in general, but the actions of bullying are easier to detect in the real world. Cyberbullying is bullying that happens via electronic devices, such as texting, posting on social websites, or sending mean e-mails. Don't think that because the mean actions are not being performed physically that it is not bullying. Find out here what cyberbullying is and how to stop it from happening. |
Legally...
You MUST cite work which is not yours
Protect yourself from Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is one big facet of academic honesty. As we said, academic honesty means that you must do your own work. You may not pass off work that is not original as your own. Anytime you use someone else's research or information to back up your own, you MUST cite it. Take a look at this link to familiarize yourself with what plagiarism is.
Aside from issues of academic honesty, plagiarizing someone else's work could land you in hot water legally. Essentially, you are stealing someone else's ideas and work when you plagiarize. Stealing has consequences, whether small ones (like detention) or big ones (like a lawsuit) so make sure you give credit where credit is due.
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is one big facet of academic honesty. As we said, academic honesty means that you must do your own work. You may not pass off work that is not original as your own. Anytime you use someone else's research or information to back up your own, you MUST cite it. Take a look at this link to familiarize yourself with what plagiarism is.
Aside from issues of academic honesty, plagiarizing someone else's work could land you in hot water legally. Essentially, you are stealing someone else's ideas and work when you plagiarize. Stealing has consequences, whether small ones (like detention) or big ones (like a lawsuit) so make sure you give credit where credit is due.
Bibliography Generators
A bibliography is an important part of any research paper. First of all, it provides information about the sources that you cited in your paper, allowing readers to do additional research on their own if they would like. Second of all, it also provides validity to your research, proving that you have cited reputable sources. (Wikipedia, however convenient it is, is NOT a reputable source because it can be edited by anyone.) In other words, it helps to make sure that you aren't plagiarizing!!!
Here are two different bibliography generators that I like to use. Easy Bib and Son of Citation both allow generations using MLA, APA, or Chicago styles, but Easy Bib only provides MLA format for free. But since most of the bibliographies that you will be creating will be in MLA, that isn't much of a problem. I prefer using Son of Citation because additionally it allows ISBN searches of books, which makes the generation much faster when the book is a textbook with a very long list of authors.
A bibliography is an important part of any research paper. First of all, it provides information about the sources that you cited in your paper, allowing readers to do additional research on their own if they would like. Second of all, it also provides validity to your research, proving that you have cited reputable sources. (Wikipedia, however convenient it is, is NOT a reputable source because it can be edited by anyone.) In other words, it helps to make sure that you aren't plagiarizing!!!
Here are two different bibliography generators that I like to use. Easy Bib and Son of Citation both allow generations using MLA, APA, or Chicago styles, but Easy Bib only provides MLA format for free. But since most of the bibliographies that you will be creating will be in MLA, that isn't much of a problem. I prefer using Son of Citation because additionally it allows ISBN searches of books, which makes the generation much faster when the book is a textbook with a very long list of authors.