When writing an essay, are you allowed to copy paragraphs from a book ?

[Jules]

I'm writing an essay and I took a couple of paragraphs to help me with the essay.
Dude, it's an essay for college not some crazy million dollar project.

 

[CuteMixedDudee]

You can not take, there is no such thing as taking, you are stealing it is called Plagiarism.

What i advise you to do is, read it then rewrite it in your own word then credit the book and its writer and the specific paragraph. That way it is clear that you borrowed it not steal it.

Don't try to steal it, most colleges have a software that detects the work.

Good luck,

 

[StevenJPemberton]

It depends. Did your teacher say the essay had to be all your own work, or that no more than a certain percentage was allowed to be someone else's work? If he's OK with that, by all means put in a couple of paragraphs, but you have to cite them properly - acknowledge them as someone else's work. Not citing is plagiarism, which will get you a big fat F grade.

 

[Lomax]

Properly referenced and attributed, yes. But don't overdo it. Select quotes which support your argument, not those which make your argument for you.

 

[AlexandraWollstonecraft]

You put them in quotes an you say what book they are from, who wrote it, and what pages. Otherwise you can be accused of plagiarism.