A great first step in avoiding plagiarism is to cite the sources you used in preparing your research paper or project correctly. Remember, you must cite any source from which you gathered knowledge that you did not know before you started your research. There are different techniques you can use to incorporate information from your sources within your paper like summarizing it or paraphrasing it.
Whether you mean to do it or not, plagiarism is intellectual theft. See how Washburn University compares it to identify theft.
Quick Coach Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism by 
The Little Book of Plagiarism by 
Student Guide to Research in the Digital Age by