Complementary & Alternative Medicine: Research, Writing & Citing

Consult the books below for help with research and writing in the field of CAM. This list is only a sample of what's available through the Library; search the Library catalogue for more titles.

In academic writing, you must cite the sources you use. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism, a serious academic offence (see below).

Citations let the reader know that certain words or ideas in your work came from another source, giving credit where it's due. They allow readers to identify, find, and consult the sources themselves. In addition, citing your sources demonstrates to your instructor that your paper is based on solid (or not-so-solid) research.

Usually, your instructors will specify in class or in a course syllabus which citation style they want you to use in your papers. In addictions counselling, you will most likely be using APA style, which is defined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The following resources provide examples of citations in APA style:

The University of Lethbridge's Student Discipline Policy defines plagiarism as the representation of "the words, ideas, images, or data of another person as [one's] own."

Plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, is considered a serious academic offence. The penalties for committing plagiarism range from a reduced grade on an assignment to a grade of 'F' in a course. Under some circumstances, a more severe penalty, such as suspension or expulsion, may be imposed.  It is thus very important to understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it.

For more information, visit our Understand Plagiarism guide.