Plagiarism

Plagiarism: High Tech Cheating

What is plagiarism?What isn’t?How to avoid plagiarismConsequences of plagiarism

What is plagiarism?

Oxford Dictionary definition: “to take and use as one’s own the thoughts, writings, or inventions of another.” (OED 1987)

In other words, the act of using the words or ideas of another and calling them your own.

Scope of Plagiarism

(Purdue University Online Writing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu)

Why it’s wrong

Plagiarism is stealing another’s work and calling it your own.

Plagiarism is lying about where you found the information and who wrote it.

Plagiarism removes any chance of learning from a research assignment.

IT’S SIMPLE:

Plagiarism is copying!

How to Avoid Plagiarism Plan well. Write down all sources. Read and take notes by paraphrasing and

summarizing. Never write directly from sources.

Use many sources and organize info by subject.

Whenever you use exact words, use quotes and footnote.

Don’t cut and paste from internet sources. Try reading and minimizing.

Try the paper folding method.

Failsafe Method

Always use phrases in notetaking

Use your own wordsDO NOT keep ideas in the same

order at the author

When can you copy directly from a text?

When exact words are key; it can’t be said any other way.

Should be rare, and in small amounts

Words copied must be identified by quotation marks. If longer than 2 lines, should be indented.

Source must be acknowledged directly after the quotes.

Examples

Kennedy in 1962 stated, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” (Kennedy, p. 108)

Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated reflected on the honor of being asked to carry the Olympic torch.

I was proud to be a tiny part of an amazing human chain…

Proud I was passing along the same flame carried -- for the

first time -- in Africa and South America, carried by Tom Cruise and Billy Mills and Miss World 2002 before me.

(Reilly, p. 110)

When do you have to give credit?You need to Document:

When you are using or referring to somebody else’s words or ideas from any source

When you use information gained through interviewing another person

When you copy the exact words or a "unique phrase” from somewhere

When you reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts,and pictures

When you use ideas that others have given you in conversations or over email

(http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_plagiar.html)

When Not to Give Credit

No Need to Document When:

MyWork!!!

When you are writing your own experiences, your own observations, your own insights your own thoughts, your own conclusions about a subject

When you are using "common knowledge" — folklore, common sense observations, shared information within your field of study or cultural group.

When you are compiling generally accepted fact When you are writing up your own experimental

results

How to Give Credit1. Name the author in the text of your report. For

example, According to Smith in his 2001 study, 56 percent of students admit to cheating at one time or another. (Smith, p.201)

2. Put the quote in quotation marks and footnote. Statistical material should be footnoted as well. (Author,page number). If no author, use (Title, page number).For example,

“It is difficult to imagine a better young adult novel than The Outsiders.” (Silvey, p. 308)

3. Always cite all sources in your bibliography.

Recap

There are three ways to cite the author of information you’re using.

You must list every source in your bibliography.

You must footnote direct quotes or statistical information.

If you are paraphrasing someone’s ideas, give them credit in the text by mentioning their name and footnote.

What Are We Looking For?

A responsible use of informationA moral codeStudents who are learning the

most from the research process (taking notes, forming your own conclusions, writing your own text)

If you choose to plagiarize,the consequences are:

Disciplinary pointsFailing grade on the assignment