AVOIDING PLAGIARISM Companion to the Prentice Hall Reference Guide

What is plagiarism?  Taking another person’s ideas and/or language without attributing appropriate credit

Types of plagiarism  Intentional plagiarism  Taking another person’s ideas and/or language with the intention to steal  Taking a friend’s paper and handing it in as your own work  Copying from a book, article, or Web site and claiming the material as your own

Types of plagiarism  Unintentional plagiarism  Utilizing source materials, such as books, articles, and Web sites, and failing to provide appropriate quotation marks and correct citations  Failing to use a documentation format such as MLA and APA appropriately  Paraphrasing sources too closely or failing to use citations with paraphrased materials

Types of plagiarism  Both intentional and unintentional types of plagiarism are serious academic violations and WILL result in penalties.  Please be careful, and ask if you are unsure!

Why do people plagiarize?  Procrastination  Putting off writing, reading, or research  Panic  Frustration and writer’s block  Laziness  Failure to do the work

Why do people plagiarize?  Misunderstanding where the line is or exactly when to document sources  T aking notes without indicating material as quoted, summarized, or paraphrased  Paraphrasing too closely  Failing to document sources completely

Penalties for plagiarism  Requirement of extra work to make it up  F on the assignment  F for the course  Removal from course  Reprimand in permanent academic record  Academic probation  One-year suspension  Expulsion  Lawsuits  Employment obstacles  Exclusion from other academic or training programs in the future  Public embarrassment Civil PenaltiesAcademic Penalties

Avoiding plagiarism: THINK  Plan and START your writing assignments in advance.  Master documentation formats.  Learn how to quote, paraphrase, and summarize accurately.  Develop a detailed research strategy.  Get assistance when needed!

 Start your papers early.  Begin brainstorming as soon as a project is assigned.  Start research early.  Take your time.  Read, process, and evaluate sources.  Take careful notes and cite your sources. Avoid procrastination and panic!

 Document sources as you take notes. Write down whether you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing as you take notes from your source materials. Jot down page numbers or URLs for each source. Work carefully

 Document your sources as you write your draft. Begin a Works Cited Page or Bibliography in another window on your computer and add to it every time you find a source you think you MIGHT use. Work carefully

 Take time to get assistance.  Sit down with your instructor—even if it’s just to toss around ideas.  Meet with a writing tutor. They are experienced with research and documentation, too! Work carefully

Master documentation formats  Documentation formats give writers a way to show how source material has been integrated into their own research papers.  Many disciplines have their own specialized documentation format.  Be sure to select the correct format for the discipline for which you are writing.  See your instructor for help.

Master documentation formats  MLA (Modern Language Ass’n)  Used in humanities disciplines such as English and modern languages  APA (American Psychological Association)  Used in social science and medical science fields  Chicago Manual/Turabian Style  Used by historians  CSE (Council of Scientific Editors)  Used in biology and other science fields

Using sources: bibliography  Include a list of all sources used in your paper.  MLA – Works Cited  APA – References  CM – Works Cited, References, or Bibliography  CSE – References or References Cited  Bibliographic entries include the author’s name, title, and publication information.

Using sources: in-text citations  Citations must also be included within the text of the paper to indicate when you have used source material.  Source material must be cited next to passages that have been quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.  MLA in-text citations include only the author and page number, if there is one: (Taleb 64).  APA in-text citations include author, year, and page number: (Taleb, 2007, p. 64).

Quoting sources  Quoting: to take words EXACTLY from the source.  Quotation marks indicate you’ve used someone’s exact words.  An in-text citation should be included to give credit to the original source.  Quote sparingly, and select only the specific material you need.

Paraphrasing source material effectively  Paraphrasing: to gather ideas from a source, put them IN YOUR OWN WORDS, and insert an in-text citation.  You should significantly alter the phrasing and sentence construction.  NO quotation marks: it’s not their words, but yours.  DO cite your source: it’s not your idea, but theirs.

Summarizing source material responsibly  Summarizing means to shorten a long passage of source material INTO YOUR OWN WORDS.  DO include an in-text citation after a summary: it’s not your idea, but theirs.  NO quotation marks with a summary: it’s not their language, but yours.

Research strategy  Add entries to your bibliography pages as you use them.  Indicate in your notes whether you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing  Mark Q, P, or S.  Use quotation marks around other people’s words, even in your notes.  Mark page numbers as you use them.  Cross-check notes, bibliography, and in-text citations frequently.

Exercise  On the following slides, you will be given an excerpt from a magazine article and a passage from a student paper formatted in MLA documentation style.  Examine each passage to determine if it is plagiarized.

Exercise  The MLA-formatted bibliographic entry for this article is as follows: Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):  This article from Fast Company magazine describes alternative high schools—termed “Schools of the Future”—that are being established and funded by Microsoft. The article also discusses educational ventures by other companies.

Excerpt from the magazine article (p. 88) “ The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

Is this a form of plagiarism? Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007): Elizabeth Svoboda points out that Microsoft’s new schools replace traditional subjects with an innovative framework for learning, in which subjects are taught as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real- world problems (88). YES Passage from Student Paper:

The passage is paraphrased too closely to the original text. Elizabeth Svoboda points out that Microsoft’s new schools replace traditional subjects with an innovative framework for learning, in which subjects are taught as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real- world problems (88). Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

Is this a form of plagiarism? Elizabeth Svoboda points out that Microsoft’s new schools replace traditional subjects with an innovative framework for learning, in which subjects are taught “as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems” (88). NO Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

The passage is indicated with quotation marks and cited correctly. Elizabeth Svoboda points out that Microsoft’s new schools replace traditional subjects with an innovative framework for learning, in which subjects are taught “as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems” (88). Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

Is this a form of plagiarism? This innovative new curricular structure provides students and parents with a challenging alternative to traditional high school education. While many praise companies like Microsoft for taking steps to improve schools, others question whether corporations should have a role in shaping the American education system. YES Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

No parenthetical citation is provided. This innovative new curricular structure provides students and parents with a challenging alternative to traditional high school education. While many praise companies like Microsoft for taking steps to improve schools, others question whether corporations should have a role in shaping the American education system. Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

Is this a form of plagiarism? This innovative new curricular structure provides students and parents with a challenging alternative to traditional high school education. While many praise companies like Microsoft for taking steps to improve schools, others question whether corporations should have a role in shaping the American education system (Svoboda 88). NO Passage from Student Paper: Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

The paraphrased material is indicated by a parenthetical citation. Passage from Student Paper: This innovative new curricular structure provides students and parents with a challenging alternative to traditional high school education. While many praise companies like Microsoft for taking steps to improve schools, others question whether corporations should have a role in shaping the American education system (Svoboda 88). Article Excerpt: “The School of the Future is not just a high-tech overlay on the traditional curriculum—it represents a wholesale tearing apart of that traditional curriculum. The three Rs are gone; science, English, math, writing, and the rest are being taught not as separate “disciplines,” but as a set of interdependent tools for understanding real-world problems. And while the School of the Future may occupy a relatively radical position on the spectrum, corporate involvement in the education system is becoming commonplace, a role that has stirred plenty of controversy.” Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):

When do you need to cite your sources?  Cite ideas that did not originate with you.  Quotations  Paraphrases  Summarized material  Statistical data  If you are unsure of whether to cite or not, err on the side of caution and cite your sources.  Leave yourself enough time to ask specific questions of your instructor.

Avoiding plagiarism  Plan your writing assignments in advance.  Master documentation formats.  Learn how to quote, paraphrase, and summarize accurately.  Develop a detailed research strategy.

Work Cited Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Microsoft’s Class Action.” Fast Company (Sept. 2007):