Plagiarism – Just Don’t Do It! By Mrs. Venkataraman Fall 2014 Adapted from a presentation by Sheila Walrath, LMS Tempe Union School District

Plagiarism: What is it? Merriam-Webster’s Definition: To use the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own words or ideas.

Plagiarism can also be defined as Cheating or Deception. “If you attempt to use another person’s work as if it were your own, without adequate acknowledgment of the original source; and if this is done in work that you submit for a grade then you are attempting to deceive your teacher, your parents, or anyone reading the paper. In other words, plagiarism is cheating and it is deceitful in that you are trying to claim the credit for something that is not your work.” Shelia Walrath, LMS

Why is Plagiarism Wrong? If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don’t learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don’t get specific feedback geared to your individual needs and skills. Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of another as your own. Unintentional plagiarism is still cheating.

Is It Really Such A Problem? The Josephson Institute for Youth Ethics surveyed 43,000 H.S. students in public & private schools and found that: 59% admitted to cheating on a test last year & 34% self-reported doing it more than two times. Also, one out of three H.S. students admitted they used the internet to plagiarize an assignment. Plagiarism.org

Catching the Plagiarist The internet has made plagiarism easier with access to term paper mills, search engines, encyclopedias, e-books, etc. In response, websites have been developed which help teachers analyze papers and develop strategies to prevent plagiarism. Some sites are: http://turnitin.com/

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism Use your own words and ideas. Give credit for copied, adapted, or paraphrased material. Avoid using other’s work with minor “cosmetic” changes. There are no “freebies.” Beware of “common knowledge.”

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism Use your own words & ideas. This is a skill that improves with practice. It requires an understanding of the topic. It requires that you give yourself credit for your own abilities.

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism Give credit for copied, adapted, or paraphrased material. If you repeat another’s exact words, you MUST use quotation marks and cite the source. If you adapt a chart or paraphrase a sentence, you must still cite. Paraphrase means that you restate the author’s ideas, meaning, and information in your own words. WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE.

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism Avoid using others’ work with minor “cosmetic” changes. Examples: using “less” for “fewer”, reversing the order of a sentence, or altering a spread sheet layout. If the work is essentially the same, give credit. WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE.

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism There are no “freebies.” ALWAYS cite words, information, and ideas you use if they are new to you (learned in your research). No matter where you find it – even in an encyclopedia or on the internet – you cite it. WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE.

Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism Beaware of “Common Knowledge” You don’t have to cite “common knowledge” BUT the fact must really be commonly known. That George Washington was the first U.S. president is common knowledge. That George Washington was an expert dancer is not common knowledge. WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE.

How Do I Cite the Sources? If you wish to avoid accusations of plagiarism, you must cite your sources properly. I suggest the following website: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

In Conclusion, Just don’t Plagiarize When presenting a work for a grade it must be entirely your own work, written by you in your own words, and containing your own interpretations, ideas, approaches, etc. It must state clearly where you got other people’s words or major ideas. It must state clearly where you got your charts, diagrams, photos, graphics, and media (including sound, video and digital images).

PLAGIARISM – JUST DON’T DO IT! Plagiarism – Trying to claim the credit for something that is not your work. Special thanks to: Shelia Walrath, LMS