Avoiding Plagiarism Created by: Sarah Sifers and Cheryl Radeloff Funded by: Minnesota State University, Mankato College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

What is plagiarism? Original: Psychologists do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Plagiarism: Psychologists do not declare the words and ideas of another as their own; they give recognition where recognition is due. Appropriate: According the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (2001), it is not appropriate to use another person’s words or concepts without acknowledging the original source. As the manual states, psychologists “give credit where credit is due” (American Psychological Association, 2001, p. 349).

How do I paraphrase? Original: In lazy writing, an individual simply lifts paragraph after paragraph out of one or more sources and presents them as a paper. The difference between plagiarism and lazy writing is that in lazy writing, the individual properly cites the source of the material. Plagiarism: In slothful writing, an individual simply takes paragraph after paragraph out of one or more sources and presents them as a paper. The difference between plagiarism and slothful writing is that in slothful writing, the individual correctly cites the source of the matter (Bordens & Abbott, 1996). Appropriate: There is a distinction between writing that is slothful and plagiarism. In slothful writing, the individual cites the source appropriately, but still uses large sections of another person’s or people’s work as his or her own (Bordens & Abbott, 1996).

How do I quote? Original: Quotation marks are used only for quotations that employ the exact words from some source (either spoken or written), but not for indirect quotations in which a source’s ideas are used but not the exact words. Plagiarism: According to the Webster’s New World English Grammar Handbook, quotation marks are used only for quotations that employ the exact words from some source (Loberger & Welsh, 2002, p. 172). Appropriate: According to the Webster’s New World English Grammar Handbook, “quotation marks are used only for quotations that employ the exact words from some source” (Loberger & Welsh, 2002, p. 172).

Where can I look for additional information? A Writer’s Reference, fifth edition, by Diana Hacker, Bedford/St. Martin’s, c/plagiarism.htmlhttp://gervaseprograms.georgetown.edu/h c/plagiarism.html earch/r_plagiar.htmlhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/res earch/r_plagiar.html

References American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Bordens, K. S. & Abbott, B. B. (1996). Research design and methods: A process approach (3rd ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company. Loberger, G. & Welsh, K. S. (2002). Webster’s new world English grammar handbook. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley.