CHS Library & Other Resources “Building a Research Paper” Introducing Plagiarism and MLA Citation Tips

Lesson Objectives Learn about the concept of plagiarism. Learn the reasons for using a citation style, like MLA. Correctly utilize and identify MLA citation style.

What is Plagiarism? “Plagiarism” is the theft of words, phrases, sentence structures, ideas, or opinions.”

When does it occur? Plagiarism occurs when any such information is taken from any source or person and-- intentionally or unintentionally-- presented or "borrowed" without mention of the source. Plagiarism also occurs when materials from cited sources are reproduced exactly or nearly exactly but are not put in quotation marks.

How to Avoid Plagiarism The best way to avoid plagiarism is to learn how to use a citation style (like MLA) and then apply it consistently in all your work. If not, you may fail the assignment or course.

When to give your source... You must acknowledge in your paper the source of A direct quotation A statistic An idea Someone else’s opinion Concrete facts not considered “common knowledge” Information not commonly known Information taken from the computer (CD ROMS, internet, etc.) Illustrations, photographs, or charts – if not yours Source: Silverman, Jay, Elaine Hughes, and Diana Roberts Weinbroer. Rules of Thumb: A Guide for Writers. New York: McGraw Hill, 2002.

Sources GENERAL RULE: Ideally, no more than 25 percent of your paper should be direct quotations Paraphrase as much as you can Use direct quotations when citing a statistic or original theory Use author's words if they capture a point exactly

SummarizingQuotingParaphrasing Must reference the original source The text is much shorter than the original text. (For example, one may write a single page to summarize a four- page article.) Must use your own words, usually with a very limited use of quotations. Must reference the original source The text produced is the exact length of the original text quoted (unless ellipses are used) Use the original author’s exact words Put quotation marks around the original author’s exact words Include the page number of the original source from which you borrowed the author’s original language.  Must reference the original source  The text produced may be shorter or longer than the original text  Must use your own words

When to Paraphrase or Summarize You must still acknowledge your source if you… Paraphrase: Put someone else’s ideas into your own words Summarize: Condense someone else’s words or ideas

Why use summarizing, paraphrasing and quoting? Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing Give examples of several points of view on a subject Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Signal Phrases in MLA Model Signal Phrases: “In the words of researchers Long and McKinzie…” “As Paul Rudnick has noted…” “Melinda Stuart, mother of a child killed by a drunk driver, points out…” “…,writes Michelle Moore, …” NOTE: Never use “says” Verbs in Signal Phrases: acknowledges admits agrees asserts believes claims comments confirms contends declares denies disputes emphasizes endorses grants illustrates Implies notes observes points out reasons refutes suggests writes Complete list: Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 5 th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, p. 336.

USE YOUR TIME WISELY!! Putting off your assignment just means you will get desperate at the last minute and be more tempted to PLAGIARIZE!

The following is an article that we’ll skim So That Nobody Has To Go To School If They Don't Want To by Roger Sipher A decline in standardized test scores is but the most recent indicator that American education is in trouble. One reason for the crisis is that present mandatory-attendance laws force many to attend school who have no wish to be there. Such children have little desire to learn and are so antagonistic to school that neither they nor more highly motivated students receive the quality education that is the birthright of every American. The solution to this problem is simple: Abolish compulsory-attendance laws and allow only those who are committed to getting an education to attend. This will not end public education. Contrary to conventional belief, legislators enacted compulsory-attendance laws to legalize what already existed. William Landes and Lewis Solomon, economists, found little evidence that mandatory-attendance laws increased the number of children in school. They found, too, that school systems have never effectively enforced such laws, usually because of the expense involved. There is no contradiction between the assertion that compulsory attendance has had little effect on the number of children attending school and the argument that repeal would be a positive step toward improving education. Most parents want a high school education for their children. Unfortunately, compulsory attendance hampers the ability of public school officials to enforce legitimate educational and disciplinary policies and thereby make the education a good one. Private schools have no such problem. They can fail or dismiss students, knowing such students can attend public school. Without compulsory attendance, public schools would be freer to oust students whose academic or personal behavior undermines the educational mission of the institution. Has not the noble experiment of a formal education for everyone failed? While we pay homage to the homily, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," we have pretended it is not true in education.

Ask high school teachers if recalcitrant students learn anything of value. Ask teachers if these students do any homework. Quite the contrary, these students know they will be passed from grade to grade until they are old enough to quit or until, as is more likely, they receive a high school diploma. At the point when students could legally quit, most choose to remain since they know they are likely to be allowed to graduate whether they do acceptable work or not. Abolition of archaic attendance laws would produce enormous dividends. First, it would alert everyone that school is a serious place where one goes to learn. Schools are neither day-care centers nor indoor street corners. Young people who resist learning should stay away; indeed, an end to compulsory schooling would require them to stay away. Second, students opposed to learning would not be able to pollute the educational atmosphere for those who want to learn. Teachers could stop policing recalcitrant students and start educating. Third, grades would show what they are supposed to: how well a student is learning. Parents could again read report cards and know if their children were making progress. Fourth, public esteem for schools would increase. People would stop regarding them as way stations for adolescents and start thinking of them as institutions for educating America's youth. Fifth, elementary schools would change because students would find out early they had better learn something or risk flunking out later. Elementary teachers would no longer have to pass their failures on to junior high and high school. Sixth, the cost of enforcing compulsory education would be eliminated. Despite enforcement efforts, nearly 15 percent of the school-age children in our largest cities are almost permanently absent from school. Communities could use these savings to support institutions to deal with young people not in school. If, in the long run, these institutions prove more costly, at least we would not confuse their mission with that of schools. Schools should be for education. At present, they are only tangentially so. They have attempted to serve an all-encompassing social function, trying to be all things to all people. In the process they have failed miserably at what they were originally formed to accomplish. Here is the citation for Sipher's essay: ● Sipher, Roger. “So That Nobody Has to Go to School If They Don't Want To.” The New York Times. 19 December Page 31. Print.

Example summary: Roger Sipher makes his case for getting rid of compulsory-attendance laws in primary and secondary schools with six arguments. These fall into three groups—first that education is for those who want to learn and by including those that don't want to learn, everyone suffers. Second, that grades would be reflective of effort and elementary school teachers wouldn't feel compelled to pass failing students. Third, that schools would both save money and save face with the elimination of compulsory-attendance laws.

Example paraphrase of the essay's conclusion: ● Roger Sipher concludes his essay by insisting that schools have failed to fulfill their primary duty of education because they try to fill multiple social functions (para. 17).

Example quotation: According to Roger Sipher, a solution to the perceived crisis of American education is to "Abolish compulsory-attendance laws and allow only those who are committed to getting an education to attend" (para. 3).

Summarize this paragraph using correct citation Source material ● Milgram, S. (1974). The perils of obedience. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.) The Blair reader (pp ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall ● The problem of obedience is not wholly psychological. The form and shape of society and the way it is developing have much to do with it. There was a time, perhaps, when people were able to give a fully human response to any situation because they were fully absorbed in it as human beings. But as soon as there was a division of labor things changed.

Paraphrase a section of the paragraph and cite it. Source material ● Milgram, S. (1974). The perils of obedience. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.) The Blair reader (pp ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall ● The problem of obedience is not wholly psychological. The form and shape of society and the way it is developing have much to do with it. There was a time, perhaps, when people were able to give a fully human response to any situation because they were fully absorbed in it as human beings. But as soon as there was a division of labor things changed.

Use a direct quote from the paragraph and cite it. Source material ● Milgram, S. (1974). The perils of obedience. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.) The Blair reader (pp ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall ● The problem of obedience is not wholly psychological. The form and shape of society and the way it is developing have much to do with it. There was a time, perhaps, when people were able to give a fully human response to any situation because they were fully absorbed in it as human beings. But as soon as there was a division of labor things changed.

Direct and Indirect Quotes Direct Quote —is a quote in which the author uses words from a source exactly as they were written. The words are taken verbatim. A direct quote is indicated by putting the words in quotation marks (“…”). A direct quote must be cited. Indirect Quote —is a quote in which an author paraphrases, or puts into his/her own words, an idea from a source. An indirect quote must be cited.

The Modern Language Association Citation Style (MLA Citation) MLA, like other citations styles consists of two things: 1.In-text Citations (Also called Parenthetical Citations) 2.Works Cited Page (composed of Bibliographic Entries) **You must utilize both correctly to avoid plagiarism!

Why Use MLA Format? Allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily Provides consistent format within a discipline Gives you credibility as a writer Protects yourself from plagiarism

In-Text or Parenthetical Citations …a system in which you give your source in parentheses immediately after you give the information. Four Common Citations: Author and page number Title and page number Page number only Secondhand quotations The first word of your citation match the corresponding entry on your Works Cited page!

Cite Your Sources!! In-text citations of sources have two requirements: 1.They need to include enough information for the audience to find the source on the works cited page. 2.They need to include enough information so the audience knows where to find the borrowed material in the original source you used. Examples (Last Name Page #) (Garcia 136)

Types of In-text Citations In-text citations can come in two main forms: 1. Author named within the quote: At one point, Cofer writes, “Growing up in a large urban center…I suffered from what I think of as cultural schizophrenia” (175). 2. Author not named within the quote: “On the other side, many Americans expressed surprise at the frequency with which French people spoke about money” (Carroll 313). *As you can see, both styles of citations include the author’s last name and the page number.

In-Text Citation – Author & Page No. (Keeling 125) Notice there is no “p” and no comma. The struggle for identity is common during puberty (Keeling 125).

In-Text Citations – Title & Page No. Her distinctive writing style adds to her mystique (“Plath” 19). Often, articles, editorials, pamphlets, and other materials have no author listed; thus, give the first distinctive word of the title followed by page #

In-Text Citations – Page No. Only If you have already mentioned the author’s name, put a page number only: Keeling states that Plath’s work stands in stark contrast to other confessional poets (58).

In-Text Citation – Organization as Author Often, an organization serves as the author: The National Council for Teachers of English state that students bring insider knowledge of youth culture and a passion for and investment in its texts and practices (5). OR Students bring insider knowledge of youth culture (National Council for the Teachers of English 5).

Other forms of In-Text Citations 1.Two authors: (Johnson and Rodriguez 221) 2.Three or more authors:(York et al. 75) ← “et al.” means “and others” 3.A work with no page numbers (like a webpage):(Miller) *You add the full title only if it is short. If it is a long title, you only use the first one or two words.

Works Cited Entries A Works Cited Page is composed of Works Cited Entries, commonly called bibliographic entries. There are dozens of different types of sources, and there is an MLA work cited format for each one. The most common formats are those for : 1.A book with one author 2.A book with two authors 3.A book with an editor 4.An article from an online periodical (journals and magazines) 5.An internet site

A Book with One Author For example: (sample) Last, First. Book Title. City: Publisher, Year. Use the following information to write the citation correctly: Author: Carol Gilligan Title: In a Different Voice Year Published:1982 Publisher: Harvard Press Publishing City: Cambridge (example) Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice. Cambridge: Harvard Press, 1982.

A Book with Two+ Authors The basic format for a book with two authors is nearly identical to one with one author. You just need to add the second author’s name, but this time the second author goes First Name first, Last Name Last. For example: (sample) Last, First and First Last. Book Title. City: Publisher, Year. Use the following information to write the citation correctly: Author: Carol Embry & Joseph Addison Title: The Lives of the Eighteenth Century Satirists Year Published:1796 Publisher: Penguin Publishing City: London (example) Embry, Carol and Joseph Addison. The Lives of the Eighteenth Century Satirists. London: Penguin, *Notice that when a citation does not fit on one line, the next line starts 5 spaces in from the first line.

A Book with an Editor (or two!) For example: (sample) Last, First, ed. Book Title. City: Publisher, Year. Use the following information to write the citation correctly: Editor: Harold Bloom Title: Shakespeare’s Baudy Year Published: 1996 Publisher: Globe Press Publishing City: Stratford-upon-Avon (example) Bloom, Harold, ed. Shakespeare’s Baudy. Stratford- upon-Avon: Globe Press, 1996.

An Article from an online database magazine For example: (sample) Last, First. “Article Title.” Name of Mag. Date of publication: page numbers. Name of database. Vendor. Date Visited. Use the following information to write the citation correctly: Author: John Khan Article Title: The Chinese Theatre Name of Magazine: Journal of Drama Studies Date of Publication: June 2003 Page numbers: Name of database: Proquest Vendor: Gale Learning Date visited: May 2, 2011 Site address of database: (example) Khan, John. “The Chinese Theatre.” Journal of Drama Studies June 2003: Proquest. Gale Learning. 2 May

An Internet Site For example: (sample) Last, First. “Title of page.” Title of home page. Date written or posted (day month, year). Date visited. Use the following information to write the citation correctly: Author: Mary Smith Title of page: Science in America Title of homepage: United States Science Date written/posted: n/a (not available) Date visited: May 3, 2010 Site address:. (example) Smith, Mary. “Science in America.” United States Science. 3 May *Because webpages are unregulated, there is a great degree of variation on whether it will have all these pieces of information. If your site does not, skip that piece and move on to the next one.

In-Text Citations - How Often to Give Citations When several facts in a row within one paragraph all come from the same page of a source, use one citation to cover them all. Place the citation after the last fact. The citation MUST be in the same paragraph as the facts!

Works Cited List only those sources that you actually used List the complete title of the article, essay, or book Alphabetize your list by authors’ last names or the first main word in a title Online sources usually follow the print format followed by the URL. (journals, newspapers, magazines, abstracts, books, reviews, scholarly projects or databases, etc.) Format – ❖ Author’s last name first ❖ Double-space ❖ Left Margin ➢ Indent second and third lines five spaces ➢ Most item separated by periods – leave one space after ending punctuation. ➢ Place a period at the end of each entry.

Now for some practice!

Which of the following examples is a correctly formatted citation for a one author book, where the quoted material comes from page 75? (Jones, 75)(Jones, p.75) (Jones page 75) (Jones 75)

Correct! (Jones 75) In text citations for one author books only contain the author’s last name and the page number. You should not put a comma, “p.” or “page.”

Which of the following examples is a correctly formatted citation for a two author book, where the quoted material starts on page 84 and ends on page 86? (Garica and Lo, ) (Garica and Lo ) (Garica & Lo 84 to 86) (Garica & Lo 84-86)

Correct! ☺ In text citations for two author books contain the authors’ last names separated by “and”, and the page number. When there is a range of pages, you put the starting page, a dash, and then the ending page. (Garica and Lo )

The example below is what kind of a bibliographic citation? Erickson, Leif. “How I discovered America.” Journal of Viking Studies 24 (1991): Periodical Book with one author NewspaperWebpage

Correct! ☺ Bibliographic citations that have “” quotation marks, automatically should tell you that it is a selection in another publication. Therefore, these types of citations are either journal, magazine, or newspaper articles (all periodicals). Periodical

In the following citation, what part of it is incorrect? Holland, Merlin, and Miller, John. The Big Book of Stories. Chicago: Altamira Press, City2nd Author’s Name 1st Author’s NamePublisher

Correct! ☺ Bibliographic citations list the first author’s name “last name” first and “first name” last, but all other authors are listed “first name” first and “last name” last. 2nd Author’s Name

What you learned today In this lesson you learned: 1.about plagiarism, 2.the importance of citation styles, 3.and how to use MLA citation style. Good Luck building your research paper. Use your Library—we can help you be Successful!