1. What is Plagiarism? Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying“ and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means: *To steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own. *To use (another's production) without crediting the source. *To commit literary theft. *To present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.

2. But can words and ideas really be stolen? According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

3. All of the following are considered plagiarism: Turning in someone else's work as your own. Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit. Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks. Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit. Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not.

4. Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism at this grade level. There are many easy web based programs that can generate an accurately formatted citation. Easybib.com is one of my favorite citing sites.

5. Give credit to your source The opening screen of a presentation must indicate that it follows the "fair use" rules of the U.S. Copyright law. Copyright information for all items used must be included in a bibliography. Note: These pages provide a simplified version of copyright laws and regulations. Consult the original sources if you are unsure.

6. “Fair Use” guidelines have been established. Fair use for educators, simply put, is the ability to copy copyrighted material for a limited period and for a limited purpose. Fair use means that the copy is not being sold or marketed beyond the classroom. Fair use law states, in part, that copying portions of copyrighted materials is legal for “criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.” -School Library Journal ChatRoom, September 2002 When determining fair use, four factors are considered: *the purpose of the use (Is this venture for profit or nonprofit?) *the nature of the publication (Is the work already published, or highly creative?) *the amount of work that will be copied (In general, less copied is better than more) *the effect of the copy on the work’s market.(Is the market being impacted by this use? Has the work been lawfully acquired or is it being copied to avoid purchasing it? Will the copy be used to generate revenue?) -School Library Journal,Carrie on Copyright, January 2004

7. A snapshot of the guidelines for including work that is done by other people in your own presentation, report, or movie are as follows: Writing from a book, magazine, etc. Up to 1000 words, but not more than 10% of the book or article Poems Up to 250 words (or the entire poem if it is less than 250 words) No more than 3 poems by the same poet No more than 5 poems from a collection of poetry

8. Guidelines continued Photographs or drawings Up to 5 graphics or photos from the same person No more than 15 images from the same collection Images cannot be changed Video Up to 3 minutes but no more than 10% of the entire video The video clip may not be changed in any way

9. Guidelines continued Music Up to 30 seconds but no more than 10% of sheet music Up to 30 seconds but no more than 10% of a recording The music cannot be changed in any major way

10. Understanding Copyright The Federal Copyright Act (Title 17 of the U.S. Code) governs how copyrighted materials, such as movies, may be used. Neither the rental nor the purchase of a movie carries with it the right to show the movie publicly outside the home, unless the site where the movie is used is properly licensed for public exhibition. Ownership of the movie and the right to use it publicly are two separate issues. The copyright holder retains exclusive public performance rights. This legal copyright compliance requirement applies to schools, public libraries, daycare facilities, parks, recreation departments, summer camps, churches, private clubs, prisons, lodges, businesses, etc.

11. It applies… Regardless of how the movies are obtained Whether or not an admission fee is charged Whether the facility or organization is commercial or non-profit Whether a federal, state or local agency is involved

12. Educational Exemption The Educational Exemption, also called the "face-to-face teaching exemption," is a precise activity which allows the legal use of movies in certain types of teaching.

13. In order for a movie to be considered an "Educational Exemption," all criteria must be met. A teacher or instructor is present. The showing takes place in a classroom setting with only the enrolled students attending. The movie is used as an essential part of the core, current curriculum being taught. ***(The instructor should be able to show how the use of the motion picture contributes to the overall required course study and syllabus.)*** The movie being used is a legitimate copy, not taped from a legitimate copy or taped from TV.

14. Unsure? If you are uncertain about your responsibilities under copyright law, consult your school's legal copyright representative, or Faye Stone at ESC2.

15. Why is Copyright Infringement a Concern? The concept of "Public Performance" is central to copyright and the issue of protection for "intellectual property.“ If an author, computer programmer, musician or movie producer does not retain ownership of his or her "work," there would be little incentive for them to continue and little chance of recouping the enormous investment in time, research and development, much less profits for future endeavors.

16. Copyright Infringers can be prosecuted. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and its member companies are dedicated to stopping film and video piracy in all its forms, including unauthorized public performances, illegal downloading, etc. The motion picture companies can go to court to ensure their copyrights are not violated. To avoid being cited for copyright infringement, and embarrassing publicity and fines, it is important to comply with U.S. Copyright Law when using movies publicly. If you are uncertain about your responsibilities under copyright law, consult your legal copyright compliance advisor or attorney.

17. Copyright Resources: Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) The MPAA is an anti-piracy organization that is dedicated to assisting local governments and law enforcement authorities in the investigation and prosecution of piracy cases. Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide By Carol Mann Simpson, 4th edition. (Linworth Publishing, c2005). Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide Commonsense Copyright: A Guide for Educators & Librarians by Rosemary Talab, 2nd edition. (McFarland & Co. Publishing, c1999). Commonsense Copyright: A Guide for Educators & Librarians Copyright: A Guide to Information and Resources, 3rd Edition By Gary H. Becker, 3rd edition. (c2003). For further information: Toll-Free Phone: 888-333-2037, Copyright: A Guide to Information and Resources, 3rd Edition Email: gbecker@earthlink.netgbecker@earthlink.net

18. A Short Webliography of Copy Right Laws and Related Articles http://www.easybib.com/cite/viehttp://www.edu- cyberpg.com/Teachers/copyrightlaw.htmlw http://www.easybib.com/cite/viehttp://www.edu- cyberpg.com/Teachers/copyrightlaw.htmlw http://www.ncwiseowl.org/zones/copyright/Students.html http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html http://www.bing.com/search?q=copy+right+laws+classroom&go=&form= QBRE&qs=n&sk=&ADLT=strict http://www.bing.com/search?q=copy+right+laws+classroom&go=&form= QBRE&qs=n&sk=&ADLT=strict http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml http://www.copyright.gov/ ***I will send the links to you if you wish to read more about the topic.