1. Plagiarism

2. What is plagiarism?
The act of taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own

3. When is it plagiarism? Includes cheating + copying someone else’s work
Copy and paste (whole paper; sections of a source; or several sources)
Word switch (e.g. synonyms)
No source
Patchwork paraphrase:
Using several phrases from or the structure of a source (tone and structure of the document is similar to the source)

4. A patchwork paraphrase
A patchwork of the original author’s language
Not presented in the words of the student
May or may not be rearranged by the student
Borrowed pieces are not in quotation marks
Even if the borrowed phrases were put in quotation marks with sources– it would become unreadable due to the amount of quotation marks used.
It is not the students own work, but rather a well referenced rephrasing of an original author’s piece of work
It sounds too similar to the original author’s work
Or it carries the same structure

5. A certain amount of plagiarism is allowed
There is no need to rethink the wheel – that is why we do research
Whether you paraphrase or not – you need to give your information source
At academic institutions less than 24% of your paper is allowed to be similar to other reference sources (i.e. <24% may be plagiarised)
BUT this 24% needs to be properly referenced to be allowed
And this 24% cannot be one continuous piece

6. How to prevent plagiarism
Always include all of your sources in the bibliography – IN THE CORRECT FORMAT
Use quotations when you give information directly from source & REFERENCE IN TEXT
Plagiarism checkers - limitations
Put it in your own words – even when you think your own words aren’t good enough
Do not look for synonyms to change words
Beware of “common knowledge”
When ever in doubt – cite!
Combine several sources (not only 1 or 2)
Read all your sources and then only start writing your report
Do not highlight your information

7. Proper referencing Handouts – tells you how to reference
NO ONE HAS AN EXCUSE
In Word – built in tools (citations and references)
Citethisforme.com

8. The consequences of plagiarism
At post matric studying institutions (e.g. Universities or Technikons)
First time round they will give you 0 & warning
Repeat offender will be expelled for 5 years
In the working world
Professionalism and your career reputation

9. Learn at school how not to plagiarise!
We can and will penalise you for plagiarising.
I will give you NO marks if you plagiarise
Do not mess up your future by plagiarising.

10. Questions???