Plagiarism
"My Instructor warned us
against 'Plagiarism' -- what's that and how do I avoid it?"
Let's start with a basic definition: Plagiarism means taking
words or ideas
from a source without
documenting them.
Words: any words (even one or two) taken
from a source and included in your own work need to be in quotation marks and
documented. There may exceptions to this (common knowledge), but when in doubt,
use quotation marks and document or check with your instructor.
Ideas: when you get an idea from source, be
it from an article, lecture, person, etc., it must be documented – even if you
put it in your own words (and if you use the same words, they must be in
quotation marks).
Source: the person, book, article from which
you obtained information.
Documenting: following a particular
documentation/citation style such as MLA or APA to let the reader know where you
acquired your information.
Avoiding Plagiarism
(General)
Question: “I got a
paper off the internet – but I changed it around. That’s okay, right?”
Answer: No. When teachers
assign essays, they expect you to complete the work yourself. This would be a
form of plagiarism and result in an F for the assignment and possibly for the
course.
Solution: Write your own draft.
Question: “I got my best
friend/aunt/cousin – who’s an English Major – to help me with my essay. That’s
okay, right?”
Answer: Maybe. The problem with
this kind of help is that too often it involves your friend/aunt/cousin doing
too much of the writing. This could be a form of plagiarism – you’re taking the
words and ideas of your friend/aunt/cousin. Since the instructor can’t separate
your work from your “helper’s,” the grade is often an F.
Solution: Go to your instructor
or one of the college’s tutors for help.
Question: “I borrowed a bit of
code from an existing program for a class assignment. That’s okay, right?”
Answer: Probably wrong. Just
like writing, computer codes are subject to copyright protection. See above for
grade.
Solution: Develop your own code
– and check with your instructor.
Question: “In my creative
writing/music/art class, I based my project on another story/song/artwork I
found – but I pretty much changed it around.”
Answer: Probably wrong. While
much art is based on what’s come before it, most class projects involve
developing your own work. See above for grade.
Solution: Focus on your own
talents – and check with your instructor for specifics.
Citing Sources (specific
examples)
Now we get to more specific questions/examples about citing
sources and avoiding plagiarism. Below, you’ll see two short paragraphs from
Mother Jones magazine, and below that, some questions on how you might use it in
an essay. Citations below are in MLA format.
Under a Defense Department policy initiated in 1993, U.S. taxpayers must
cover the merger costs for the consolidation of defense corporations. The
tally so far has reached $856.2 million, including $405 million for the
Lockheed/Martin Marietta merger, to name one example. Because of the policy,
Lockheed was able to bill the Pentagon up front for $2.4 million for CEO
Norman Augustine's salary.
In 1996 Congress created the Defense Export Loan Guarantee program to finance
U.S. weapons sales to foreign countries. Its first beneficiary? A United
Industrial sale of pilotless aircraft and training systems to cash-strapped
Romania. If Romania defaults on its payments (not a bad bet for a country in
economic turmoil), U.S. taxpayers will be left holding the bag: $16.7 million.
United Industrial will get paid either way.
"Corporate Welfare." Mother Jones March/April 1999: 15.
From student’s essay
Unbelievably, U.S. taxpayers must cover the
merger costs for the consolidation of defense corporations.
Question: “I put this
sentence in my essay – is this okay?”
Answer: No. You’ve used the
exact wording from the source and haven’t documented the source. If done even
once, this could result in an F.
Solution: You need to include
quotation marks and citation.
From student’s essay
Unbelievably, U.S. taxpayers must cover the
merger costs for the consolidation of defense corporations (“Corporate” 15).
Question: “Okay, I added
the citation – is this okay?”
Answer: Not yet. Good job of
adding the citation, but the reader will think you came up with this wording. If
done even once, this could substantially lower your grade.
Solution: You need to include
quotation marks.
From student’s essay
Unbelievably, “U.S. taxpayers must cover the
merger costs for the consolidation of defense corporations” (“Corporate” 15).
Question: “This is right
. . . right?”
Answer: Right. You’ve marked
the specific words you’ve taken from your source with quotation marks and have
cited it.
From student’s essay
Unbelievably, we have to pay defense
companies when they merge.
Question: “Since this is
a summary, I don’t need to cite it, right?”
Answer: Wrong. Since you
learned of this information from a source, it must be cited. Again, this could
substantially lower your grade.
Solution: Add a citation.
Unbelievably, we have to pay defense companies when they merge (“Corporate” 15).
You should now have a basic understanding of what plagiarism is and how to avoid
it. For more information refer to the Student Handbook – specifically the
“Cheating and Plagiarism Policy” and “Academic Honesty” sections under the
heading “Academic Information and Regulations.”
For more detailed information on citing sources, go to either the
MLA or APA page on
this site.
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