Plagiarism:

What is plagiarism? What happens if you do it?

How can you avoid it?

What is Plagiarism?

• Plagiarism is a form of cheating. • Copying and using the ideas of others and

presenting them as your own.

Original Plagiarized

• Buying or trading for a paper online and turning it in as your own work.

• Plagiarism is wrong, whether it is words, ideas, or images. No exceptions, plagiarism is theft and should be treated as such.

Types of PlagiarismTypes of Plagiarism

Complete Plagiarism-Complete Plagiarism-A piece of work copied A piece of work copied entirely from one or more sourcesentirely from one or more sources

Copy and Paste-Copy and Paste-Available information off Available information off internet or electronic journalsinternet or electronic journals

Word Switch-Word Switch-If you copy a sentence or If you copy a sentence or paragraph into your assignment and change a few paragraph into your assignment and change a few words it will still be considered to be plagiarismwords it will still be considered to be plagiarism

Self-plagiarism-Self-plagiarism-Self-plagiarism is when you re-Self-plagiarism is when you re-use your own previously written work or data in a new use your own previously written work or data in a new assignment and do not reference it appropriatelyassignment and do not reference it appropriately

Complete Plagiarism:Turning in someone else’s work as

your own

Examples:

• Using any part of somebody else’s ideas without citing it.

• To represent another person's writing as your own is to misrepresent your own accomplishments. This is a type of fraud or deception. “What is plagiarism” John. R Edlund

Copy And Paste:Online plagiarism

• Finding information on the internet and then copying and pasting and claiming the papers as your thoughts and ideas.

• Copy/pasting with word switching is still plagiarizing.

• There are also on-line “paper mills“ & “cheat sites”

Self Plagiarism

• YES! You can plagiarize your OWN work!

– If you have previously submitted work for credit, you can NOT resubmit it for another assignment or program. This IS plagiarism!

– Each assignment requires new effort/information/work to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

What is Wrong with Plagiarism?What is Wrong with Plagiarism?

• Plagiarism is stealing Plagiarism is stealing – someone else’s words or someone else’s words or

ideasideas

• Shows lack of Shows lack of – efforteffort– original, creative ideasoriginal, creative ideas

• Is dishonestIs dishonest

• Is ILLEGALIs ILLEGAL

What is Wrong With What is Wrong With Plagiarism? (cont’d)Plagiarism? (cont’d)

• Depending on the extent or nature of the Depending on the extent or nature of the plagiary committed, the plagiarist could leave plagiary committed, the plagiarist could leave themselves and/or their employer with themselves and/or their employer with expensive lawsuits, fines and/or jail time. expensive lawsuits, fines and/or jail time.

• Plagiarism after all, is fraud and no employer Plagiarism after all, is fraud and no employer would choose to hire an employee whose would choose to hire an employee whose honesty could be brought into questionhonesty could be brought into question..

• Your own wording for someone else's information and ideas presented in a new form when accompanied by accurate documentation

• This is probably the skill you will use most when incorporating sources into your writing.

• Although you use your own words to paraphrase, you must still acknowledge the source of the information.

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

What is paraphrasing ?What is paraphrasing ?

• Make sure you thoroughly understand your material.

• Make sure your information is accurate.

• During a speech, use note cards to record and cite your source.

• Quote everything that comes directly from the source, especially when taking notes.

• Paraphrase, but be sure you are not just rearranging or replacing a few words

– Read over what you want to paraphrase carefully; cover up the text with your hand, or close the text so you can’t see any of it (so you aren’t tempted to use the text as a guide) then write out the idea in your own words without peeking.

– Finally, check your paraphrase against the original text to be sure you have not accidentally used the same phrases or words, and that the information is accurate. http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

• Quoting: Using someone else’s exact words. To safely quote someone, you must cite from who, when, and where this quote was taken.– Example of quoting: According to Linda A. Johnson in The Battle Creek

Enquirer, October 11, 2007 “A startling study finds that kids who regularly see doctors get the right care less than half the time...”

• “Using another person’s phrases or sentences without putting quotation marks around them is considered plagiarism EVEN IF THE WRITER CITES IN HER OWN TEXT THE SOURCE OF THE PHRASES OR SENTENCES SHE HAS QUOTED.” (sic) http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

• Common Knowledge: Facts that can be found in numerous places and are likely to be known by a lot of people. Using ‘common knowledge’ IS acceptable.

• Example of common knowledge: John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States in 1960 This is generally known information. You do not need to document this fact. http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

• Interpretation of Facts: Using other’s information and interpreting or drawing conclusions based on that information.

• Example of interpretation of facts: According the American Family Leave Coalition’s new book, Family Issues and Congress, President Bush’s relationship with Congress has hindered family leave legislation.

– The idea that “Bush’s relationship with Congress has hindered family leave legislation” is not a fact but an interpretation; consequently, you need to cite your source. http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

Avoiding PlagiarismAvoiding Plagiarism• One way to avoid plagiarism is reading One way to avoid plagiarism is reading

something and putting it into your own wordssomething and putting it into your own words• Another way is to credit the author of what Another way is to credit the author of what

you read and not taking credit for ityou read and not taking credit for it• Using quotations is another way of avoiding Using quotations is another way of avoiding

plagiarismplagiarism• At the beginning of the first sentence in At the beginning of the first sentence in

which you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, which you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, make it clear that what comes next is make it clear that what comes next is someone else's idea someone else's idea

http://www.writing.northwestern.edu/avoiding_plagiarism.html http://www.writing.northwestern.edu/avoiding_plagiarism.html

If you are worried about being accused of If you are worried about being accused of plagiarism, your best defense is to…plagiarism, your best defense is to…

• Do your own workDo your own work

• Keep careful track of your sources and notesKeep careful track of your sources and notes

• Understand everything you have writtenUnderstand everything you have written

• Finally, acknowledge those who contribute to Finally, acknowledge those who contribute to your workyour work

Avoiding Plagiarism (cont’d)Avoiding Plagiarism (cont’d)

What Happens If You Plagiarize?What Happens If You Plagiarize?

Most secondary schools are pretty Most secondary schools are pretty strict about plagiarism. If you get strict about plagiarism. If you get caught you can: caught you can: You can fail the assignmentYou can fail the assignment Fail the classFail the class End up suspended or expelledEnd up suspended or expelled The offence will be placed on your The offence will be placed on your permanent student record.permanent student record.

What Happens If You Plagiarize? What Happens If You Plagiarize? (cont’d)(cont’d)

Colleges can also expel students for Colleges can also expel students for plagiarismplagiarism

•If you get kicked out of a college it is If you get kicked out of a college it is very hard to get into another college. very hard to get into another college.

Plagiarism is a crime! it’s Plagiarism is a crime! it’s considered fraudconsidered fraud

You can be fined or,You can be fined or,You can go to jail!You can go to jail!

How parents can help How parents can help their their studentsstudents avoid avoid PlagiarismPlagiarism Encourage students to learn to Encourage students to learn to

write reports in their own words.write reports in their own words. Help the student comprehend the Help the student comprehend the

material, when a student does not material, when a student does not understand the information, understand the information, copying often results.copying often results.

Give students help in resource Give students help in resource writing from the earliest grades. writing from the earliest grades.

Buying and Checking for Plagiarism

Students can buy papers online, some sources where they can get what they need cheaply and with a certain

grade are…School sucks.com

12000 papers.com Planet Papers.com

------Teachers can find out who is copying or using these

sources. If it doesn’t sound like something the student

would write, they can find out from sites like: Turnitin.com

Plagiarism.orgthe Essay Verification Engine http://canexus.org/eve

------REMINDER: Buying papers is ILLEGAL plagiarism

Detection

If the student usually isn’t great at writing and all of a sudden they have a perfect project it may need to be checked.

If the students work looks patchy and thrown together, it may need to be checked.

If the student is known for cheating and their work looks suspicious it may need to be checked.

There are also websites you can use as tools to see if the writing has already been published.

Tips for Teachers

Give writing assignments that capture Give writing assignments that capture students' attention. If they are interested, students' attention. If they are interested, they'll be less likely to cheat. they'll be less likely to cheat.

Watch the students write and ask for Watch the students write and ask for handwritten notes and rough drafts.handwritten notes and rough drafts.

Teach students to use the papers on the web Teach students to use the papers on the web as resources for their own papers.as resources for their own papers.

Show students examples of the papers, both Show students examples of the papers, both good and bad, & teach them the difference. good and bad, & teach them the difference.

A Different way to look at plagiarism?

“Ideas improve. The meaning of words participates in the improvement. Plagiarism is necessary. Progress implies it. It embraces an author’s phrase, makes use of his expressions, erases a false idea, and replaces it with the right idea.”

~Guy DeBord~ (French Social Reformer)

What is Plagiarism?Separated by Gender

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

A B C D

Male

female

A. Copy and pasting someone’s information.

B. Using someone’s information and ideas. C. Not Citing your sources.

D. All the above.

(Correct Answer)

Have you ever been unsure of whether you were plagiarizing?

yes

no

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1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Have you ever plagiarized?

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2

4

6

8

10

12

Yes No Total

Females

Males

Total

WOULD YOU ALLOW SOMEONE TO PLAGIARIZE YOUR PAPER?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

yes no total

males

females

total

HAVE YOU COPIED SOMEONE ELSE’S PAPER? (BY GENDER)

10

0

32

-1

1

3

5

7

9

11

MALE FEMALE

YES

NO

If someone plagiarizes your work would you turn them in?

4

0

4

2

6

8

6 6

12

-1

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

yes no total

males

females

total

Do you believe that people should have negative consequences for plagiarizing

things from other people?

4

yes, 5

2 no, 2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

yes no

Girls

Guys

Yes, 9

No, 4

0

2

4

6

8

10

Yes No

students

Is there any circumstance in which it would be acceptable to plagiarize?

2

yes, 5

4

no, 2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

yes no

Girls

Guys

Yes, 7

No, 6

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Yes No

Would you take the risk of plagiarism on your permanent record?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

yes no total

males

females

total

Where you can go for Info

• You can get information about how to prevent plagiarism… from websites such as…

• www.plagiarism.org/learning• www.virtualsalt.com• www.indiana.edu• www.northwestern.edu• www.historians.org• www.arts.ubc.ca/plagiarism

What Should We Do About Plagiarism

At Marshall Alternative…?

LET’S ALL MAKE A SCHOOL POLICY!