Plagiarism: What is it and Plagiarism: What is it and why should I care? why should I care?

Research Papers 2009-2010Research Papers 2009-2010

Ms. EmiliMs. Emili

Definition:Definition:

Plagiarism is the act of presenting Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, ideas, images, sounds or the words, ideas, images, sounds or the creative expression of others as the creative expression of others as your own.your own.

Have you…Have you…

Copied, included, Copied, included, downloaded the downloaded the words of others in words of others in your work without your work without citing them?citing them?

Have had help you Have had help you wouldn’t want your wouldn’t want your teacher to know teacher to know about?about?

Two types of plagiarismTwo types of plagiarism

IntentionalIntentional Copying a friend’s Copying a friend’s

workwork Cutting and pasting Cutting and pasting

blocks of textblocks of text Media “borrowing”Media “borrowing” Web publishing Web publishing

without permissionwithout permission

UnintentionalUnintentional Careless Careless

paraphrasingparaphrasing Poor documentationPoor documentation Quoting excessivelyQuoting excessively Failure to use your Failure to use your

own “voice”own “voice”

Excuses we’ve heardExcuses we’ve heard

““It’s ok if I don’t It’s ok if I don’t get caught!”get caught!”

““Everyone does it!”Everyone does it!” ““I was too busy to I was too busy to

write that paper!”write that paper!” ““My teachers My teachers

expect too much!”expect too much!”

Just don’t do: reasons whyJust don’t do: reasons why

MAJOR MAJOR CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES

What are you What are you actually learning?actually learning?

If you were an If you were an author…author…

Gives you authorityGives you authority Unethical Unethical

Possible School Possible School Consequences:Consequences:

““0” on the 0” on the assignmentassignment

Parents notifiedParents notified Suspension or Suspension or

dismissal dismissal (activities, school)(activities, school)

Damaged Damaged reputationreputation

Is this important?Is this important?

What if…What if… An architect An architect A lawyerA lawyer An accountantAn accountant

NO!NO!

You DO NOT have You DO NOT have to cite:to cite: Facts that are Facts that are

widely knownwidely known ““common common

knowledge”knowledge”

Examples of Common Examples of Common KnowledgeKnowledge

There are 4 seasons in a yearThere are 4 seasons in a year There are 365 days in a yearThere are 365 days in a year The U.S. entered WWII after bombing The U.S. entered WWII after bombing

of Pearl Harborof Pearl Harbor John Adams was our second John Adams was our second

presidentpresident

How can you tell?How can you tell?

Majority of people know ORMajority of people know OR Can easily find out from many Can easily find out from many

sourcessources Easily “findable” in an encyclopedia, Easily “findable” in an encyclopedia,

almanac, state website, dictionary, almanac, state website, dictionary, etc.etc.

No need to document when:No need to document when:

You are discussing your own You are discussing your own experiences, observations, or experiences, observations, or reactionsreactions

Compiling the results of original Compiling the results of original research, from science experiments, research, from science experiments, etc.etc.

How do I avoid plagiarism?How do I avoid plagiarism?

Careful note-takingCareful note-taking QuotingQuoting ParaphrasingParaphrasing SummarizingSummarizing

Cite as you goCite as you go

QuotingQuoting Quotations: exact words of an author, Quotations: exact words of an author,

copied word for word. MUST be citedcopied word for word. MUST be cited Use them when:Use them when:

Power of the author’s words to supportPower of the author’s words to support Disagreeing with an argumentDisagreeing with an argument Important research that precedes your ownImportant research that precedes your own Highlight eloquent passagesHighlight eloquent passages

ParaphrasingParaphrasing

Rephrasing the words of an author, Rephrasing the words of an author, putting his/her thoughts in your own putting his/her thoughts in your own wordswords

Rework the source’s ideas, words, Rework the source’s ideas, words, phrases, sentence structures with phrases, sentence structures with YOUR OWNYOUR OWN

MUST be followed with in-text MUST be followed with in-text documentation and cited in Works documentation and cited in Works CitedCited

Paraphrase when…Paraphrase when…

You plan to use the You plan to use the info on your note info on your note cardscards

You want to avoid You want to avoid overusing quotationsoverusing quotations

You want to use your You want to use your own voice to present own voice to present the informationthe information

SummarizingSummarizing

Putting an Putting an author’s/several author’s/several authors’ ideas into authors’ ideas into your own wordsyour own words

Significantly Significantly shorter than the shorter than the original idea or original idea or quotationquotation

Summarize when…Summarize when…

Establishing background information Establishing background information or giving an overview of a topicor giving an overview of a topic

Giving the main ideas of one sourceGiving the main ideas of one source

As you take notes:As you take notes: Include page numbers and Include page numbers and

source references so you source references so you can go back and checkcan go back and check

Use quotation marks for Use quotation marks for direct quotes or unique direct quotes or unique phrases and author’s phrases and author’s namename Mark quotes with a “Q”Mark quotes with a “Q”

Paraphrase with the Paraphrase with the author’s name author’s name Mark paraphrased segments Mark paraphrased segments

with a “P”with a “P”

In-text MLA documentationIn-text MLA documentation

Purpose: immediate source Purpose: immediate source informationinformation

Inaccurate documentation is as Inaccurate documentation is as serious as having no documentationserious as having no documentation

Brief information should match full Brief information should match full source info in Works Citedsource info in Works Cited

Document in-text when:Document in-text when:

You use an original You use an original idea from one of your idea from one of your sources (quoted OR sources (quoted OR paraphrased)paraphrased)

You summarize You summarize original ideasoriginal ideas

You use factual You use factual information that’s not information that’s not common knowledge common knowledge

You quote directly You quote directly from a sourcefrom a source

You use a date or fact You use a date or fact that might be disputedthat might be disputed

Remember:Remember:

Your teacher knows Your teacher knows your work!your work!

Your teachers discuss Your teachers discuss student work with student work with each othereach other

Your teacher checks Your teacher checks suspicious work suspicious work against search against search engines and other engines and other student papersstudent papers

We expect honesty We expect honesty from our studentsfrom our students