Thou Shalt Not Steal

Anti-plagiarism for StudentsBy Julie Payne

What is Plagiarism?It is the act of stealing or passing off the ideas or words as one’s own; the use of a created production without crediting the source; the act of committing literary theft; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary 9th ed.

What is Copyright?• “The exclusive right to produce or

reproduce (copy), to perform in public, or to publish an original literary or artistic work.” Duhaime's Law Dictionary

• Almost everything created privately and originally after March 1, 1989 is copyrighted and protected whether it has a notice or not.

In other words….

So how can I use it?• You may rephrase anything that your read.

In other words, put it into your own words. Do NOT copy anything word for word. Unless…

• You are quoting someone. You may use direct quotes if you put it in quotation marks, and site your source in the content.

• You may legally use parts of a copyrighted work, but you must always give the author the credit for his/her hard work.

Note: This includes pictures, graphics, music and software too!!!

Is everything copyrighted?

What is not copyrighted?

• Thoughts and ideas that were never written down.

• Directions, procedures, methods, explanations, etc.

• Works consisting entirely of information that is common property and containing no original authorship (for example: standard calendars, height and weight charts, tape measures and rulers, etc.)

What is not copyrighted?

• A collection of logical data that is public information, such as a telephone book.

• Materials or reprints of materials in the public domain (all prior to 1923; most between 1923-1963; additional information at http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm)

• Most U.S. government materials (some items created by contractors for the government might be copyrighted)

• Facts

Remember!

• Does your using the material hurt the market? In other words, is it causing someone to not purchase the item themselves?

• Is the author or original creator losing money due to your using their work?

So what does that really mean?

It is stealing, plain and simple! If you had a creation, would you want someone taking it from you? That would be stealing YOUR cash! How would you like that?

To Put It Simple…

• If you didn’t produce it, you don’t own it.• So, if you don’t own it, and you don’t have

permission to use it……

Resources

• www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_what_is_plagiarism.html

• www.citationmachine.net• www.easybib.com• http://owl.english.purdue.edu• www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/

workshop/citmla.htm• www.ncusd203.org/central/html/where/

plagiarism_stoppers.html

Sources for this presentation

• “Copyright Chaos” copyrighted by Intel, a slide show presentation of the legalities of copyright suitable for a professional development. See your Intel Master Teacher at your school.

• Intel “Teach to the Future” Master Teacher Training Manual

• Hand-out prepared by Mrs. Sue Hendrix, Emma Sansom Librarian

Anti-plagiarism Hand-out

www1.gcs.k12.al.us/pdf/plagiarism.pdf

For your convenience, Mrs. Sue Hendrix has prepared a plagiarism hand-out for your students. Go to the following website, to print it.