Intentional and Intentional and Unintentional PlagiarismUnintentional Plagiarism

Dr. Lachlan GalbraithDr. Lachlan Galbraith

What is plagiarism?What is plagiarism?

(And why you should care!)(And why you should care!)

Definition:Definition:

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

ExcusesExcuses

It’s okay if I don’t get caught!

I was too busy to write that paper!

(Job, big game, too much homework!)

My teachers expect

too much!

I’ve got to get into

??? U.!

My parents expect “A”s!

This assignment was BORING!

Everyone does it!

Two types of plagiarism:Two types of plagiarism: IntentionalIntentional

• Copying a friend’s workCopying a friend’s work• Buying or borrowing Buying or borrowing

paperspapers• Cutting and pasting Cutting and pasting

blocks of text from blocks of text from electronic sources electronic sources without documentingwithout documenting

• Media Media “borrowing”without “borrowing”without documentationdocumentation

• Web publishing without Web publishing without permissions of creators permissions of creators

UnintentionalUnintentional• Careless Careless

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

own “voice”own “voice”

Real life consequences:Real life consequences: Damaged the reputation of two prominent historians, Stephen Ambrose and Damaged the reputation of two prominent historians, Stephen Ambrose and

Doris Kearns Goodwin,Doris Kearns Goodwin,• Kearns claimed unintentional plagiarism due to poor note-taking practicesKearns claimed unintentional plagiarism due to poor note-taking practices• Kearns left television position and stepped down as Pulitzer Prize judge Kearns left television position and stepped down as Pulitzer Prize judge

for “lifting” 50 passages for her 1987 book for “lifting” 50 passages for her 1987 book The Fitzgeralds and the The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys Kennedys (Lewis)(Lewis)

Senator Joseph Biden dropped his 1987 campaign for the Democratic Senator Joseph Biden dropped his 1987 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. (Sabato)presidential nomination. (Sabato)• Copied in law school and borrowed from campaign speeches of Robert Copied in law school and borrowed from campaign speeches of Robert

Kennedy Kennedy Boston Globe journalist Mike Barnicle forced to resign for plagiarism in his Boston Globe journalist Mike Barnicle forced to resign for plagiarism in his

columns (“Boston Columnist . . .”)columns (“Boston Columnist . . .”) Zachery Kouwe “A Zachery Kouwe “A Wall StreetWall Street and finance reporter for The New York Times and finance reporter for The New York Times

accused of plagiarism has resigned, the newspaper reported” on Feb. 17, accused of plagiarism has resigned, the newspaper reported” on Feb. 17, 2010 2010

Probe of plagiarism at UVA--45 students dismissed, 3 graduate degrees Probe of plagiarism at UVA--45 students dismissed, 3 graduate degrees revokedrevoked• CNN Article AP. 26 Nov. 2001CNN Article AP. 26 Nov. 2001• Channel One Article AP. 27 Nov. 2002Channel One Article AP. 27 Nov. 2002

Plagiarism in the Arts TodayPlagiarism in the Arts Today

Mark Vallen: Shepard Fairey is “a plagiarist” in his poster art. Compare his poster to the AP photo.

More Shepard FaireyMore Shepard Fairey

Still from 1984 Fairey’s work

Fairey: Chinese Poster Ripoff?Fairey: Chinese Poster Ripoff?

1968 Chinese Poster-anonymous

Possible consequences at PVCC:Possible consequences at PVCC: Immediate course Immediate course

withdrawal or “F” withdrawal or “F” grade and financial grade and financial penalty on tuitionpenalty on tuition

Referral to Referral to appropriate appropriate administratorsadministrators

Suspension or Suspension or dismissal from dismissal from college college

Do I have to cite

everything?

Nope! Nope!

Facts that are widely known, orFacts that are widely known, or Information or judgments Information or judgments

considered “common considered “common knowledge” knowledge”

Do Do NOTNOT have to be documented. have to be documented.Hooray for

commonknowledge!

Examples of common knowledgeExamples of common knowledge

John Adams was our second John Adams was our second presidentpresident

The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941on December 7, 1941

If you see a fact in three or more general information sources, such as an almanac, and your are fairly certain your readers already know this information, it is possibly “common knowledge.” But when in doubt, cite!

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 reactions (e.g., in a narrative essay)reactions (e.g., in a narrative essay)

Your own field research (original Your own field research (original study), original findings or original study), original findings or original surveyssurveys

Local or regional knowledge shared by Local or regional knowledge shared by your readersyour readers

You are using You are using common knowledgecommon knowledge

““But I Know So Much About This”But I Know So Much About This” Occasionally PVCC students who are knowledgeable about a topic area Occasionally PVCC students who are knowledgeable about a topic area

believe the common knowledge rule does not apply or gets waived for believe the common knowledge rule does not apply or gets waived for them.them.

One student writing a causal analysis essay said to me in an email “this One student writing a causal analysis essay said to me in an email “this essay may seem like it has a lot of complex information that is not cited. essay may seem like it has a lot of complex information that is not cited. The fact is that I wrote almost this entire paper from my own mind because The fact is that I wrote almost this entire paper from my own mind because I have a great amount of knowledge in this field and had a hard time I have a great amount of knowledge in this field and had a hard time finding information to cite that was beyond my knowledge.”finding information to cite that was beyond my knowledge.”

I responded to the student: “You miss the point on the common knowledge I responded to the student: “You miss the point on the common knowledge rule. It is not amended or altered by your personal expertise. The rule rule. It is not amended or altered by your personal expertise. The rule requires that statements made that go beyond common knowledge, requires that statements made that go beyond common knowledge, whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, must be documented. whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, must be documented. Though you may have long held these ideas in your mind as true, if there is Though you may have long held these ideas in your mind as true, if there is supportive research available you should cite an expert TO ESTABLISH supportive research available you should cite an expert TO ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. IT IS THE AUDIENCE YOU MUST CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. IT IS THE AUDIENCE YOU MUST CONSIDER AS YOU SEEK TO PERSUADE.”CONSIDER AS YOU SEEK TO PERSUADE.”

The student also did not understand that we are looking for proof by the The student also did not understand that we are looking for proof by the effective use of expert resources that can be cited in support of your effective use of expert resources that can be cited in support of your discussion, especially in causal analysis or argument essay. discussion, especially in causal analysis or argument essay. Persuasion Persuasion through the use of relevant evidence is a key goal.through the use of relevant evidence is a key goal.

What’s the big deal?What’s the big deal?

If I change a

few words, I’m

okay, right?

Wrong! Paraphrasing original ideas without documentingyour source, is plagiarism too!

Use these three strategies,Use these three strategies,

QuotingQuoting Paraphrasing Paraphrasing SummarizingSummarizing

To blend source materials in with your own, To blend source materials in with your own, making sure your own voice is heard and making sure your own voice is heard and your own language is used your own language is used 100%100% of the of the

time.time.

What Did You Say About Your Own Language?What Did You Say About Your Own Language?

Explain the sources ideas, Explain the sources ideas, whether paraphrasing or whether paraphrasing or summarizing, in 100% your summarizing, in 100% your own wordsown words

Yes,100% your own wordsYes,100% your own words..

Prevention: Good Note-Taking Prevention: Good Note-Taking ProcessProcess

Include any direct quotes or unique Include any direct quotes or unique phrases or terminology in quotation phrases or terminology in quotation marks, or mark with a big marks, or mark with a big Q Q and make and make sure the writer’s name is identified.sure the writer’s name is identified.

Make sure you note a paraphrase with the Make sure you note a paraphrase with the writer’s name and mark it with a big writer’s name and mark it with a big PP

Include page numbers and source Include page numbers and source references, such as URLs, so you can go references, such as URLs, so you can go back and check for accuracy as you write.back and check for accuracy as you write.

Do’s and Don’t to Avoid PlagiarismDo’s and Don’t to Avoid Plagiarism

• Ask your instructor via email or a PVCC Ask your instructor via email or a PVCC librarian for help if you are stymied in finding librarian for help if you are stymied in finding good sourcesgood sources

• Be certain that you don’t inadvertently Be certain that you don’t inadvertently “borrow” eloquent phrases or words you liked“borrow” eloquent phrases or words you liked

• Always be certain of the original location of a Always be certain of the original location of a specific fact or quote that you have put in specific fact or quote that you have put in your notes your notes

• Check to see if all citations in your rough draft Check to see if all citations in your rough draft are listed in the Works Cited draftare listed in the Works Cited draft

• Never fail to have a comprehensive Works Never fail to have a comprehensive Works Cited page as part of the rough draft processCited page as part of the rough draft process

• Never attempt a paper that does not match Never attempt a paper that does not match the assignment and your intereststhe assignment and your interests

Do’s and Don’ts # 2Do’s and Don’ts # 2

Keep all your drafts, outlines, etc. in case an Keep all your drafts, outlines, etc. in case an instructor ever accuses you of plagiarisminstructor ever accuses you of plagiarism

Read aloud your essay. Are there sentences Read aloud your essay. Are there sentences containing unusual vocabulary or scholarly terms containing unusual vocabulary or scholarly terms that you have never used before? Is the sentence that you have never used before? Is the sentence structure, the syntax, different from your typical structure, the syntax, different from your typical sentences. Ask yourself, am I plagiarizing the sentences. Ask yourself, am I plagiarizing the syntactical structure of my source documents? Is syntactical structure of my source documents? Is this “paraphrase” just too much like the original this “paraphrase” just too much like the original passage? Recall: passage? Recall: 100%100% your own language! your own language!

Examine your writing style as you revise and edit Examine your writing style as you revise and edit the essay. Does it suddenly improve? Have you the essay. Does it suddenly improve? Have you unintentionally committed plagiarism?unintentionally committed plagiarism?

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

This slide show is adapted from a This slide show is adapted from a presentation developed by the English presentation developed by the English Department of San Diego State Department of San Diego State University. The original presentation University. The original presentation “Plagiarism” was graciously provided “Plagiarism” was graciously provided at no cost to Lachlan Galbraith, Ph.D., at no cost to Lachlan Galbraith, Ph.D., adjunct instructor in the Paradise adjunct instructor in the Paradise Valley Community College English Valley Community College English Department.Department.