Plagiarism GuidelinesPlagiarism Guidelines

Marilyn KieferMarilyn KieferJoanna HaselhuhnJoanna Haselhuhn

What is Plagiarism?What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is cheating. Joseph Gibaldi, author of Plagiarism is cheating. Joseph Gibaldi, author of the MLA Handbook, quotes Alexander Lindey’s the MLA Handbook, quotes Alexander Lindey’s definition from definition from Plagiarism and OriginalityPlagiarism and Originality as the as the “wrongful act of taking the product of another “wrongful act of taking the product of another person’s mind and presenting it as one’s own.” person’s mind and presenting it as one’s own.” He further asserts, “To use another person’s He further asserts, “To use another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source is to plagiarize. acknowledging the source is to plagiarize. Plagiarism, then, constitutes Plagiarism, then, constitutes intellectual theftintellectual theft.”.”

– MLA Handbook for Writers of research Papers. 4MLA Handbook for Writers of research Papers. 4thth ed., ed., 1995. p.26.1995. p.26.

PlagiarismPlagiarism

According to the Merriam-According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Webster Online Dictionary, "plagiarize" means"plagiarize" means– to steal and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or to steal and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or

words of another):words of another):– use (a created production) without crediting use (a created production) without crediting

the sourcethe source– to commit literary theft: present as new and to commit literary theft: present as new and

original an idea or product derived from an original an idea or product derived from an existing sourceexisting source

What Constitutes Plagiarism?What Constitutes Plagiarism?

Buying or downloading a paper from a research Buying or downloading a paper from a research service or a term-paper mill and offering it as your service or a term-paper mill and offering it as your own.own.

Turning in another student’s work, with or without Turning in another student’s work, with or without that student’s knowledge, as your own.that student’s knowledge, as your own.

Copying any portion of another’s work without Copying any portion of another’s work without proper acknowledgement.proper acknowledgement.

Copying material from a source and supplying Copying material from a source and supplying proper documentation, but leaving out quotation proper documentation, but leaving out quotation marks or failing to indent properly.marks or failing to indent properly.

Paraphrasing ideas and language from a source Paraphrasing ideas and language from a source without proper documentation.without proper documentation.

Consequences for PlagiarismConsequences for Plagiarism

Grade of zero for the paper?Grade of zero for the paper? Fail the course?Fail the course? Expulsion?Expulsion?

Some colleges with honor codes Some colleges with honor codes expel students for plagiarism.expel students for plagiarism.

How to avoid PlagiarismHow to avoid Plagiarism

Give credit where credit is due.Give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge your sources.Acknowledge your sources. Cite your sources within your text Cite your sources within your text

and in a bibliography or list of works and in a bibliography or list of works cited at the end of the paper.cited at the end of the paper.

What is “Citing a source?”What is “Citing a source?”

Giving credit to someone or Giving credit to someone or something when what you use is not something when what you use is not your own original work.your own original work.

When to Cite a Source:When to Cite a Source:

When you use another person’s idea, opinion, or When you use another person’s idea, opinion, or theory.theory.

When you use any facts, statistics, graphs, When you use any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings, pictures, sounds, or any other piece of drawings, pictures, sounds, or any other piece of information which you found from any source.information which you found from any source.

When you use quotations of another person’s When you use quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words.actual spoken or written words.

When you paraphrase (put in your own words) When you paraphrase (put in your own words) another person’s spoken or written words.another person’s spoken or written words.

What to Include when you Cite a What to Include when you Cite a Source:Source:

Who wrote or created itWho wrote or created it What it is calledWhat it is called Where and by whom it was published Where and by whom it was published

or producedor produced When it was published producedWhen it was published produced

Ken Umbach, Policy Analyst, California Research Bureau, California Ken Umbach, Policy Analyst, California Research Bureau, California State Library as a response to an LM_Net posting.State Library as a response to an LM_Net posting.

Helpful ResourcesHelpful Resources

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.htmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html - - “Plagiarism: What it is and How to Recognize and Avoid It.”“Plagiarism: What it is and How to Recognize and Avoid It.”

http://www.nwmissouri.edu/library/courses/business/plagiarihttp://www.nwmissouri.edu/library/courses/business/plagiarism.htmsm.htm how to avoid plagiarism how to avoid plagiarism

www.turnitin.orgwww.turnitin.org go to Research Resources go to Research Resources www.mla.orgwww.mla.org How to cite electronic resources. Choose How to cite electronic resources. Choose

“MLA Style” and “Frequently Asked Questions.”“MLA Style” and “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://http://www.easybib.comwww.easybib.com provides a free, online service that provides a free, online service that

creates citations in MLA or APA style.creates citations in MLA or APA style. Janowski, Adam. “Plagiarism: Prevention, Not Prosecution”. Janowski, Adam. “Plagiarism: Prevention, Not Prosecution”.

The Book ReportThe Book Report, September/October, 2002, p.26-28., September/October, 2002, p.26-28. Willems, Harry. “Plagiarism @ Your School Library”. Willems, Harry. “Plagiarism @ Your School Library”. Library Library

Media ConnectionMedia Connection, February 2003., February 2003.