Plagiarism: so not worth it.

What is Plagiarism?

According to the American Heritage Dictionary,

plagiarism is “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language

and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as

one's own original work.”

In other words, plagiarism

is the theft of words and ideas.

How can students avoid plagiarizing?

Give credit to the original source anytime you use someone else’s

direct wording.

Example

Giving Credit Correctly:“As we start to define science, we realize that our definitions are often of a negative form” (Erickson 10).

Plagiarized:As we start to define science, we realize that our definitions are often of a negative form.

Give credit to the original source anytime you use someone else’s

ideas, thoughts, or opinions that you put into your own words

(paraphrasing).

Example

Plagiarized:As we start to define science, our definitions are often negative because we define science by what it is not, not what it is, yet we see science is important.

Paraphrased Correctly:Our definitions of science are often negative because we define science by what it is not, not what it is, yet science is very important (Erickson 10).

Give credit to the original source anytime you use facts, graphs, statistics, drawings, pictures.

Example

Plagiarized:Using the picture in your report without any mention of where it came from.

Cited Correctly in a works cited list:Chalkly, Bee. The Bull Ring Shopping Centre,

2004. Birmingham. Science, Culture, and Society. By Mark Erickson. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2005. 173. Print.

Give credit to the original source anytime you use anything that is

not common knowledge.

Not Common Knowledge

Common Knowledge

Example

Common Knowledge:Websites, textbooks and popular science articles provide good general information on nanotechnology…

Not Common Knowledge: “Diverse esoteric thought communities are constructing discourses involving nanotechnology, just as diversity of exoteric thought communities in different locations construct discourses of science” (Erickson 10).

Bottom Line: Give credit to the original source

anytime you use anything that is not your own.

And never, ever purchase or obtain a paper from another

student or online.

How do you give credit to a source?

Your instructor will tell you what citation format you should use in your paper.

The library has style sheets posted on Blackboard and on our

research guides.

You also may reference a handbook or ask a librarian for

more complex citations.

What could happen if you plagiarize?

At San Jacinto College, the Consequences for plagiarism

are an ‘F’ on the paper, a failing grade for the course,

and possible suspension from the college.

Please see more guidelines in the online Student Handbook.

This is whyPlagiarism

is so not worth it.