Why learn about plagiarism?
It is important to understand what plagiarism is and why plagiarism is
wrong. When you plagiarize, not only are you claiming as your own the ideas
and writing of another, but you are interfering with your ability to learn
and grow.
It is, therefore, also important to find out what you can do to avoid
plagiarism by learning how to quote, paraphrase, summarize, and cite
the work of another when using it in your writing.
The consequences for students found to have plagiarized can be quite severe.
For example, at Harvard, the consequences include: a required withdrawal
from the university for at least 2 semesters; the forfeiture of the
semester's work during which the plagiarism took place (including tuition
money paid); getting a fulltime job for the 6 months while banned from
campus; and taking a tutorial on the proper use of sources (source: see
Harvard.edu link at bottom of this page). Not an easy pill to swallow!
The summary below is from
"Plagiarism: What it Is and How to Avoid It."
Retrieved October 29, 2001 from the Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana
University, Bloomington, IN.
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html
"1. If you have copied it directly, put it in quotations.
2. When taking notes, make sure you mark what is copied directly and what is
not.
3. When you paraphrase, you must use your own words. Do not just rearrange
or replace a few words.
4. Since accidents can happen, check your quotations to be sure they are
accurate, and double check your paraphrases to be sure you have not repeated
lengthy phrases or significant words found in the original text."
...
Helpful Links
Try this Plagiarism WebQuest
http://webhost.bridgew.edu/j1kagan/PlagiarismWQ.htm
Frequently Asked Questions about plagiarism presented by Turnitin.com
http://www.plagiarism.org/research_site/e_faqs.html
How to prevent plagiarism from Turnitin.com
http://www.plagiarism.org/research_site/e_home.html
Indiana University has developed a quiz to see if you can identify examples
of plagiarism. See how well you do by clicking on the link at the bottom of
the page of the webpage. You'll get immediate feedback.
http://education.indiana.edu/~frick/plagiarism/index2.html
How to avoid plagiarism from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue
University
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_plagiar.html
This NPR All Things Considered show is about a famous historian who was
found to have plagiarized and what students can do to avoid plagiarism in
their work.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1136141
Another webpage from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue
University designed "to help you become more comfortable with the uses of
and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries."
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_quotprsum.html
More from Indiana University on how to avoid plagiarism, what is an
acceptable paraphrase, what constitutes an unacceptable paraphrase, and
what is Common Knowledge
http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ewts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml#original
Want to request permission to use material from the holder of the copyright?
Here's a form letter to show you how.
http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/letter.html
More helpful information from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue
University: a brief summary of MLA style for the Works Cited page of your
research paper
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html
Here is Harvard's handbook for undergraduates -- find the section on plagiarism.
http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/
Visit the Plagiarism Court, read the information on plagiarism, and then test
your knowledge in front of the judge!
http://www.fairfield.edu/documents/Library/plagicourt.swf
Other Resources