Avoiding Plagiarism
Not Just Stealing
Plagiarism isn't just stealing, it's lousy research.
Citing outside information in your assignment shows that you have done considerable research and are synthesizing scholarly works with your own ideas. Besides increasing your own credibility, you MUST cite sources in order to give credit to the original creators whose ideas and information you are using. The written work of these authors is their intellectual property and using it without acknowledgment is a form of theft.
PLAGIARISM occurs when a writer uses another person’s ideas, information, or language without giving them credit. It is considered one of the worst violations of academic integrity. Not only will you receive a ZERO on the assignment, you irrevocably damage the trust relationship between you and your teacher and rob yourself of an opportunity to learn. As you go on to college and the professional world you risk expulsion, loss of your job and reputation, and other financial and even legal consequences.
Sometimes writers plagiarize on purpose, but it often happens by mistake because students take sloppy notes or do not understand what must be acknowledged. Regardless of whether plagiarism is accidental or intentional, you may be held to the same consequences, so read on and learn to practice safe research.
Plagiarism is a line you do not want to cross. Be careful when as you take notes and begin to draft. Not all plagiarism is intentional; some is the result of sloppy research.
Source: Caution I Have Some Opinions by Oliver Brackenbury under a Creative Commons license
Research Tip
If you plagiarize an assignment you will receive a ZERO WITH NO OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAKE UP and your dean and parents will be notified, according to school policy in the AHS Student Handbook. Of course, this is in addition to the irreparable damage to your teacher's trust.
Ignorance is no defense: it is YOUR responsibility to understand what is and is not acceptable. Don't take any chances with YOUR reputation.
For International Students
Each culture has its own perspective on scholarship and cheating. If you come from a country that places a high value on reproducing the exact words of a source, for example, our emphasis on paraphrasing may seem strange. In general, the United States educational system has an extremely STRICT definition of plagiarism in comparison to other countries, so be careful in your use of sources.
If you have any questions, speak with your teacher or a librarian. Regardless of your background, all students may be held to the same consequences for plagiarism.
What Is Plagiarism
Plagiarism is when you use another person’s ideas, information, or language without giving proper credit. Some forms of plagiarism are obvious:
Copying all or part of a paper written by someone else, whether you change it or not
Paying or bribing someone to write a paper for you
Copying portions of a source without quotation marks or citations
Others are more subtle, but still plagiarism:
Reading someone's paper and using his or her ideas
Having a parent or friend edit or rewrite your paper, making the changes for you
Writing a paper as a group without the teacher’s permission, even if each person makes changes
Turning in a paper you wrote for another class without the teacher’s permission
Problems with citing are a major cause of plagiarism:
Using ideas and information from your sources written in your own words but without appropriate citations
Copying sentences or phrases from your sources word for word without appropriate citations AND quotation marks
Citing sources you did not use, either in your text or in the Works Cited page
These are ALL are examples of plagiarism. Many cases of accidental plagiarism begin with sloppy notes. Make sure you know where you have direct quotations in your notes, and that all paraphrased information is entirely your own words, not a mix. It's not enough to swap in some of your own phrases or synonyms. The best way to ensure that a paraphrase is your own is to put the original aside and write without looking at it.
Source: Adapted from from Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era: A Wake-Up Call by Ann Lathrop and Kathleen Foss (2000).
When Not to Cite
So, do you need to cite EVERYTHING in your paper? Not quite. There are two types of information that do NOT require citations: common knowledge and your own ideas.
Common knowledge. Information that is considered common knowledge does not need to be cited. But what is common knowledge? Information widely known by most educated people is considered common knowledge, but it may differ depending on your subject and audience.
You do not need to cite information that can be easily checked in any number of general reference sources, such as widely known dates and facts. In general, however, ideas and interpretations are not considered common knowledge, even if they are widely held. Statistics are typically not considered common knowledge.
If you are not certain whether a piece of information is common knowledge, it is better to cite it now and remove the citation if your teacher tells you to later.
An example of common knowledge that does not require citation:
China is one of the largest countries in Asia and the most populated country in the world.
Your own ideas. Your name is at the top of the paper, so you have already credited yourself for your original arguments and conclusions. Your thesis is (or should be!) your own idea, even though it will be based on evidence collected from sources.
An example of an original idea that does not require citation:
China's technocratic policies and growing population have allowed them to become one of the most influential economies on a world stage.
Is It Plagiarism?
Here is an original passage followed by sample student writing. Which are plagiarism and which are acceptable?
Original Passage
A zombie bite, although by far the most recognizable means of transference, is by no means the only one. Humans have been infected by brushing their open wounds against those of a zombie or being splattered by its remains after an explosion.
Student Draft #1
A zombie bite, although by far the most recognizable means of transference, is by no means the only one. Humans have been infected by brushing their open wounds against those of a zombie or being splattered by its remains after an explosion.
Obvious plagiarism. The original source is reproduced word-for-word with no quotation marks or in-text citation.
Student Draft #2
A zombie bite, although the most obvious means of infection, is by no means the only one. Humans have been contaminated by wiping their open wounds against those of a zombie or being splashed by its remains after an explosion.
Still plagiarism. The writer has replaced five words with synonyms, but the text is still obviously the original.
Student Draft #3
While being bitten is the most recognizable means of transference, there are other ways for victims to be infected, including brushing their open wounds against a zombie’s or being splattered by its remains in a blast.
Still plagiarism. This one may seem a little less obvious but the underlined phrases are taken directly from the original. They either need quotation marks or to be rephrased. What's more, the structure of the sentence still mirrors the original.
Student Draft #4
Contrary to popular belief, being bitten by a zombie is not the only way for infection to spread: contact between open sores and even body parts scattered by explosions have also been known to transmit the zombie disease.
Still plagiarism. This is an adequate paraphrase, but one thing is missing: a citation for the source. Without an in-text citation, the reader would assume these were your own original ideas. Thus, plagiarism.
Student Draft #5
Contrary to popular belief, being bitten by a zombie is not the only way for infection to spread: contact between open sores and even body parts scattered by explosions have also been known to transmit the zombie disease (Brooks 4).
This is fine: the student paraphrased the information and included an in-text citation. Nice job!
Student Draft #6
Human beings can be infected by zombies not only by being bitten, but also by "brushing their open wounds against those of a zombie or being splattered by its remains after an explosion" (Brooks 4).
It is also acceptable to paraphrase and quote in the same sentence, especially if you find the language particularly interesting.
Finally, the in-text use of the source would have a corresponding entry in the Works Cited page, like this:
Brooks, Max. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. Three Rivers, 2003.
Consequences of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious offense because it robs the original writer of recognition. It can have serious academic, professional, financial, and even legal consequences.
According to the AHS Student Handbook, plagiarism will result in a zero on the assignment and the student's deans and parents or guardians will be notified.
Learn More
Finding & Using Online Images (AHS Media Center)
Avoiding Plagiarism (Purdue Online Writing Lab)