Plagiarism
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What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is copying someone else's work or taking someone else's ideas and saying they are yours. This includes written words and pictures.
What does plagiarism look like?
Direct Copying
Direct Copying
This involves copying the exact words found in a book or website and not using quotation marks and acknowledging where the words came from. It doesn't matter if it is a sentence, a paragraph or the whole text.
Cut and Pasting from Several Sources
Cut and Pasting from Several Sources
To copy the words from one source then copying the words from another, putting them together does not make your own work. It is still stealing ideas this time from several people.
Copying someone else's assignment
Copying someone else's assignment
Resubmitting an assignment originally written by someone else such as a friend or family member, who has already completed the course you are currently studying, is plagiarism. It is using someone else's work and ideas and saying they are yours.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is when you use someone else's work but change a few words. This does not make it your own work. It was still someone else's idea and they need to be acknowledged.
Resubmitting your past work
Resubmitting your past work
Using work you did for another assignment is also plagiarism even though it is your work. When completing assignments it is expected that you create new work and not reuse past work.
Using AI
Using AI
Is using AI programs such as ChatGPT plagiarism? The simple answer is YES. For example asking a program to answer a question, write an essay or write a story or poem, is not your work. If you submit this as your assessment item it cannot be marked as you did not gather the information and process it into an answer to submit. It is the same as copying someone else's assignment and saying it was your work.
Click on the Button below and Read the Scenario Activity and Answer the Questions.
How will the Teacher Know you have Plagiarised?
Teachers will check submitted assignments to make sure they are original work produced by the student and not copied.
There are plagiarism programs that teachers can use to check student assignments. These programs can detect if you have copied and pasted information and can tell the teacher the resource it came from. Other programs can detect the use of AI.
Sometimes it is as simple as the the assignment differs greatly from the work the student completes in the classroom or has previously submitted. This includes the words written in the assignment task are not the language the student usually uses in their work, and when questioned the student does not know what those words mean.
The best way to avoid plagiarism is to take detailed notes which includes the details of the source so the ideas or the quotes you use can be properly referenced in your work.
How can I reference the information sources I have used for my assignment so I do not plagiarise?
The Kingsford Smith School Library has an online site with lots of information and video links on how to reference the information sources you use for your assignments. There are brochures in the Library that show you step by step how to write a bibliography and how to cite sources in your work. Click on the button below which will take you directly to the page on writing Bibliographies and how to cite sources in your assignments.
When taking notes from a resource you are using for your assignment the information you need is:
Title of the book/ article
Author
year it was written and the edition
the publisher
the place of publication
and if it was viewed online the date it was viewed
If you are writing the exact words down in your notes that come from the resource to use as a direct quote, you will also need to write the page number the information came from.
There are many styles used to write a bibliography. Very simply the style used, gives the order the resource details are written in the bibliography. At Kingsford Smith School the chosen style has been Harvard.
However, there are many other styles and your teacher may ask you to use a different one.
How to reference using Harvard Referencing Style
How to Reference a Book
How to Reference a Book
The details needed for the bibliography are:
author's name (surname followed by the first initial)
year of publication of the edition you are using
title in italics
publisher
place of publication (usually a city)
a full stop must be used at the end
Example below
For an assignment on sports we used a book called Skateboarding. It was written by Paul Stevenson in 2024, and published by Hungry Tomato Ltd in Truro, Cornwell in the UK. In our references it appears as:
Stevenson, P 2024, Skateboarding, Hungry Tomato, Truro.
How to Reference a Website
How to Reference a Website
The information needed to reference a website is:
name of the organisation or person who made the site
name of the site, in italics
date you looked ate the site
URL, including http://www...
Example below:
We used the IOC Olympic Web site for information on skateboarding as a sport.
International Olympic Committee, Skateboarding, viewed 26 November 2024, https://olympics.com/en/sports/skateboarding/#:~:text=Skateboarding%20is%20a%20sport%20and,and%20footwork%20to%20execute%20tricks.
How to Reference Magazines, Newspapers and Journals
How to Reference Magazines, Newspapers and Journals
The information needed to reference magazines, newspapers and journals are:
Author's name- surname followed by first initial
year of publication
title of the article in single quote marks ' '
name of publication in italics
specific issue date, including volume number if applicable
page of article (p. is used to show a single page, pp. is used to show multiple pages
and a full stop at the end
Example below:
Baker, J 2024 'Teen prodigy wins gold in skateboarding-and she's Australia's youngest medallist', Sydney Morning Herald, 7 August 2024, p2.
How to Reference and Encyclopedia Article
How to Reference and Encyclopedia Article
If you need to reference an article in an encyclopedia you need the following details:
author- surname followed by first initial
year of publication
title of article, in single quotes
title of encyclopedia in italics
publisher
place of publication
volume
page
full stop at the end
At Kingsford Smith School we have access to the World Book and Britannica Encyclopaedias online. If you were referencing an article from the online version you also need to add the web address
Example below:
Cave, S 2024, 'Skateboarding' , World Book Advanced, World Book, Chicago, viewed 26 November 2024, https://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar512895.
I am still confused how to cite and reference sources. What can I do?
Speak to the Teacher Librarian
Speak to the Teacher Librarian
The Teacher Librarian is an expert in referencing resources. They will be able to explain and demonstrate how to reference all different types of sources.
Visit the Library
Visit the Library
The Library has a selection of brochures which you can take and keep to help you reference your sources.
Ask your Teacher
Ask your Teacher
Kingsford Smith School uses the Harvard system of referencing, but your teacher may like you to use a different one. Your teacher can explain how they would like sources referenced. The Teacher Librarian is also able to explain and demonstrate to you as they regularly are required to use various different referencing systems.
Online
Online
There are a lot of websites that can help you with your referencing. Visit the KSS Library site to access links to suitable sites that can help you. The Library Online Site can be accessed by: http://bit.ly/40A2c50
Please click on the button below to complete the final quiz to receive a certificate of completion. You must achieve 100% correct to obtain a certificate.
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