Avoiding Plagiarism

Includes: 3-page instructional handout Worksheet Answer Key

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Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism is the use of another person’s words or ideas without crediting the source. It is a serious breach of academic honesty. At the very least, you will fail the assignment, and sometimes the consequences are much more severe. Even if you don’t get caught, you have let yourself down by being dishonest and missing the opportunity to learn. An example of plagiarism is to use someone else’s paper as your own, or directly copying information from a website or other source. You also need to avoid unintentional plagiarism, where you incorrectly use someone else’s ideas simply because you don’t know how to cite them properly. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism, however, is no excuse. The following guidelines will help you avoid making a mistake. Example source: “As one might imagine, Stegner was not in favor of the American Dream, or at least not the materialistic dream of status and possessions.” Benson, Jackson. Wallace Stegner: His Life and Work. New York: Viking, 1996. 1. Direct Quotation: If you use the exact words from a source, always use quotation marks, followed by a citation. Correct: “As one might imagine, Stegner was not in favor of the American Dream, or at least not the materialistic dream of status and possessions” (Benson 10). Plagiarized: As one might imagine, Stegner was not in favor of the American Dream, or at least not the materialistic dream of status and possessions. (Missing quotation marks and citation)

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2. Paraphrase: If you use someone’s idea, but do not use the exact words, you must still credit the source and include a citation. In addition, you cannot just change a few words; you must put the idea completely in your own words. Correct: Wallace Stegner did not believe people should buy into the materialistic part of the American Dream (Benson 10). Plagiarized: Wallace Stegner did not believe people should buy into the materialistic part of the American Dream. (missing citation) Plagiarized: Wallace Stegner was not a fan of the American Dream, at least not the dream of status and possessions. (only a few words changed, missing citation) 3. Combining direct quotes with paraphrase: Correct: Wallace Stegner did not approve of the American Dream, or, as Benson said, “at least not the materialistic dream of status and possessions” (10). Plagiarized: Wallace Stegner did not approve of the American Dream, or at least not the materialistic dream of status and possessions (Benson 10). (using the author’s own words without quotation marks): 4. Common Knowledge: If a fact is common knowledge, meaning you can find the same information in multiple credible sources, it is something that most people already know, you observed it directly, or it is a generally accepted fact, you do not need to cite a source. Using the example above, if you have read several of Wallace Stegner’s books yourself, you could say, without quotes or a citation, that his books are often critical of people with materialistic values. As another example, you could say that smoking is bad for your health without citing a source.

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If you are not sure if something needs a citation, remember this rule: When in doubt, it’s best to cite.

Tips for avoiding plagiarism:

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Resist the temptation to cut and paste from websites. Take notes in your own words instead, and use quotation marks or highlight direct quotations in your notes.

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Use multiple credible sources so all your information does not come from one place. When you synthesize ideas from many sources, you are more likely to understand the subject and be able to come up with your own ideas.

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If you are not sure if you are plagiarizing, ask your instructor for guidance.

©  Laura  Torres  2011  

Avoiding Plagiarism Worksheet Below is original source material about secondhand smoke, followed by a student-written passage about the topic. Circle or highlight anywhere that you find plagiarism in the student passage. Source: “A federally funded study has found that inhaling secondhand smoke affects the brain in much the same way as smoking a cigarette does. We’ve long known that people who smoke cigarettes put more than their own health at jeopardy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 Americans each year. Exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the likelihood that children will start smoking cigarettes when they become teenagers and makes it harder for adult smokers to quit.”     Miller,  Michael,  ed.  “Secondhand  smoke  and  the  brain."  Harvard  Mental  Health  Letter            28.3  (2011):  7.  CINAHL  with  Full  Text.  EBSCO.  Web.  2  Oct.  2011.     Student  Passage  (underline  or  highlight  plagiarism)  :    

Everyone  knows  that  smoking  is  bad  for  your  health,  and  studies  have  shown  

that  secondhand  smoke  isn’t  good  for  you  either.  About  50,000  Americans  every   year  are  killed  by  secondhand  smoke,  according  to  the  Centers  for  Disease  Control   and  Prevention  (Miller  7).    In  addition,  a  recent  study  has  found  that  inhaling   secondhand  smoke  affects  the  brain  in  much  the  same  was  as  smoking  a  cigarette   does.  That  means  if  you  smoke  around  your  child,  the  smoke  may  be  affecting  your   child’s  brain  as  much  as  your  own.      Exposure  to  secondhand  smoke  makes  it  more   likely  that  kids  will  start  smoking  when  they  become  teenagers.  It  also  “makes  it   harder  for  adult  smokers  to  quit.”  

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Avoiding Plagiarism Worksheet Answer Key   Student  Passage  (underline  or  highlight  plagiarism)  :      

Everyone  knows  that  smoking  is  bad  for  your  health,  and  studies  have  shown  

that  secondhand  smoke  isn’t  good  for  you  either.  About  50,000  Americans  every   year  are  killed  by  secondhand  smoke,  according  to  the  Centers  for  Disease  Control   and  Prevention  (Miller  7).    In  addition,  a  recent  study  has  found  that  inhaling   secondhand  smoke  affects  the  brain  in  much  the  same  was  as  smoking  a  cigarette   does.  {direct  quote  with  no  quotation  marks  or  citation}.  That  means  if  you  smoke   around  your  child,  the  smoke  may  be  affecting  your  child’s  brain  as  much  as  your   own.      Exposure  to  secondhand  smoke  makes  it  more  likely  that  kids  will  start   smoking  when  they  become  teenagers.  {Paraphrased,  but  only  slightly  changed,  and   no  citation}  It  also  “makes  it  harder  for  adult  smokers  to  quit.”{no  citation}  

©  Laura  Torres  2011  

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Apostrophe Review, Game and Quiz and Answer Keys

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©  Laura  Torres  2011