Using Information Ethically

How to Recognize and Prevent Plagiarism

Seth Allen, M.L.I.S.

What is Plagiarism?According to the Davidson Community College

Catalog, plagiarism is:

In Layman’s Terms:Plagiarism is form a cheating whereby a student

passes of the work of others as their own by failing to give credit to others.

Davidson Community College Catalog: Academics. (2012). Retrieved Dec. 5, 2012 from: http://www.davidsonccc.edu/catalog.htm

“Plagiarizing includes any attempt to pass another’s work off as one’s own, in part or in whole, without properlyacknowledging the source. This includes directly quoting,summarizing, or using ideas, images, or data from another’s work without properly citing the source as well as submitting purchased or borrowed papers as one’s own” (Academics, p.2).

Why Should I Care?• Uphold personal, academic, and

institutional integrity• Poorly cited work leads to poor

arguments in papers and speeches• Instructors need a ‘breadcrumb’ trail

to verify the sources you use in your papers

• Plagiarism could lead to disciplinary actions by Davidson County Community College (next slide)

How Davidson County Community College Handles Academic Dishonesty

Verbal warningWritten warningFailing grade for the assignment

involvedFailing grade for the courseRemoval from the course

So What’s the Difference?

Plagiarism Is: Plagiarism Is Not:• Passing off someone else’s

intellectual property* as your own (intentionally or unintentionally)

• Failing to mention peers with whom you collaborated

• Failing to cite the sources of ideas or information, whether a direct quote, summary, or a paraphrase

• Failing to place three or more words from the original source in quotation marks

• Restating common knowledge,** such as:• Popular proverbs or

sayings• Well-known dates and

historical events• Information in given

field of study that is widely disseminated outside of the field

• Stating your own research findings, ideas, and thoughts

Paraphrasing Definition: a restatement of a text or passage giving

the meaning in another form, as for clearness; rewording

Example taken from page 22 of unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons:

“For both Mosaics and Busters, relationships are the driving force. Being loyal to friends is one of their highest values….Still under their relational connectedness lies fierce individualism.”

In my paper I write: Mosaics and Busters are relationship-centered and yet highly individualistic (Kinnamn & Lyons, 2007, p.22).

Kinnaman, D., & Lyons, G. (2007). Unchristian: What a new generation really thinks aboutChristianity-- and why it matters. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books.

Direct QuotesWhen directly quoting three or more consecutive words ora phrase from a text, enclose these words in quotationmarks.From the text:“For both Mosaics and Busters, relationships are the driving

force. Being loyal to friends is one of their highest values….Still under their relational connectedness lies fierce individualism.”

In my paper I write: Mosaics and Busters value loyalty. “Being loyal to friends is

one of their highest values….Still under their relational connectedness lies fierce individualism” (Kinnamn & Lyons, 2007, p.22).

Kinnaman, D., & Lyons, G. (2007). Unchristian: What a new generation really thinks about Christianity-- and why it matters. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books.

Assessing Your Knowledge of Plagiarism

The next couple of slides will assess your knowledge of plagiarism through a series of examples. Click on the ENTER tab to view the answer and explanation.

Excerpt from my paper: The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

Does this require a citation? No, this is common knowledge.

Example #1-Common Knowledge

In my paper I write: With nearly 2.2 billion adherents

worldwide, Christianity is the world’s largest faith.

Should I include a citation?

Example #1-Common KnowledgeYes. While the fact that Christianity is the largest

religion is common knowledge, the no. of

adherents is not.

With nearly 2.2 billion adherents worldwide,Christianity is the world’s largest faith(Benokraitis, 2012, p. 263).

OR

Benokraitis (2012) states that Christianity thelargest religion with over 2 billion adherents(p.263).

Benokraitis, N. V. (2012). SOC. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth,

Cengage Learning.

Example #2-Citing 3 or More Consecutive Words in Parentheses

Original Text From Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth, 1820-2000 :

The diversity of suburbia is evidence of assimilation and a source of conflict.

My paper reads:Suburbia is not as homogenous as some have

assumed. Instead, suburbs feature evidence of assimilation and a source of conflict (Hayden, 2003, p.13).

Is this plagiarism?

Example #2-Citing 3 or More Consecutive Words in Parentheses

YES.

Even though I properly cited the source, I used three consecutive words from the text without putting them in quotation marks. I should use quotation marks around the phrase “evidence of assimilation and a source of conflict.”

Example #3-Paraphrasing Other’s Ideas

Original Text From a Book:"Though students do not have books, they most

emphatically do have music. Nothing is more singular about this generation than its addiction to music. This is the age of music and the states of soul that accompany it."

I paraphrase this statement in my paper by writing:

Bloom (1987) states emphatically that music is the most significant characteristic of this generation of students, and in fact, that they are addicted to music (p.68). This is quite insightful, but is not limited to students.

Did I paraphrase correctly?.

Example #3-Paraphrasing Other’s Ideas

Yes.

I did not plagiarize because I did not use more than three consecutive words from the original text AND I cited the source of the idea.

Example #4-Paraphrasing ALL Ideas That Are Not Your Own

Original Text From a Book:"Though students do not have books, they most

emphatically do have music. Nothing is more singular about this generation than its addiction to music. This is the age of music and the states of soul that accompany it".

I paraphrase this statement in my paper by writing:

Bloom (1987) states emphatically that music is the most significant characteristic of this generation of students (p.68) and in fact, that they are addicted to music. This is quite insightful, but is not limited to students.

Did I paraphrase correctly?

Example #4-Paraphrasing ALL Ideas That Are Not Your Own

NO.

I put the source citation before the statement “they are addicted music”. Therefore, I am implying that this is my own conclusion, when in fact, it is the

author’s.

Put in in-text citation after you have encapsulated all of the authors’ ideas.

Example #5-Information and Images on the Web

I found this beautiful picture on Wikipedia that I would like to incorporate in a presentation on Israel. There is caption on the photo stating it is in the public domain.

Should I cite the source of this photograph?

Example #5-Information and Images on the Web

Yes.While many photographs are

available on Wikipedia that the author has released to the public domain (and thus do not require the creator’s permission to re-use), one must still cite the source as a caption and in the bibliography. (Werner, 2011)

Werner, B. Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, in the background the Church of the Holy Sepulcher [Online image]. Retrieved Sep. 22, 2011 from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerusalem_Dome_of_the_rock_BW_14.J

PG

Example #6: Citing Sacred Texts

In my paper, I write:

Many would argue that hard work is a biblical virtue tantamount to following the 10 commandments. Paul urges believers in Colossus to work “willing, as unto the Lord.”

Should I cite this?

Example #6: Citing Sacred Texts

Yes. Cite the source in-text, but omit it from your

bibliography.

Many would argue that hard work is a biblical virtue tantamount to following the 10 commandments. Paul urges the believers in Colossus to work “willing, as unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23 New International Version).

Example #7: Personal Communication

I am writing a paper on the challenges of teaching ‘digital natives’ in the college classroom. I email a professor of Freshman Seminar to ask about her insights. She responds in her email that the greatest challenge to teaching digital natives is the constant distraction of social media.

In my paper I write:“In an email with Prof. Warwick, she said that digital natives are distracted in the classroom from using social media.”

Do I need to cite this like I would cite a published source?

Example #7: Personal Communication

Yes. All sources, published or not, should be cited in your paper but not in the bibliography.

In an email with Prof. Denise Warwick, she said that digital natives are distracted in the classroom from using social media (personal communication, Nov. 20, 2012).

Summarizing What You Learned

Any ideas that are not your own must be properly cited, even if the item is not published, has an expired or no copyright, or is listed as ‘public domain’

Using three or more consecutive words from the original text must be enclosed in quotation marks

Paraphrasing and summarizing someone else’s work requires a citation

Common knowledge and your own research and thoughts do not require a citation

Where Do I Go From Here?Consult the some trusted online writing centers:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

http://lib.trinity.edu/research/citing/APAelectronicsources.pdf

Use the ‘References’ tab in Microsoft Word to capture data about your books as you use them

Try some FREE online citation generators, such as: www.easybib.com & www.eazypaper.com

When in doubt about the ethical use of a source, ask your professor or librarian

Adopt conscientious study and research habitsConsult Davidson County Community College’s

Catalog: http://www.davidsonccc.edu/pdfs/catalog/Academics.pdf