Plagiarism & You!

Definition

Pla·gia·rize (verb) - to steal & pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source. To commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarized>

How serious is the problem?

“a study of almost 4,500 students at 25 schools suggests cheating is…a significant problem in high school”

In the same study “74% of the respondents admitted to one or more instances of serious cheating”

Also, “over half of the students admitted they have used the internet to plagiarize”

Based on the research of Donald L. McCabe, Rutgers University

Listen up!!!

If you have included the words and ideas of others in your work , but failed to give them credit

If you have help you wouldn’t want your teacher to know about

Then you have probably plagiarized

Different kinds of plagiarism

Intentional Copying a friend’s

work Buying or borrowing

papers Cutting & pasting

blocks of text from the internet without documenting

Web publishing without permissions of creators

Unintentional Careless

paraphrasing Poor

documentation Quoting

excessively Failure to use

your own voice

Do these sound familiar?

What’s it to me?

Is your academic reputation valuable to you?

Citing gives authority to the information you present.

Citing makes it possible for your readers to locate your source

Citing sources gives your paper more credibility.

The consequences are not worth the risks!

Real Life Consequences

Harvard Undergrad was accused of copying from other authors in her novel.

Result: lost her book and movie deal Probe of plagiarism at University of

Virginia – 45 students expelled, 3 graduate degrees revoked

Reporters have lost their jobs Mike Barnicle, Boston Globe & Jayson Blair,

New York Times

Then, there are school consequences…

0 on the assignment Parent notification Possible suspension per LAUSD

student code of conduct Note on student record Removed from any extra-

curricular activity

Why should you care about plagiarism?

What if: Your doctor cheated his way through

medical school. How safe is your surgery?

Your accountant paid someone to take the CPA exam for her. Are your taxes going to be accurate?

Do I have to cite everything?

Not quite Facts that are widely known or

information considered “common knowledge”

Do not have to be documented!

**remember to use common sense & ethics**

Examples of common knowledge

Thomas Jefferson was our 3rd president.

Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel.

Michael Phelps won 14 Gold Medals in Swimming

In addition…

You do not need to cite your sources when you are discussing your own experiences, observations, or reactions.

One more reason not to plagiarize

Be proud of your work!

Works Cited

Fox, Tom, et al. Cite it Right. Boston: SourceAid, LLC, 2007.

Valenza, Joyce. What is Plagiarism?. Springfield Township Virtual Library. <http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/powerpoint/plagiarism.ppt>