Plagiarism

Understanding Plagiarism and Common Knowledge What is Plagiarism' Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s ideas as your own. If you plagiarize, you are essentially committing literary theft. Plagiarism, whether accidental or intentional is a serious violation of the student code of conduct and carries significant consequences. Knowing what plagiarism is will help you create original individual work without worrying about possible penalties. Read the following examples carefully to understand those elements that constitute plagiarism. Example 1 Copying phrasing directly from a source without using a citation or quotation marks. Example 2 Omitting a citation from information obtained from a source. Example 3 Rearranging words from a source without changing the majority of the content. Example 4 Copying information directly from the source with only minor changes to the wording. Example 5 Using phrasing or sentences that are too close to the original. Example 6 Changing only one or two words in a sentence without using quotation marks. Example 7 Copying and pasting information from an Internet source without including a citation or quotation marks. Example 8 Using images, charts, or graphics from a source without a citation. Example 9 Providing information about the source that is not accurate. What is not Plagiarism' When information is correctly summarized or paraphrased with an in-text citation and a reference at the end of the essay, it is not plagiarism. Using quotation marks with a direct quotation and a citation including page or paragraph number means the quotation has been correctly attributed to its source and is not plagiarized. If you use the following Examples while writing your paper, you will be able to include sources in your work without accidentally plagiarizing. Example 1 Paraphrasing or summarizing information from another source that is correctly documented. This includes using a correct in-text citation and reference page entry. Example 2 Using quotation marks for words copied directly from a source and including a citation with page or paragraph numbers. Example 3 Copying information from an Internet source and using quotation marks and a citation, including page or paragraph number. Example 4 Using a citation for all information that is not common knowledge, including visual images, charts, and graphs. Common knowledge that most people know does not require a citation because it is known to general readers. Common knowledge should be written in your own words. What is Common Knowledge' Common knowledge consists of the following elements: 1. Information that is usually known to general readers 2. Information that is found in many places Common knowledge: George Washington was the first president of the United States [This is common knowledge because most people know that George Washington was the first president]. Not common knowledge: George Washington owned a distillery [Because this information is not known to the general public, a citation and reference list entry must be included]. The fact that George Washington owned and operated a distillery is not widely known; therefore, it is not common knowledge and must be cited. Causes of Plagiarism In many cases, plagiarism is a result of students not allowing enough time to complete an assignment. Because of time constraints, students might find it easier to plagiarize than to follow the correct steps to create an effective written assignment. Two of the most common causes of plagiarism are missing citations for information obtained from a source or missing quotation marks for a direct quotation. See the information about both Examples listed below: Rule 1 Use a citation for someone else’s ideas that are not common knowledge when your words are different from those in the source. Rule 2 Include a citation for ideas that are not your own. Rule 3 Include a citation with a direct quotation. Rule 4 Use quotation marks for words or phrases copied directly from a source [Include quotation marks if you copy more than two words from a source]. Rule 5 Avoid the mistake of using a citation and copying some of the phrasing directly from a source without including quotation marks.