Plagiarism:
What is it,
and how do I avoid it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt1jodvhy1s&NR=1
Plagiarism
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Using someone else’s work, in part or in whole—
whether that be a published work, something from
the internet, a friend’s paper, a paper bought off the
internet or from some other service, or work that
someone did for you
Outside source or information that is not properly
referenced
Direct wording that is not in quotations and cited, or
paraphrasing that is too close to the original wording
and/or is not cited
Work done—in part or in whole—for another class
What about “common knowledge”?
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Common knowledge does not require
acknowledgement:
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Facts that most people know. For example, “The
mascot of the University of Kentucky is the
wildcat.”
Facts available in a variety of sources. For
example, “The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941.”
So, what exactly requires a citation so that
I’m not plagiarizing?
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Quotations, paraphrases, summaries
Facts that aren’t widely known; claims that are
arguable
Images, statistics, charts, tables, graphs, other
visuals from any source
Ideas from another source
Experiments conducted by others
Interviews
Help or advice from someone else
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When in doubt, go ahead and cite it!!!
OK, so how do I give credit to the sources
where I got those things?
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In WRD 110, use MLA (Modern Language
Association). The guidelines changed in
2009, so make sure you’re using an up-todate guide.
All sources should be cited in-text and on a
works cited page.
MLA format for essays
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In-text: necessary for every quotation,
paraphrase, or summary.
(author’s last name page number)
Ex: (Cofer 40).
Note that there is no comma separating the
name and the page number and that the
sentence is ended with a period AFTER the
citation.
…continued:
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Works Cited page:
Author last name, first name. “Title of essay.” Title of
book. Edition. City: Publisher, Year. Pages.
Medium.
Cofer, Sandra Ortiz. “Silent Dancing: A Partial
Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood.” The
Engaged Citizen: A Reader for First-Year Writing.
4th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2010. 35-40. Print.
Journal articles
Works Cited page:
Author last name, first name. “Title of article.”
Title of journal Vol#.Issue# (Year): pages.
Medium.
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Bennett, Tanya Long. “The Protean Ivy in Fair and Tender
Ladies.” The Southern Literary Journal 30.2 (1998):
76-95. Print.
OR from a database:
Bennett, Tanya Long. “The Protean Ivy in Fair and Tender
Ladies.” The Southern Literary Journal 30.2 (1998):
76-95. JSTOR. Web. 25 Sept. 2012.
Websites
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Will vary depending on whether you have an
author or not. See examples in class and p.
144 in A Pocket Style Manual 6th ed. for more
details.
How do I use a quote effectively?
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Avoid just “dropping in” quotes. Ex:
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My journey is very similar to the one Stacey
Johnson describes. “My past has shaped me to
not see color and to know that there is no barrier
too large to overcome” (31).
Better: As in the essay “Culture Clash,” my
journey helped me realize I could overcome
obstacles. The author claims that she learned that
“there is no barrier too large to overcome,” which
is similar to the conclusion my journey helped me
reach (Johnson 31).
What about photographs?
Author or photographer. Title of work. Year.
Location. Web source. Web. Date accessed.
Wilson, Lauren. Cover. 2010. Lexington, KY.
laurenwilsonstudio.blogspot.com. Web.
1 September 2010.
Fig. 1. Source: Lauren Wilson.
Cover. Lauren Wilson Studio. Web.
1 September 2010.
Your own photograph…
Fig. 1. My bulldog puppy.
Source: Personal photo.
Fine. But what happens if I decide to ignore
all of this and just plagiarize anyway?
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DWRDM guidelines:
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“The minimum penalty for plagiarism is a zero on the assignment
for a first, ‘minor offense’; more severe penalties may be
recommended and are mandated by the faculty senate for ‘major’
and subsequent offenses. Students should also be aware that
according to faculty senate rules, those charged with plagiarism
may not withdraw from the course in which the offense occurred
for any reason.”
First offense (minimum penalty): meet with DWRDM associate
director; 0 on assignment and letter of warning; cannot withdraw
from the course to avoid failing
For more information…
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Syllabus and DWRDM guidelines on BB
A Pocket Style Manual. 6th ed. See pp. 105162.
The Writing Center
Me! 