Using Sources in your
Work:
Avoiding Plagiarism
Created by: Michelle Kramer and
Sherri Miller, Mt. Lebanon High School
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My (pick
one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
I had to. I
need to
have good
grades.
I didn’t know
that I had to
cite my
sources.
I didn’t
understand the
assignment
and I needed
some help.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My (pick
one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
I had to. I
need to
have good
grades.
I didn’t know
that I had to
cite my
sources.
I didn’t
understand the
assignment
and I needed
some help.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Have you heard any
of those before?
But those excuses don’t cut it…
There is no acceptable excuse for
plagiarism.
Plagiarism is cheating
(and it will be treated as such if it is
found in your work).
Look at these real life examples…
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
Doris Kearns
Goodwin, a Pulitzer
Prize winning
historian, was forced
to step down from
the Pulitzer board
after she was found
to have accidentally
used another’s words
in one of her books.
Hostetter, Janet. 6 Apr 2006. Associated Press
Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http://apimages.ap.org>
Kirpatrick, David D. “Author Goodwin Resigns from Pulitzer
Board.” New York Times. (1 June 2002.) 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E7D71
43AF932A35755C0A9649C8B63>.
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
As a reporter for the
New York Times, Jayson
Blair plagiarized or
fabricated in more than
40 stories between 2002
and 2005. He was fired
from his job. The top
two editors of the
newspaper resigned as a
result of the scandal.
“Correcting the Record.” New York Times. 11 May 2003. The New York Times. 5 Aug 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E1DB123FF932A25756C0A9659C8B63>
Image: Szymaszek, Jennifer. 12 May 2004. Associated
Press Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http:// apimages.ap.org>
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
Blair Hornstein was the
valedictorian of her high
school class and had
earned admission to
Harvard University. After
articles Hornstein wrote
for a local newspaper
were discovered to have
been plagiarized, Harvard
University rescinded their
acceptance.
“Blair Hornstein.” The Gothamist. 14 July 2003. 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://gothamist.com/2003/07/14/gothamist.php>.
Capuzzo, Jill P. “MOORESTOWN JOURNAL; Seeing Crimson.” New York
Times. (20 July 2003.) 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E6D61E3CF933A157
54C0A9659C8B63&scp=4&sq=Blair%20Hornstein%20&st=cse>.
So, as you can see,
plagiarism is a serious offense.
This presentation is part of your
class work so that you know
what plagiarism is
and
how you can avoid it.
Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is:
• To steal the words or ideas of another
person
• To pass off the words or ideas of
another person as one’s own

Further:
• It doesn’t matter whether the theft is
intentional or accidental. Either way, it
is plagiarism.
Let’s look at some
hypothetical situations.
For each, determine if the student
plagiarized or did not.
Click on the arrow to move to the next page.
Jack’s Situation
Jack has an English paper due tomorrow.
He read the book and paid attention
during class, but he has no idea what to
write about.
Jack logs onto the Internet “just to get
some ideas about topics for his paper.”
He finds a great idea and begins writing his
paper using the topic he found. He is very
careful to avoid copying any text or words
from the Internet article he found.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes
No
You must choose from the blue
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said…
Jack did plagiarize.
You are right. Jack’s actions constitute
plagiarism.
• Jack is committing plagiarism by taking
the ideas of the source without citing
them in the paper.
• Even though he put the ideas in his own
words, Jack is stealing the intellectual
property of the source.
You said…
Jack did not plagiarize.
You are wrong. Jack’s actions constitute
plagiarism.
• Jack is committing plagiarism by taking the
ideas of the source without citing them in the
paper.
• Even though he put the ideas in his own
words, Jack is stealing the intellectual property
of the source. You are wrong. Jack’s actions
constitute plagiarism.
• He could avoid plagiarism if he cites the source
of the ideas in his paper.
Jill’s Situation
During history class, Jill is asked to
find some background on Fidel
Castro’s rise to power.
Jill does a Google search and arrives at
Wikipedia’s article on Fidel Castro.
Without using quotation marks, Jill
cuts and pastes several sentences
from Wikipedia into her assignment.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes
No
You must choose from the blue
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said…
Jill did plagiarize.
You are right. Jill’s actions constitute
plagiarism.
• By taking the words from the Wikipedia
article, Jill is committing plagiarism.
• She can avoid plagiarizing by quoting
the article in her assignment and
including an entry that describes the
source in a bibliography at the end of
her paper.
You said…
Jill did not plagiarize.
You are wrong. Jill’s actions constitute
plagiarism.
• By taking the words from the Wikipedia
article, Jill is committing plagiarism.
• She can avoid plagiarizing by quoting
the article in her assignment and
including an entry that describes the
source in a bibliography at the end of
her paper.
Gretel’s Situation
Gretel is a freshman who feels
overwhelmed by the high school.
When her science teacher assigns a
short worksheet on genetics, Gretel
is confused and frustrated.
During lunch, Gretel “borrows” her
friend’s paper and copies the
answers onto her own paper.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes
No
You must choose from the blue
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said…
Gretel did plagiarize.
You are right. Gretel’s actions
constitute plagiarism.
• Even if Gretel’s friend gave permission
for Gretel to copy her work, it is still
plagiarism.
• Gretel is guilty of plagiarism. She tried
to take credit for the words and ideas of
another person.
You said…
Gretel did not plagiarize.
You are wrong. Gretel’s actions
constitute plagiarism.
• Even if Gretel’s friend gave permission
for Gretel to copy her work, it is still
plagiarism.
• When a student attempts to take credit
for the words and ideas of another
person without acknowledging the
original source of the work
Think you’ve got it?
Read the following…
(and pay attention! There will be a quiz
on this information at the end!)
How to Avoid Plagiarism



Cite the source of any idea or words
you take from anyone else.
Carefully mark the beginning and
end of the source’s words or idea.
Provide a bibliography to show where
the borrowed material originated.
Four good reasons for citing
sources in your work:
• Citing reliable information gives
credibility to your work.
• Cheating is unethical behavior.
• It is only fair to give credit to the
source—otherwise, you are stealing
the source’s ideas.
• The consequences are severe—
plagiarism is not worth the risk.
You probably have two
questions:
(1) What do I need to cite?
(2) How do I cite?
Read on for the answers…
What do I need to cite?

This chart will
help you decide
what must be
cited.
• It was created by
Robert A. Harris in
The Plagiarism
Handbook.
Did you
think of
it?
Yes.
No.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Yes.
No.
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
So—the rule is:
If you created it
without any help,
you do not need
to cite the source.
If you did not
create the
content, you must
cite the source.
Did you
think of
it?
Yes.
No.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Yes.
No.
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
The one exception to
that rule is for
“common knowledge.”
You do not need to
cite the source of an
unoriginal piece of
information IF:
(1) an educated
person should know
the information,
Did you
think of
it?
Yes.
No.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Yes.
OR
No.
(2) it is a fact that
could be found in an
encyclopedia.
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
So, you don’t need to cite a fact,
but you must cite the source of opinions
and ideas that are not your own.
And, you must cite anytime you use the exact
words of the source—even if the words are
presenting common knowledge.
So, you don’t need to cite a fact,
for example: Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.
OR
Harper Lee was born in 1926.
but you must cite the source of opinions
and ideas that are not your own.
for example: Dorothy Gale believes that Lord of the Flies is an inspiring story (75).
OR
According to Joe Smith, Piggy represents the human spirit (15).
And, you must cite anytime you use the exact
words of the source—even if the words are
presenting common knowledge.
You must always cite the source of ANY direct quotation.
Take one
more look
at this
chart!
If the idea and
the words are
yours, you do
not need to cite.
Did you
think of
it?
Yes.
No.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Yes.
No.
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
So, you can identify what
must have a citation…
Now you need to know
how to use and cite a
source!
How to Cite a Source

It’s easy. Just provide your audience with
the source of any ideas or words that are
not your own.
• First, carefully mark the beginning and end of
the source’s words or idea.
• Then, provide a bibliography to show where the
borrowed material originated.

In fact, listing your sources shows your
audience that you are an informed, wellresearched writer!
It can be said in a bunch of
different ways…
But, they all mean the same thing…
Provide a clear indication
of any words or ideas
that are not your own.
Enclose the
borrowed
Can you identify plagiarism
when you see it?


Try the following four examples. On
each you will see the source material
and the student’s usage of that
material.
Use the buttons at the bottom of the
screen to choose if the example
shows acceptable use or plagiarism.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 1
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Student’s Text:
One reason that Lincoln was well-liked during
his lifetime was that his integrity was sincere.
A person’s statements and dealings with the
world allows that person to be judged as
honest.
Student’s Bibliography:
No references given.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
You must choose one of the
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said that the example showed
Acceptable Use
You are incorrect.


Use the arrow at the bottom of this
screen to return to the example.
Reread the example and see if you
can determine why it is plagiarism.
You said that the example showed
Plagiarism
You are correct!

The student put the author’s idea
into her own words; however, she
did not give credit to the source of
the idea.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 2
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
Student’s Text:
Phillips believes that the populace’s admiration
for Lincoln stems from his integrity and honesty
(52).
Student’s Bibliography:
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln on Leadership:
Executive Strategies for Tough Times. Warner
Books: New York, 1992.
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
You must choose one of the
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said that the example showed
Acceptable Use
You are correct!

The student clearly marked the boundaries of the
paraphrase:
• Providing the author’s name at the beginning of the
paraphrase shows where Phillips’ idea starts.
• Providing the page number at the end of the paraphrase
shows where Phillips’ idea ends.

The reference on the bibliography page is accurate.
You said that the example showed
Plagiarism
You are incorrect!


Use the arrow at the bottom of this
screen to return to the example.
Reread the example and see if you
can determine why this usage is
acceptable.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 3
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Student’s Text:
Lincoln was so admired in his lifetime because
he had integrity. Integrity must be sincere.
Through an individual’s words, deed, and
actions, integrity can be judged to be genuine.
Student’s Bibliography:
No references given.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
You must choose one of the
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said that the example showed
Acceptable Use
You are incorrect!


Use the arrow at the bottom of this
screen to return to the example.
Reread the example and see if you
can determine why it is plagiarism.
You said that the example showed
Plagiarism
You are correct!


The student used the exact words of
the source without providing any
indication of their origin.
A reader would believe that this
passage is the work of the student.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 4
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
Student’s Text:
During his lifetime, people admired Lincoln
because his words, deeds and actions
demonstrated his sincere, genuine integrity.
Student’s Bibliography:
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln on Leadership:
Executive Strategies for Tough Times. Warner
Books: New York, 1992.
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
You must choose one of the
buttons at the bottom of the page.
Read the situation and then choose
one of the options presented.
Click here to
return to previous slide
You said that the example showed
Acceptable Use
You are incorrect!


Use the arrow at the bottom of this
screen to return to the example.
Reread the example and see if you
can determine why it is plagiarism.
You said that the example showed
Plagiarism
You are correct!

The student changed the order of the
words and the structure of the
sentences; however, he did not give
credit to the Phillips’ book as the
source of the idea.
So, to review…



Plagiarism is a serious offense. Not
only does it carry heavy penalties,
but your integrity is damaged when
you plagiarize.
Plagiarism is easily avoidable—just
cite the sources when you use the
words or ideas of another person.
If you have any questions, see your
teacher or school librarian!
Sources Consulted
DeSena, Laura Hennessey. Preventing Plagiarism:
Tips and Techniques. National Council of
Teachers of English: Urbana, IL, 2007.
Harris, Robert A. The Plagiarism Handbook:
Strategies for Preventing, Detecting, and Dealing
with Plagiarism. Pyrczak Publishing: Los Angeles,
2001.
Valenza, Joyce Kasman. “What is Plagiarism? (And
Why You Should Care).” Springfield High School
Media Center Information Literacy Lessons.
Springfield School District.