Avoiding Plagiarism:
and other writing tips…*
BUS 302
The Gateway Experience
*: Adapted from the University of Alberta in Canada
What Is Plagiarism?
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Use of another’s work without giving credit
“Intentionally or knowingly representing the
words, ideas, or work of another as one’s
own in any academic exercise” (CSUN 20102012 Catalog, Appendix E)
Discussion Question

Why should we be concerned about
it?
Because…

If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself.
You don’t learn to write out your thoughts in your own words,
and you don’t get specific feedback geared to your individual
needs and skills.

Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to basketball
practice for you – you’ll never get the benefit of the practice
yourself.

Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the
work of another as your own.

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Plagiarism devalues others' original work.
Submitting another writer's work as yours is taking an unfair
advantage over students who do their own work.

Because…

It is wrong to take or use property (an author's work)
without giving the owner the value or credit due.

Copyright violations can result in fines or legal
damages.

Plagiarism violates the CSUN Code of Conduct and
can result in suspension or expulsion.

CSUN's reputation affects the value of your degree;
student dishonesty hurts CSUN’s standing and can
make your degree worth less.
Discussion Questions

Why do people plagiarize?

What can we do to prevent it?
Types of Plagiarism

Intentional plagiarism:
deliberate copying or use of another’s work without
credit.

Unintentional plagiarism can result from:

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not knowing citation standards
(e.g., “I thought the Internet was free!”)
sloppy research and poor note-taking habits, or
careless “copying and pasting” of electronic sources.
Both types are subject to disciplinary
action
The Spectrum of Offenses
Deliberate
Plagiarism
Possibly
Unintentional
Plagiarism
Using a
source too
closely when
paraphrasing
Building on
someone’s
ideas without
citation
Copying from
another source
without citing
(on purpose or
by accident)
Hiring
someone to
write your
paper
Buying,
stealing, or
borrowing a
paper
Avoiding Plagiarism



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Manage your time
Keep track of your sources
Distinguish your ideas from the ideas in
other sources
Be careful when working with others
Think of the consequences
Proper Citation

Know what to cite

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Keep track of original sources
Be careful of “cut and paste” online research
There are “no freebies”
Beware of “common knowledge”
Know how to cite

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
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Provide enough information so we can find the original source
Use an accepted standard such as APA or MLA
Use your own words and ideas
If you repeat another’s exact words, you must use quotation
marks and cite the source.
Avoid using others’ work with minor cosmetic changes.
Proper Citation – cont’d

Know when to cite

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Direct quotations
Paraphrased ideas
Facts or information that isn’t common
knowledge
When in doubt, you must cite
Plagiarism in Teams


Team Assignments
 All members of the team are responsible for
accuracy and honesty of team work
 Keep track of your own research and contributions
to the team
 Proofread for each other
 Read the paper before it is submitted
Study Groups
 When working together on individual assignments,
hand in your own words/answers
 Don’t give others your written answers. You can
discuss how you got your solutions
Deciding When To Give
Credit: Examples
Below are some situations in which writers need to decide whether or not they are
running the risk of plagiarizing. Indicate if you would need to document (Yes), or if it
is not necessary to provide quotation marks or a citation (No). If you do need to give
the source credit in some way, explain how you would handle it. If not, explain why.
1
You are writing new insights about your own experiences.
2
You are using an editorial from your school’s newspaper with which you disagree.
3
You use some information from a source without ever quoting it directly.
4
You have no other way of expressing the exact meaning of a text without using the
original source verbatim.
5
You mention that many people in your discipline belong to a certain organization.
6
You want to begin your paper with a story that one of your classmates told about her
experience in Bosnia.
7
The quote you want to use is too long, so you leave out a couple of phrases.
8
You really like the particular phrase somebody else made up, so you use it.
Academic Dishonesty
Types of Academic Dishonesty

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Cheating
 “Intentionally using or attempting to use
unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in
any academic exercise”
Fabrication
 “Intentional falsification or invention of any
information or citation in an academic exercise”
Facilitating academic dishonesty
 “Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to
help another to commit an act of academic
dishonesty”
Plagiarism
Source: CSUN 2010-2012 Catalog, Appendix E.
Academic Integrity Quiz*
*: Adapted from the University of Alberta in Canada
Answer 1

YES!
If your instructor specifies that you are
expected to do your own work, then
both you and your friend can be
charged with plagiarism. If you’re not
sure whether or not you are allowed to
work in groups, ASK!!!
Answer 2

YES!
Helping someone to cheat is frowned
upon and is definitely a prohibited
under the CSUN Policy on Academic
Dishonesty . You could be charged and
face penalties.
Answer 3

YES!
You are still copying someone else’s
ideas without acknowledging the
author, even if you were going to say
the same thing. Every single time you
quote from another source, you must
include the citation.
Answer 4

NO – But this is a trick question!
Altering a medical note falls under the
category of Misrepresentation of Facts
and carries penalties just as strict as the
other instances of inappropriate
academic behavior.
Answer 5

YES!
You could be charged with plagiarism
(after all, you are handing someone
else’s work in as your own), and your
friend could be charged with
participating in an offense.
Answer 6

NO!
It’s your choice whether or not to report
someone else’s cheating. However, it’s
you that’s going to lose out here –
cheating skews the curve and gives
someone an academic advantage
through dishonest means. Do you really
want that in your classes?
Answer 7

YES!
As strange as it sounds, re-submission
falls under the category of Cheating.
When your instructor assigns a paper, it
is expected to be researched and
written specifically for that purpose.
Answer 8

NO – But this is a trick question!
You are misrepresenting facts by
fabricating anything on your
bibliography or any other assignment,
for that matter. You are better off to
head back to the library to find one
more source.
Answer 9

NO!
Materials posted by professors for
student use are legitimate and a great
way to study. If professors post old
exams for student use, you can use
them as practice tests.
Answer 10

YES!
This is another case of
Misrepresentation of Facts.