1. Plagiarism, Paraphrasing and Documenting Quotations

2. Plagiarism – What is it? “the unacknowledged use of somebody else’s words or ideas” Possible Consequences: –Mark of 0 –Expulsion - particularly at college or university Totally avoidable – just need to document

3. What? Deliberate PlagiarismPossibly Accidental Plagiarism Buying, stealing or borrowing a paper Using the source too closely when paraphrasing Hiring someone to write your paper Building on someone’s ideas without citation Copying from another source without citing [on purpose or by accident]

4. Avoiding plagiarism by paraphrasing General Advice –When reading a passage, try first to understand it as a whole, rather than pausing to write down specific ideas or phrases –Be selective. Choose and summarize the ideas that helps you make a point –Think of what “your own words” would be if you were telling someone like your Mom or your sister what the original source said –Remember that you can use some of the original language in quotes Source: The Writing Center UW-Madison

5. How to paraphrase Look away from the source; then write –Read the text you need to paraphrase several times – until you feel that you understand it and can use your own words to restate it to someone else. –Then look away from the original and rewrite the text in your own words Take notes –Take abbreviated notes; set the notes aside then paraphrase from the notes a day or two later While looking at the source, first change the structure, then the words –Changing the structure Look at the order in the paragraph – pick out a key word from the middle and write your paragraph beginning with the key word Break up long sentences, combine short ones, expand key ideas – Changing the words Use synonyms or a phrase that expresses the same meaning Use words common to the discipline Source: The Writing Center UW-Madison

6. Avoiding plagiarism by documenting direct quotations… What you must document… –Direct quotations that Show an authority supports your point Include especially moving or historically significant language Present a particularly well-stated passage whose meaning would be lost or changed if paraphrased or summarized Contain statistics or numbers that could be challenged Source: The Writing Center UW-Madison

7. When not to document…. You are writing your own experiences, your own observations, your own insights, your own thoughts, your own conclusions about a subject You are using “common knowledge” –Folklore –Common sense observations –Shared information within your field of study or cultural group You are compiling generally accepted facts You are writing up your experimental results

8. Research Steps 1.Start with general references 1.Encyclopedias e.g. World Book online 2. textbooks 2.Move to more specific 1.Library books; online journals