How not to plagiarize your report Created for you by Ms. Hosier

Why are you here? In the Student code of conduct, the following is said about plagiarism: Cheating and Plagiarism: Cheating is …giving or receiving assistance on tests, quizzes, labs and assignments without permission from the classroom teacher. Plagiarism means …the presentation of someone elses words or ideas as your own and/or copying directly from reference materials (i.e., books, magazines, encyclopedias, microfilm, microfiche, internet, etc) without making notation as to the identity or the source or author. CONSEQUENCES First Offense: Youll receive a reduced grade for that assignment, test or quiz, etc., perhaps even a zero (0). Your parents will also be notified by the classroom teacher. Depending upon the circumstances, you may also be suspended from class. Repeated Offenses: Youll again be given a reduced grade for the specific work. Youll also be referred to the school administration for further disciplinary action, to include suspension from class up to five school days. Your parents will be contacted and you will be required to meet with your guidance counselor to discuss and implement methods for changing your behavior in this regard. From the Guidelines for Student Conduct, which can be found at

What is plagiarism? Main Entry: pla·gia·rize 1 : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source 2 : to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source From Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary

In other words, to copy someone elses work without giving him credit. Plagiarism is not always intentional. You can do it by accident, but it is still against the law. If you ever have a question about whether something is plagiarized, please ask!

How can I avoid plagiarism? Identify any information that would not be considered common knowledge Unless in direct quotes, make sure you paraphrase what the original author said Use a quote if you cant think of a way to paraphrase the information always, Always, ALWAYS cite the source of any information in your paper which is not considered common knowledge. If you are unsure if something is common knowledge, cite it!

What is considered common knowledge? Things that are found in a number of places, and are likely to be known by a large number of people. Examples: – The sky is blue – Grass is usually green – George Washington was the 1 st president of the United States

What does paraphrase mean? Main Entry: 1 para·phrase 1 : a restatement of a text, passage, or work giving the meaning in another form From Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary

What does it mean to put something in my own words? When you paraphrase something, it is different than putting it in your own words. When you put something in your own words, you are making a statement about the information you have found, rather than just restating the information. Usually there is an opinion of some sort in something In your own words

What is a quote? Main Entry: 1 quote 1 a : to speak or write (a passage) from another usually with credit acknowledgment b : to repeat a passage from, especially in substantiation or illustration From Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary

What is a citation? A citation is how you indicate where your information came from. There are three citation styles that are in frequent use at the high school and college level. They are: MLA (Modern Language Association) APA (American Psychological Association) CMS (Chicago Manual of Style) Each style has a way to do in-text citations, a way to do a bibliography, and a way to do footnotes and endnotes.

Examples of Citations using MLA Parenthetical or in-text: In Sons from Afar, Cynthia Voigt wrote, James entered English class after lunch the way he thought medieval criminals must have entered a church, crying out Sanctuary, Sanctuary. (Voigt 101) Works Cited: Voigt, Cynthia. Sons from Afar. New York: Fawcett Juniper, You may also be asked to use footnotes or endnotes. If you are asked to do either of these, your teacher or the library will give you a handout explaining how they are used.

When should I cite my sources? Whenever you use information that is not common knowledge Whenever you use information that you did not know before doing the research Whenever you quote another persons ideas or word, whether they are written or spoken Whenever you paraphrase another persons written or spoken words or ideas