Copyright and Citation

Plagiarism – A Persistent Problem “ I found your speech to be good and original. However, the part that was original was not good and the part that was good was not original.” Samuel Johnson ( ) muel_Johnson

What is Protected by Copyright?  Printed material  Books, articles, poems, stories, etc  Broadcast material  TV and radio programs  Visual material  Pictures, images, artwork, etc.  Audio-Visual material  Videos, DVD’s, tapes, CD’s, slides, etc.  Website material  Text, pictures, sounds, video

A Citation is Necessary…  When you are using or referring to somebody else’s words or ideas from any medium  When you use information gained by interviewing someone  When you copy the exact words or a "unique phrase"  When you reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts, or pictures  When using others’ ideas from conversations or

A Citation isn’t Necessary…  When you are writing about your own experiences, insights, observations, thoughts, or conclusions about a subject  When you are using information that is "common knowledge"  When compiling generally accepted facts  When writing up your own experimental results

“Borrowing” from the Works of Others  Quoting  Paraphrasing  Summarizing

Quotations  Quotations are the exact words of an author, copied directly from a source, word for word. Quotations must be cited! Use quotations when:  You want to add the power of an author’s words to support your argument.  You want to disagree with an author’s argument.  You want to highlight particularly eloquent or powerful phrases or passages.  You are comparing and contrasting specific points of view.  You want to note the important research that precedes your own.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing means rephrasing the words of an author, putting his/her thoughts in your own words. Like quotations, paraphrased material must be followed with in-text documentation and cited on your works-cited page. Paraphrase when:  You plan to use information on your note cards and wish to avoid plagiarizing.  You want to avoid overusing quotations.  You want to use your own voice to present information.

Summarizing Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) of one or several writers into your own words, including only the main point(s). Again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to their original sources. Summarize when:  You want to establish background or offer an overview of a topic.  You want to describe knowledge (from several sources) about a topic.  You want to determine the main ideas of a single source.

Note-taking Tips  Include any direct quotes or unique phrases in quotation marks and make sure the speaker’s/writer’s name is identified.  Use note cards with one topic from one source on each individual card.  If you don’t have cards, use a separate sheet of paper for each topic.  Make sure you note a paraphrase with the writer’s name.  Include page numbers and source references so you can go back and check for accuracy as you write.  Read a paragraph or two and then close the page or turn away and write your notes, only looking back to clarify facts.  Write facts as briefly as possible and in your own words.  Write in short phrases rather than in sentences.

MLA Style Worksheet  Book  Encyclopedia  Magazine  Newspaper  Journal  Film, DVD or TV  Web Page  Online Magazine  Online Newspaper  Online Forum MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities.

Automating the Citation Process Use these websites to create citations for your project  Noodle Tools  Bibme  BibBuilder