1. Using Sources in your Work: A Tutorial on Avoiding Plagiarism GRADE 11 & 12
NOTE:
To move through this tutorial, use the mouse to click on the arrow at the bottom right of your screen.

2. Agenda for This Tutorial
Pretest your knowledge of plagiarism by looking at some sample situations.
Learn more about plagiarism:
What plagiarism is and how one can avoid it
When to cite your sources
How to cite your sources
Take a quiz to verify your understanding.
Pledge that you will avoid plagiarism.

3. 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
It doesn’t matter whether the theft is intentional or accidental. Either way, it is plagiarism.

4. You know this… don’t you?
Sure you do. Teachers have been talking (and talking, and talking) about plagiarism—and how you should avoid it.
Let’s see what you know about plagiarism. In each of the following examples, determine whether the student committed plagiarism or not.

5. Jack’s Situation Is this plagiarism? Yes No
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

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7. You said… Jack did plagiarize.
You are right. Jack’s actions constitute plagiarism.
By taking the ideas of the source without citing them in the paper, Jack is committing plagiarism.
Even though he put the ideas in his own words, Jack is stealing the intellectual property of the source.

8. You said… Jack did not plagiarize.
You are wrong. Jack’s actions constitute plagiarism.
By taking the ideas of the source without citing them in the paper, Jack is committing plagiarism.
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.

9. Jill’s Situation Is this plagiarism?
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

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11. 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 could avoid plagiarizing if she quotes the article in her assignment and includes an entry describing the source in a bibliography at the end of her paper.

12. 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 could avoid plagiarizing if she quotes the article in her assignment and includes an entry describing the source in a bibliography at the end of her paper.

13. Gretel’s Situation Is this plagiarism?
Gretel is a freshman who feels overwhelmed by the high school. When her science teacher assigns a short worksheet on quarks, 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

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15. 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.

16. 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.
It is plagiarism when a student tries to take credit for the words and ideas of another person without acknowledging the original source of the work.

17. Hansel’s Situation Is this plagiarism?
Hansel is a senior who has already been accepted to college.
When his teacher assigns a paper on a subject that Hansel wrote a paper on as a sophomore, Hansel decides to turn in his old paper again.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes No

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19. You said… Hansel did plagiarize.
This example does not have a clear right or wrong answer. Although it may not technically be plagiarism, Hansel’s reuse of his own paper is prohibited by the rules of academic integrity.
So, if caught, Hansel would be in trouble for his actions.

20. You said… Hansel did not plagiarize.
This example does not have a clear right or wrong answer. Although it may not technically be plagiarism, Hansel’s reuse of his own paper is prohibited by the rules of academic integrity.
So, if caught, Hansel would be in trouble for his actions.

21. Jacob’s Situation Is this plagiarism?
Jacob is a sophomore who is creating a digital story using images from the internet.
Without giving the source and the name of the photographer, Jacob uses photographs found doing a Google Image search.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes No

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23. You said… Jacob did plagiarize.
Although this is not technically plagiarism, Jacob’s actions are wrong. The use of images or drawings created by anyone other than you requires citation of the artist’s name and the source of the image.
So, if caught, Jacob would be in trouble for his actions.

24. You said… Jacob did not plagiarize.
Although this is not technically plagiarism, Jacob’s actions are wrong. The use of images or drawings created by anyone other than you requires citation of the artist’s name and the source of the image.
So, if caught, Jacob would be in trouble for his actions.

25. How did you do? Just to make sure you know what actions are plagiarism, please read the following…

26. Downloading and submitting a free paper from a website.
Robert A. Harris, author of The Plagiarism Handbook, states that The following actions are clearly examples of plagiarism:
Downloading and submitting a free paper from a website.
Buying and submitting a paper purchased from a paper mill.
Copying verbatim another writer’s work—either in print or online—without using quotation marks.

27. Rearranging another writer’s words or sentences
Harris continues his description by explaining that The actions below are also plagiarism, although many students don’t realize it:
Inadequate paraphrasing, such as merely substituting synonyms while keeping syntax and other aspects the same
Rearranging another writer’s words or sentences
Using another’s ideas, facts, or artistic products without attribution
Using unique phrases from another writer
Copying the organizational or syntactical structure of another writer, even if you change the words used.

28. Wait, there’s more… According to Harris These are also plagiarism:
Cutting and pasting to create a paper from several sources without citing those sources.
Quoting less than all the words copied.
Changing some words but copying whole phrases.
Paraphrasing without attribution
Summarizing without attribution
Faking a citation

29. there are lots of ways to plagiarize.
OK, I get it…
there are lots of ways to plagiarize.
And, yes,
I know that it is wrong.
But,
if I am not caught,
I won’t be penalized.
So, what is the benefit of citing my sources?

30. Four good reasons for citing sources in your work:
Citing reliable information gives credibility to your work.

31. Four good reasons for citing sources in your work:
Citing reliable information gives credibility to your work.
Cheating is unethical behavior.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. there are reasons to not plagiarize.
OK, fine…
there are reasons to not plagiarize.
But, I’m busy. Very busy.
And school doesn’t matter.
And the assignment is stupid.
And my teacher won’t catch me.
And other kids are doing it.
And I need a good grade.
And it is due tomorrow!
So, what am I supposed
to do?

35. Well, first of all, you should not fall for those excuses!
They are excuses for cheating.
(By the way, your teachers and principals won’t believe that they are reasonable justification for cheating, either!)
And it isn’t hard to avoid plagiarism!
Just cite the source of any ideas or words you take from anyone else.
Then, provide a bibliography or Works Cited page to show where the borrowed material originated.

36. So: (1) What do I need to cite. (2) How do I cite
So: (1) What do I need to cite? (2) How do I cite? Read on for the answers…

37. What do I need to cite?
Did you
think of
it?
No.
Yes.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
This chart will help you decide what must be cited.
It was created by Robert A. Harris in The Plagiarism Handbook.

38. Did you
think of
it?
No.
Yes.
Is it
common
knowledge?
Cite it.
Do not cite it.
So—the rule is: If you created it or thought of it, you do not need to cite the source. If you did not create the content, you must cite the source.

39. Did you
think of
it?
No.
Yes.
Is it
common
knowledge?
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, OR, (2) it is a fact that could be found in an encyclopedia.

40. 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. You must always cite the source of ANY direct quotation.

41. So, you don’t need to cite a fact, for example: Rand wrote Anthem
So, you don’t need to cite a fact, for example: Rand wrote Anthem. OR Ayn Rand was born in but you must cite the source of opinions and ideas that are not your own. for example: Dorothy Gale believed that Anthem is an inspiring story (75). OR According to Joe Smith, Equality 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.

42. So, let’s check to see that you understand when you need to cite the source and when you don’t… Answer the following questions and choose the correct answer.

43. Do not cite the Cite the source. source. Test Case #1
Jack isn’t sure if he needs to cite the source of the information below. He found the fact online.
“Abraham Lincoln was our 16th president.”
What do you think? What should Jack do? Pick one of the answers below.
Cite the source.
This means he will:
Either:
Surround with quotation marks, or
Put the quotation into his own words,
changing the syntax, structure,
& organization
Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
Give the page number, and
List the source in a bibliography
Do not cite the
source.
This means that the information is a
commonly reported fact. It is generally
known and available from many sources.
Jack should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Jack will write the well-known
information in his own words.

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45. You are incorrect. In this case, citation is not necessary.
Jack does not need to cite the source of quote the information because it is general knowledge.
Because Abraham Lincoln’s status as the 16th President of the US is a fact that is verifiable in many places, Jack can use the information without citation.

46. You are correct! Jack does not need to cite this information.
Jack does not need to cite the source of quote the information because it is general knowledge.
Because Abraham Lincoln’s status as the 16th President of the US is a fact that is verifiable in many places, Jack can use the information without citation.

47. What should Jill do? Pick one of the answers below.
Test Case #2
In her paper on Affirmative Action, Jill found one source that explained that Affirmative Action “evens the field of play by wreaking equity on all players.”
In her paper, Jill uses the phrase “wreaking equity” but she puts all the other parts of the source into her own words.
What should Jill do? Pick one of the answers below.
Cite the source.
This means she will:
Either:
Surround with quotation marks, or
Put the quotation into her own words,
changing the syntax, structure,
& organization
Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
Give the page number, and
List the source in a bibliography
Not cite the source.
This means that the information is generally
known and available from multiple sources.
Jill should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Jill will write the well-known
information in her own words.

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49. You are correct! Jill must cite this information.
Jill needs to cite the source of the paraphrase because the idea belongs to the source.
Further, because Jill uses the unique phrase “wreaking equity,” she must include that phrase in quotation marks, indicating that it is a direct quotation from the source.

50. You are incorrect. In this case, citation is necessary.
Jill needs to cite the source of the paraphrase because the idea belongs to the source.
Further, because Jill uses the unique phrase “wreaking equity,” she must include that phrase in quotation marks, indicating that it is a direct quotation from the source.

51. Test Case #3
Gretel found a very helpful article in an online database. She very carefully made sure that she rewrote the content of the article using her own personal style; she changed the author’s syntax and organization so that it fit seamlessly into her paper.
What should Gretel do?
Cite the source.
This means she will:
Either:
Surround with quotation marks, or
Put the quotation into his own words,
changing the syntax, structure,
& organization
Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
Give the page number, and
List the source in a bibliography
Not cite the source.
This means that the information is generally
known and available from multiple sources.
Gretel should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Gretel will write the well-known
information in her own words.
(3) Gretel must include a bibliographic citation
on her Works Consulted page.

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53. You are correct. In this case, citation is required.
Gretel paraphrases the source’s idea and content. She must give credit to the source.
She must provide her audience with the source of the idea that she borrowed.

54. You are incorrect! Gretel must cite the source of this information, even though she put it in her own words.
Gretel paraphrases the ideas of the source, so she must cite the identity of the source.
Gretel must provide her audience with the source of the material that she borrowed.

55. Test Case #4
Jacob found a photograph online that shows the historical period he’s discussing in his paper. He wrote his own caption and placed the image on the title page.
What should Jacob do?
Cite the source.
This means he will:
Either:
Put the artist’s name and
source directly beneath
the image, or
List the source in a
bibliography
Not cite the source.
This means that the image was
something that Jacob created
without manipulating other
people’s works.

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57. You are correct. In this case, citation is required.
Jacob uses somebody else’s creation; therefore, he must give credit to the source.
He must provide his readers with the artist’s name and the source of the image that he borrowed.

58. You are incorrect! Jacob must cite the source of this image.
The image is not the creative property of Jacob. Therefore, he must cite the identity of the creator and the source where he found the image.

59. So, now you can identify what must have a citation… Now you need to know how to use and cite a source!

60. 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, well-researched writer!

61. How to Cite Direct Quotations
Provide a bibliographic entry to show where the borrowed material originated.
Park, Beth L. Understanding Ayn Rand’s Anthem. Lebo University Press: Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.
Carefully mark the beginning and end of the source’s words or idea.
Use a lead-in to introduce the source
Use quotation marks to surround the words of the source
Provide the page number (or another citation) after the closing quotation marks.
EXAMPLE:
According to literary critic Beth L. Parks, Equality finds peace through “his search for the height of his own potential” (24).

62. How to Cite Paraphrases
Provide a bibliographic entry to show where the borrowed material originated.
Park, Beth L. Understanding Ayn Rand’s Anthem. Lebo University Press: Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.
Carefully mark the beginning and end of the source’s material.
Use a lead-in to introduce the source
Put the source’s original words into your own words:
It isn’t just about using synonyms to replace words.
You must change the syntax, sentence structure, & organization of the original.
If you find yourself just changing a word here or there, ask yourself if a direct quotation would work. If it would work, then use a direct quotation.)
Provide the page number (or another citation) after the closing quotation marks.
EXAMPLE:
According to literary critic Beth L. Parks, Equality separates himself from the society by striving to improve the world around him (24).

63. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Mark the
boundaries

64. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Mark the
boundaries
Bracket the
borrowed

65. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Fence the
borders
Mark the
boundaries
Bracket the
borrowed

66. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Fence the
borders
Mark the
boundaries
Bracket the
borrowed
Enclose the
borrowed

67. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Frame the
usage
Fence the
borders
Mark the
boundaries
Bracket the
borrowed
Enclose the
borrowed

68. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Frame the
usage
Fence the
borders
Mark the
boundaries
Bracket the
borrowed
Enclose the
borrowed
Circumscribe
the usage

69. It can be said in a bunch of different ways…
Frame the
usage
Fence the
borders
Mark the
boundaries
But, they all mean the same thing…
Provide a clear indication
of any words or ideas
that are not your own.
Bracket the
borrowed
Enclose the
borrowed
Circumscribe
the usage

70. 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.

71. Acceptable Use or Plagiarism? Example 1
Original source text:
Student’s Text:
In 1990, voters in Pennsylvania were disposed to believe that the Republican nominee, Barbara Hafer, opposed abortion rights, and that the incumbent Democratic governor, Robert Casey, favored a right to abortion: the reverse was true. In general, Democrats are more likely to be “pro-choice” and Republicans “pro-life,” but not in this case. A good rule is “in general” doesn’t necessarily apply to “this specific.”
Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. Unspun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. (73)
Voters in Pennsylvania believed that the Republican nominee, Barbara Hafer, opposed abortion rights, but the Democratic governor, Robert Casey, favored a right to abortion. But the reverse was true, even though Democrats are more likely to be “pro-choice”. “In general” doesn’t apply to “this specific.”
Student’s Bibliography:
No references given.
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
CHOOSE ONE:

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73. 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.

74. You said that the example showed Plagiarism You are correct!
The paraphrase was inadequate and the student did not give credit to the source of the idea by having a citation.
To adequately paraphrase, the student must change the words and the sentence structure.

75. Acceptable Use or Plagiarism? Example 2
Original source:
Student’s Text:
In 1954, Albert Hastorf and Hadley Cantril published a classic study about how a Princeton and Dartmouth football fans saw a penalty-ridden game in which the Princeton quarterback was taken off the field with a broken nose and a mild concussion and a Dartmouth player later suffered a broken leg. They found that 86 percent of the Princeton students said that Dartmouth started the rough play, but only 36 percent of the Dartmouth students saw it that way.
Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. Unspun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, (74)
Psychologists investigated how fans interpreted a violent game between Princeton and Dartmouth and found that, although a Dartmouth player was the seriously injured only after a Princeton player was, the majority of Dartmouth fans believed Princeton started the roughness.
Student’s Bibliography:
Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. Unspun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007.
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
CHOOSE ONE:

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77. 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.

78. You said that the example showed Plagiarism You are correct!
This example is plagiarism because the student neglected to include a parenthetical reference in the text of the paper.
She correctly marks the opening boundary of the paraphrase with her phrase “Psychologists investigated…”
However, she does not provide the closing boundary by giving a parenthetical reference to the source material: “…started the roughness” (Brooks, 74).

79. Acceptable Use or Plagiarism? Example 3
Original text from the source:
Student’s Text:
A psychology professor in California researched the theory that if people were provided a reason to do something, they would be more likely to do it. At a bake sale, he tried to sell cookies by asking “Would you like to buy a cookie?” and later asked “Would you like to buy a cookie? It’s for a good cause.” When he provided a reason for the sale, people were six times more like to buy a cookie – even though they didn’t know what cause was benefitting (80).
Robert Levine, a psychology professor at California State University, Fresno, tried different pitches during a campus bake sale. Asking “Would you like to buy a cookie?” resulted in purchases by only two out of thirty passersby. But his researchers sold six times as many cookies when they asked, “Would you like to buy a cookie? It’s for a good cause.” And none even bothered to ask what the good cause was.
Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. Unspun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, (80)
Student’s Bibliography:
Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. Unspun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007.
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
CHOOSE ONE:

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81. You said that the example showed Acceptable Use You are correct!
The student adequately paraphrases by changing the words and the syntax. He provides the source in his bibliography.

82. 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 it is fair use.

83. 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!

84. Final Directions:
Your teacher has a written quiz for you to take on the subject of plagiarism.
Your teacher also has a honor code sheet. You will sign it in order to verify that you have receive this training.
You will then have your parent sign the honor code.
Your teacher will collect these signed forms.

85. 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.

86. If you have questions or suggestions, please see your teacher or library media specialists.
Presentation created by: Ms. Michelle Kramer & Mrs. Miller