Plagiarism

Research-based writing in American institutions, both educational and corporate, is filled with rules that writers, particularly beginners, aren't aware of or don't know how to follow. Many of these rules have to do with research and proper citation. Gaining a familiarity of these rules, however, is critically important, as inadvertent mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism, which is the uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas.

The Council of Writing Program Administrators has defined and suggested strategies for avoiding plagiarism.

Definition: In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source.

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This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writer. It may happen when you cut and paste from the internet and later forget that it is not your own work or where you got it as well as purchasing a paper from a company or individual.

To avoid plagiarism remember keep in mind that you are not prohibited from using other people’s works or ideas. However, when you want to use someone’s words or ideas, you should do it in the form of quotation, paraphrase or summary and provide the proper citation.

To quote you should put quotation marks at the beginning and end of the exact words and phrases that you are taking from someone else’s work. Then cite the original source where you got it.

To paraphrase you can express someone else’s ideas in your own words without using quotation marks. However, you must do proper citation of the original source.

To summarize you can present someone else’s words or ideas briefly without quotation marks. Again, you will have to give credit to the original source.

It is important to understand research assignments as opportunities for genuine and rigorous inquiry and learning. This requires that you:

Assemble and analyze a set of sources that you have determined are relevant to the issues you are investigating

Acknowledge clearly when and how you draw on the ideas or phrasings of others;

Learn the conventions for citing documents and acknowledging sources appropriate to the fied you are studying;

Consult your instructor or a librarian when you are unsure about how to acknowledge the contributions of others to your thought and writing.