Plagiarism An Introduction to Academic Honesty Seminole State
College Freshman Seminar
Slide 2
Plagiarism Definition: The intentional or accidental use of
someone elses words or ideas without proper or complete
acknowledgment. Other terms related to plagiarism: Intellectual
theft Copyright violation Cheating Academic misconduct
Slide 3
From Turnitin.com Plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves
both stealing someone elses work and lying about it afterward. All
of the following are considered plagiarism: turning in someone
elses work as your own copying words or ideas from someone else
without giving credit failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source
without giving credit copying so many words or ideas from a source
that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit
or not (see our section on fair use rules)
Slide 4
Caution!! Changing the words of an original source is not
sufficient to prevent plagiarism. If you have retained the
essential idea of an original source, and have not cited it, then
no matter how drastically you may have altered its context or
presentation, you have still plagiarized. Most cases of plagiarism
can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging
that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your
audience with the information necessary to find that source, is
usually enough to prevent plagiarism.
Slide 5
Academic Honesty From SSCs Student Handbook (Summer 2010)
Academic Misconduct: Students must exhibit honesty in carrying out
academic assignments. Receipt or transmission of unauthorized aid
on assignments or examinations, plagiarism, unauthorized use of
examination materials, or other forms of dishonesty are examples of
academic misconduct. The instructor shall notify his/her Division
Chair as well as the Vice President for Academic Affairs of alleged
breaches of conduct, for the consideration of additional penalties.
Students charged with academic misconduct have the right to a
hearing. Students requesting a formal hearing should notify the
VPAA in writing. (27) 5
Slide 6
Academic Honesty From SSCs Student Handbook (Summer 2010):
Plagiarism: All academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by
students to their instructors or other academic supervisors must be
the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. In
cases where students are unsure about a question of plagiarism
involving their work, they are obliged to consult their instructors
on the matter before submission. Students may be guilty of
plagiarism if they submit work purporting to be their own, but
which borrows ideas, organization, or wording, from another source
without appropriate acknowledgement. Plagiarism includes
reproducing someone elses work, whether it is a published article,
material from an Internet site, a chapter of a book, a paper from a
friend, or from other sources. Plagiarism also includes the
practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise
the work without acknowledgement which students submit as their
own. Students may discuss assignments among themselves or with an
instructor or tutor, but when the actual work is done, it must be
done by them, unless otherwise authorized by the instructor.
(28)
Slide 7
Citing (from Turnitin.com) What is Citation? A citation is the
way you tell your readers that certain material in your work came
from another source. It also gives your readers the information
necessary to find that source again, including: information about
the author the title of the work the name and location of the
company that published your copy of the source the date your copy
was published the page numbers of the material you are
borrowing
Slide 8
Citing continued Why should I cite sources? Giving credit to
the original author by citing sources is the only way to use other
peoples work without plagiarizing. But there are a number of other
reasons to cite sources: Citations are extremely helpful to anyone
who wants to find out more about your ideas and where they came
from. Not all sources are good or right your own ideas may often be
more accurate or interesting than those of your sources. Proper
citation will keep you from taking the rap for someone elses bad
ideas. Citing sources shows the amount of research youve done.
Citing sources strengthens your work by lending outside support to
your ideas.
Slide 9
Citing continued Doesnt citing sources make my work seem less
original? Not at all. On the contrary, citing sources actually
helps your reader distinguish your ideas from those of your
sources. This will actually emphasize the originality of your own
work. When do I need to cite? Whenever you borrow words or ideas,
you need to acknowledge their source. The following situations
almost always require citation: Whenever you use quotes Whenever
you paraphrase Whenever you use an idea that someone else has
already expressed Whenever you make specific reference to the work
of another Whenever someone elses work has been critical in
developing your own ideas.
Slide 10
Citing continued How do I cite sources? This depends on what
type of work you are writing, how you are using the borrowed
material, and the expectations of your instructorYou should always
consult your instructor to determine the form of citation
appropriate for your paper. You can save a lot of time and energy
simply by asking How should I cite my sources, or What style of
citation should I use? before you begin writing. For more
information on any of these topics, and to read the complete
Turnitin.com packet, visit the site at:
http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/handouts/complete_resou
rces.doc.]
Slide 11
Exceptions Common Knowledge In Writing with Sources: A Guide
for Harvard Students, Gordon Harvey defines common knowledge as:
[Knowledge that is familiar or easily available in many different
sources (including encyclopedias, dictionaries, basic textbooks)
and isnt arguable or based on a particular interpretation. The date
of the Stock Market Crash, the distance to Saturn, the structure of
the American Congress, the date of birth of the discoverer of DNA:
this is commonly available knowledgeObviously what counts as common
knowledge varies from situation to situation; when in doubt, askor
cite anyway, to be safe. Note that when you draw a great deal of
information from a single source, you should cite that source even
if the information is common knowledge, since the source (and its
particular way of organizing the information) has made a
significant contribution to your paper. (qtd. in ASJA Law and
Policy Report 3) Types of common knowledge: Facts available in a
wide variety of sources Visuals you create yourself Your own
findings from field research
Slide 12
Some Plagiarism Facts from Plagiarism.org A study by The Center
for Academic Integrity found that almost 80% of college students
admit to cheating at least once. According to a survey by the
Psychological Record, 36% of undergraduates have admitted to
plagiarizing written material. According to the Gallup Organization
(October 6-9, 2000), the top two problems facing the country today
are: 1) Education and 2) Decline in Ethics (both were ranked over
crime, poverty, drugs, taxes, guns, environment, and racism, to
name a few). The State of Americans: This Generation and the Next
(Free Press, July 1996) states that 58.3% of high school students
let someone else copy their work in 1969, and 97.5% did so in 1989.
(Statistics)
Slide 13
Types of Plagiarism Those Involving Collaboration or Blatant
Cheating: My Friend the English Major writes or revises paper for
you Overzealous Tutor rewrites your paper, changing style and
diction My roommate wont know stealing another students work Share
a Grade Plan more than one student submitting the same paper that
theyve created together File Sharing stockpile of old papers for
new students to use Self-plagiarizing recycling a paper from
another class Frankensteining sewing together uncited original
material from sources with your own words.
Slide 14
Types of Plagiarism Those Involving Integration or Organization
Problems: Synonym swap and syntax dance taking a quote and changing
the odd word or phrase, but maintaining the original word order,
tone, and phrasing. Quotation Dump paper is cited correctly but is
really just back to back quotations no original work or very little
original work present Wheres the Source? cannot remember where
information came from, so simply sticks it in without documentation
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades some part of documentation is missing
(in text notation or works cited entry) Overgoogling: reading so
much info that you forget where your ideas end and anothers begins
and you end up incorporating cited material into a paper as your
own
Slide 15
Motives for Plagiarising Students lack confidence in their
ability to complete an assignment they think they dont know enough
or anything about that topic Students only care about getting a
certain grade at any cost Students see others doing it and either
bow to peer pressure or think it is acceptable behavior Students
put off starting the assignment until so late that they cant get it
all done by themselves Students have no sense of pride in doing
their own work, often because a specific class holds no interest
for them Students have a lack of intellectual curiosity to actually
inform themselves and write about something Students lose track of
where they got information and leave it in rather than find the
source or change sources Students are confused about documentation
rules such as: common knowledge how to cite both in the paper and
on a reference/bibliography page, College standards and
requirements for academic honesty Cultural differences standards
differ from country to country, but you must follow the system the
college uses no matter what
Slide 16
Examples of Plagiarism from Real Students Basic Grammar
Assignment: Write 10 sentences on the importance of freedom. The
student submitted ten sentences copied from the UNs Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and
conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security
of person. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery
and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before
the law.
Slide 17
ExamplesTwo Papers from the same Class Student A Smoking is
very harmful to your health. In the CDCs 2004 it stated that In
2003, an estimated 171,900 new cases of lung cancer occurred and
approximately 157,200 people died from lung cancer and that The
risk for cancer generally increases with the number of cigarettes
smoked and the number of years of smoking, and generally decreases
after quitting completely. Student B Smoking is deadly to your
body. In the CDCs 2004 it stated that In 2003, an estimated 171,900
new cases of lung cancer occurred and approximately 157,200 people
died from lung cancer and that The risk for cancer generally
increases with the number of cigarettes smoked and the number of
years of smoking, and generally decreases after quitting
completely.
Slide 18
Examples Students Paper It is important in the fact that it
will make you a better person, which is what everyone wants anyway.
Upon inspection, I see that our lives is about our Awakening. We
are constantly in communication with minds that are grasping in the
dark for enlightenment, liberation, and self- realization. Original
Material Upon inspection, I see that my life is about your
Awakening. I am constantly in communication with minds that are
grasping in the dark for enlightenment, liberation,
self-realisation, It (Oshana).
Slide 19
Examples Students Paper The debate over the legalization of
Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana, is one of the most
controversial issues to occur in the United States. It has been
used for its medicinal value for centuries in countries worldwide
and is documented as far back as 2700 BC in ancient Chinese
writings. Original Material The debate over the legalization of
Cannabis Sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, has been one of
the most heated controversies ever to occur in the Inited States.
Its use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many
countries world wide and "can be documented as far back as 2700 BC
in ancient Chinese writings." (from
http://www.erowid.org/plants/canna
bis/cannabis_culture11.shtml)
Slide 20
My Teacher is SOOOOO Clueless Mr. Cox wont notice that Ive
stolen Martin Luther King, Jr.s words. Ms. McBride wont notice that
Ive lifted my works cited page from the MLA examples in our
textbook. Ms. McBride wont notice that Ive taken the example paper
she wrote in class for us and turn it in as my own work. Ms.
McBride wont notice that all of the sudden my writing has gone from
borderline D to A+ quality in a few weeks.
Slide 21
What is Plagiarism More Definition Document provided by
Turnitin.com and Research Resources. Turnitin allows free
distribution and non-profit use of this document in educational
settings [Note: The following pages are culled from Turnitins
resource packet. You may obtain the entire packet on line, free.
See the works cited page for the Internet address.] Many people
think of plagiarism as copying anothers work, or borrowing someone
elses original ideas. But terms like copying and borrowing can
disguise the seriousness of the offense.
Slide 22
Selected FAQ from Turnitin.com What are copyright laws?
Copyright laws exist to protect our intellectual property. They
make it illegal to reproduce someone elses expression of ideas or
information without permission. This can include music, images,
written words, video, and a variety of other media. At one time, a
work was only protected by copyright if it included a copyright
trademark (the symbol). According to laws established in 1989,
however, works are now copyright protected with or without the
inclusion of this symbol. Anyone who reproduces copyrighted
material improperly can be prosecuted in a court of law. It does
not matter if the form or content of the original has been altered
as long as any material can be shown to be substantially similar to
the original, it may be considered a violation of the Are all
published works copyrighted? Actually, no. The Copyright Act only
protects works that express original ideas or information. For
example, you could borrow liberally from the following without fear
of plagiarism: Compilations of readily available information, such
as the phone book Works published by the U.S. government Facts that
are not the result of original research (such as the fact that
there are fifty U.S. states, or that carrots contain Vitamin A)
Works in the public domain (provided you cite properly)
Slide 23
FAQ, continued Can facts be copyrighted? Yes, in some
situations. Any facts that have been published as the result of
individual research are considered the intellectual property of the
author. Do I have to cite sources for every fact I use? No. You do
not have to cite sources for facts that are not the result of
unique individual research. Facts that are readily available from
numerous sources and generally known to the public are considered
common knowledge, and are not protected by copyright laws. You can
use these facts liberally in your paper without citing authors. If
you are unsure whether or not a fact is common knowledge, you
should probably cite your source just to be safe. Does it matter
how much was copied? Not in determining whether or not plagiarism
is a crime. If even the smallest part of a work is found to have
been plagiarized, it is still considered a copyright violation, and
its producer can be brought to trial. However, the amount that was
copied probably will have a bearing on the severity of the
sentence. A work that is almost entirely plagiarized will almost
certainly incur greater penalties than a work that only includes a
small amount of plagiarized material.
Slide 24
FAQ, continued But cant I use material if I cite the source?
You are allowed to borrow ideas or phrases from other sources
provided you cite them properly and your usage is consistent with
the guidelines set by fair use laws. As a rule, however, you should
be careful about borrowing too liberally if the case can be made
that your work consists predominantly of someone elses words or
ideas, you may still be susceptible to charges of plagiarism. What
are the punishments for plagiarism? As with any wrongdoing, the
degree of intent (see below) and the nature of the offense
determine its status. When plagiarism takes place in an academic
setting, it is most often handled by the individual instructors and
the academic institution involved. If, however, the plagiarism
involves money, prizes, or job placement, it constitutes a crime
punishable in court. Academic Punishments: Most colleges and
universities have zero tolerance for plagiarists. In fact, academic
standards of intellectual honesty are often more demanding than
governmental copyright laws. If you have plagiarized a paper whose
copyright has run out, for example, you are less likely to be
treated with any more leniency than if you had plagiarized
copyrighted material. A plagiarized paper almost always results in
failure for the assignment, frequently in failure for the course,
and sometimes in expulsion.
Slide 25
FAQ, continued Does intention matter? Ignorance of the law is
never an excuse. So even if you did not realize you were
plagiarizing, you may still be found guilty. However, there are
different punishments for willful infringement, or deliberate
plagiarism, and innocent infringement, or accidental plagiarism. To
distinguish between these, courts recognize what is called the good
faith defense. If you can demonstrate, based on the amount you
borrowed and the way you have incorporated it in your own work,
that reasonably believed what you did was fair use, chances are
that your sentence will be lessened substantially. What is fair
use, anyway? The United States government has established rough
guidelines for determining the nature and amount of work that may
be borrowed without explicit written consent. These are called fair
use laws, because they try to establish whether certain uses of
original material are reasonable. The laws themselves are vague and
complicated. Below we have condensed them into some rubrics you can
apply to help determine the fairness of any given usage
Slide 26
FAQ, continued The nature of your use. If you have merely
copied something, it is unlikely to be considered fair use. But if
the material has been transformed in an original way through
interpretation, analysis, etc., it is more likely to be considered
fair use. The amount youve used. The more youve borrowed, the less
likely it is to be considered fair use. What percentage of your
work is borrowed material? What percentage of the original did you
use? The lower the better. The effect of your use on the original.
If you are creating a work that competes with the original in its
own market, and may do the original author economic harm, any
substantial borrowing is unlikely to be considered fair use. The
more the content of your work or its target audience differs from
that of the original, the better. We recommend the following sites
for more information on Fair Use and Copyright laws. (UPDATED FROM
PRINTED HANDOUT) Copyright Clearance Centers Copyright on Campus
Video Copyright Clearance Centers Copyright on Campus Video OCCCs
Copyright Basics for Faculty, Staff and Students OCCCs Copyright
Basics for Faculty, Staff and Students
Slide 27
Preventing Plagiarism: Student Resources In a research paper,
you have to come up with your own original ideas while at the same
time making reference to work thats already been done by others.
But how can you tell where their ideas end and your own begin?
Whats the proper way to integrate sources in your paper? If you
change some of what an author said, do you still have to cite that
person? Confusion about the answers to these questions often leads
to plagiarism. If you have similar questions, or are concerned
about preventing plagiarism, we recommend using the checklist
below. Consult with your instructor: Have questions about
plagiarism? If you cant find the answers on our site, or are unsure
about something, you should ask your instructor. He or she will
most likely be very happy to answer your questions. You can also
check out the guidelines for citing sources properly. If you follow
them, and the rest of the advice on this page, you should have no
problems with plagiarism. Plan your paper: Planning your paper well
is the first and most important step you can take toward preventing
plagiarism. If you know you are going to use other sources of
information, you need to plan how you are going to include them in
your paper. This means working out a balance between the ideas you
have taken from other sources and your own, original ideas. Writing
an outline, or coming up with a thesis statement in which you
clearly formulate an argument about the information you find, will
help establish the boundaries between your ideas and those of your
sources.
Slide 28
Checklist continued Take Effective Notes: One of the best ways
to prepare for a research paper is by taking thorough notes from
all of your sources, so that you have much of the information
organized before you begin writing. On the other hand, poor note-
taking can lead to many problems including improper citations and
misquotations, both of which are forms of plagiarism! To avoid
confusion about your sources, try using different colored fonts,
pens, or pencils for each one, and make sure you clearly
distinguish your own ideas from those you found elsewhere. Also,
get in the habit of marking page numbers, and make sure that you
record bibliographic information or web addresses for every source
right away finding them again later when you are trying to finish
your paper can be a nightmare! When in doubt, cite sources: Of
course you want to get credit for your own ideas. And you dont want
your instructor to think that you got all of your information from
somewhere else. But if it is unclear whether an idea in your paper
really came from you, or whether you got it from somewhere else and
just changed it a little, you should always cite your source.
Instead of weakening your paper and making it seem like you have
fewer original ideas, this will actually strengthen your paper by:
showing that you are not just copying other ideas but are
processing and adding to them, lending outside support to the ideas
that are completely yours, and highlighting the originality of your
ideas by making clear distinctions between them and ideas you have
gotten elsewhere.
Slide 29
Checklist continued Make it clear who said what: Even if you
cite sources, ambiguity in your phrasing can often disguise the
real source of any given idea, causing inadvertent plagiarism. Make
sure when you mix your own ideas with those of your sources that
you always clearly distinguish them. If you are discussing the
ideas of more than one person, watch out for confusing pronouns.
For example, imagine you are talking about Harold Blooms discussion
of James Joyces opinion of Shakespeare, and you write: He
brilliantly portrayed the situation of a writer in society at that
time. Who is the He in this sentence? Bloom, Joyce, or Shakespeare?
Who is the writer: Joyce, Shakespeare, or one of their characters?
Always make sure to distinguish who said what, and give credit to
the right person. Know how to Paraphrase: A paraphrase is a
restatement in your own words of someone elses ideas. Changing a
few words of the original sentences does NOT make your writing a
legitimate paraphrase. You must change both the words and the
sentence structure of the original, without changing the content.
Also, you should keep in mind that paraphrased passages still
require citation because the ideas came from another source, even
though you are putting them in your own words. The purpose of
paraphrasing is not to make it seem like you are drawing less
directly from other sources or to reduce the number of quotations
in your paper. It is a common misconception among students that you
need to hide the fact that you rely on other sources. Actually it
is advantageous to highlight the fact that other sources support
your own ideas. Using quality sources to support your ideas makes
them seem stronger and more valid. Good paraphrasing makes the
ideas of the original source fit smoothly into your paper,
emphasizing the most relevant points and leaving out unrelated
information.
Slide 30
Checklist continued Evaluate Your Sources: Not all sources on
the web are worth citing in fact, many of them are just plain
wrong. So how do you tell the good ones apart? For starters, make
sure you know the author(s) of the page, where they got their
information, and when they wrote it (getting this information is
also an important step in avoiding plagiarism!). Then you should
determine how credible you feel the source is: how well they
support their ideas, the quality of the writing, the accuracy of
the information provided, etc. UPDATE FROM PRINT VERSION: The
Portland Community College rubric is no longer available. Use this
instead: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/k/kaym/rubric/webpagerubric.html
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/k/kaym/rubric/webpagerubric.html
Slide 31
Works Cited Axelrod, Rise B., and Charles R. Cooper. The St.
Martins Guide to Writing. 5th edition. NY: St. Martins, 1997.
Print. Complete Resources. Turnitin 9 Mar. 2006. Web. 12 Sept.
2012.. Oshana, Dave. Teaching Enlightenment. Enlightenment Now. 9
Mar. 2006. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
Slide 32
Access to this PowerPoint with Bonus Materials:
http://kellimcbride.com/plagiarism.htm
Slide 33
Bonus Materials Extra Info about MLA Documentation
Slide 34
Works Cited Page The WC page should always be the very last
page in an essay and begin at the top of that page. To ensure it is
always the very last page, writers can insert a PAGE BREAK at the
end of the first page and then insert the WC page. The PAGE BREAK
function means that no matter how much the user types before that
break, the page immediately after it will always appear as a
separate page. The graphic to the right shows where the page break
option is in Word 2010.
Slide 35
Works Cited Page The WC page is double spaced, like ALL pages
in an MLA style paper. No extra spacing appears between entries.
All entries on the list should be alphabetized by the first piece
of information in the entry (usually the authors last name). Works
Cited Aristotle. On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civic Discourse. Trans.
George A. Kennedy. New York: Oxford UP, 1991. Print. Foley,
Jennifer, and Megan Corse. Being in the Noh: An Introduction to
Japanese Noh Plays: Convention of Noh Plays. Edsitement.neh.gov.
Edsitement, n.d. Web. 12 Aug. 2011. Gaskell, Anne. "Student
Satisfaction and Retention: Are They Connected?" Open Learning 24.3
(2009): 193-196.
Slide 36
Works Cited Page Each entry uses hanging indent, the opposite
of paragraph indent. Hanging indent keeps the first line flush with
the margin and indents every other line.5 inches until the writer
hits the ENTER key. To apply this indenting, highlight all WC
entries and then choose HANGING from the PARAGRAPH options menu in
WORD (use the HELP function if you cannot find this menu).
Slide 37
In-Text Citations The second part of correctly documenting
sources happens in the paper itself. How does the writer show the
reader where he has used these sources and which works cited entry
that information comes from? We do this using in-text citations.
In-text citations can require multiple steps depending on how the
writer integrates the material. For specific rules that govern the
different ways and methods of formatting these citations, go to
Chapter 56, pp. 437-45, in the LB Brief. In this class, the terms
signal-in and signal-out refer to the opening and closing methods
of letting a reader know when a writer is citing from a source. The
LB Brief uses the term parenthetical notation rather than
signal-out. The book covers signal-in methods in Chapter 53
concerning how to integrate sources into a paper.
Slide 38
Signal-In The signal-in refers to how the writer leads in to a
quotation, summary or paraphrase. The most common type uses the
authors name: According to Leslie Bishop, the city refuses to fix
the water main on Smith Street because it is a low priority (3).
Leslie Bishop reports that the citys lack of response to the water
main crisis on Smith Street is more about who needs it fixed rather
than a lack of resources to fix it (3). Both the quote and
paraphrase from Bishop use a signal-in to not only identify the
source being used (there should be an entry on the WC page with
Bishops name leading off), but also the signal-in provides a clear
indication of when the writer is using someone elses words/ideas
and not his own. If the work has no author, or if the writer needs
to use more than just the authors name, the LB Brief provides
guidelines.
Slide 39
Signal-Out The signal-out, or parenthetical notation, is how
the writer lets the reader know not only important information
about the cited material, but it also clearly indicates when the
writer has finished citing from a source. Signal-Outs are placed
inside parentheses: ( ) End punctuation varies depending on the way
the writer has incorporated the source. The LB Brief provides
punctuation rules on pp. 444-45. The information that goes inside
the parentheses also changes depending on the signal-in used and
the type of source. The LB Brief pp. 438-44 provides rules.
Slide 40
Signal-Out: Types The most common signal-out uses authors last
name and the page number(s) where the information cited is found:
The city refuses to fix the water main on Smith Street (Bishop 3).
If the writer uses the authors name in a signal-in to the citation,
then the signal-out only has to list the page number: Accord to
Bishop, the city refuses to fix the water main on Smith Street
(3).
Slide 41
Quoting Quoting incorporates outside information into your
paper exactly as it appears in the original source. To indicate
quotations, we put these words inside quotation marks. In MLA
style, quotations over 4 typed lines long in prose and 3 typed
lines in poetry must be set off from the rest of the text. Writers
can manipulate the original material in some limited ways and still
not violate the original intent of the work.
Slide 42
Long Quotations Quotes over 4 type lines in prose or 3 lines in
poetry require special formatting from short quotes: Hit return
before and after the long quote to separate it from the rest of
your text. Use block indent to move the margin 1 inch from the left
for the whole quote (the icon in word processing programs will move
the margin in by.5 inches for each click). Block indenting replaces
quotation marks in MLA style, so drop quotation marks when using
block indent. Place end punctuation for quotation and THEN add your
parenthetical citation for the quote (short quotation citations go
after the end quotation mark but before end punctuation).
Slide 43
Long Quotation Example LONG QUOTATION: Princen, Maniates and
Conca warn about the balance of power in determining eco-friendly
policies: In global environmental policymaking arenas, it is
becoming more and more difficult to ignore the fact that
overdeveloped countries must restrain their consumption if they
expect underdeveloped countries to embrace a more sustainable
trajectory. (4) Countries in the G7 accord, therefore, must do more
to avoid such an imbalance and still protect the environment. SHORT
QUOTATION (less than 4 typed lines long): According to Princen,
Maniates and Conca, overdeveloped countries must restrain their
consumption if they expect underdeveloped countries to embrace a
more sustainable trajectory (4).
Slide 44
Manipulating quotes A quotation does not have to include an
entire sentence. A writer can use just what he needs from the
original, as long as what he leaves out does not change the readers
understanding of the original intent of the outside source.
Slide 45
Examples of Inaccurate Quoting By leaving out some information
when I quote, I may change the original meaning. Original material
from source: Though only 5% of all users experience side-effects,
the side-effects are so severe, often deadly, that the resulting
harm is greater than similar drugs with larger percentages of
patients experiencing side-effects. Therefore, the FDA should pull
this medication from the shelves. Inaccurate and misleading
quoting: Only 5% of all users experience side-effects. By leaving
out the rest of the information that puts that statistic in
context, I have mislead my reader about the medicine.
Slide 46
Allowable Manipulations Writers can change some things in a
quote to better integrate it into their text. Page 420 of the LB
Brief handbook lists the four specific ways writers can change
original quotes using brackets [ ] to show the changes.
Slide 47
Changing Quotes Adding words: if the original quote does not
provide information previous explained in the text and that missing
info could cause your reader confusion, you can add, in brackets,
the missing info. If the info is longer than a word or phrase, you
should set up the quote with this information. Example: The
tabloids [of England] are a journalistic case study in bad
reporting, claims Lyman (52).
Slide 48
Changing Quotes Changing verb forms: If the quotation ends a
sentence that you begin but the verb does not agree with your lead-
in, you can change the verb form to match. Example: A bad reporter,
Lyman implies, is one who [fails] to separate opinions from facts
(52). The original quote used the form fail.
Slide 49
Changing Quotes Changing capitalization: If the start of your
sentence is part of a quote that originally did not begin a
sentence, and so is not capitalized, then you can capitalize that
letter, putting it in brackets. Example: [T]o separate opinions
from facts is the work of a good reporter (Lyman 52).
Slide 50
Changing Quotes Replacing pronoun with a noun: If the original
quote uses a pronoun that refers to a noun in a previous sentence
that you do not quote, then you can replace that pronoun with the
correct noun, placing it in brackets. Example: The reliability of a
news organization depends on [reporters] trustworthiness, says
Lyman (52). The original quote used their instead of
reporters.
Slide 51
When to use quotes Writers should use quotations ideally for
specific reasons, not as a default way to incorporate outside
sources. Those reasons are: The original language is unique or
dynamic, creating an impact. Paraphrasing or summarizing could
mislead the reader or original content is too short or too specific
to reword. You are making a statement about what someone has said
or how they have said it, so you need your reader to see the
original words to understand the problem. The quotation reflects
the body of an opinion or the view of an important expert (Aaron
417). You are quoting to emphasize and support your own previously
expressed idea. The quote then becomes part of how you persuade
your reader of the strength of your own ideas. You are
incorporating a visual element, such as a chart.
Slide 52
Quotation Length When incorporating quotations, you should keep
them as short as possible. You do not want an information dump
where you paste a large section of someone elses text into your
paper. Your quote should only include material relevant to your
point. This can include examples that are unnecessary for your
needs. You can use ellipses to omit irrelevant material (see pp.
345-47 in the LB Brief for the different places to use
ellipses).
Slide 53
Summarizing The most useful method of integrating outside
materials into our writing is usually summary. Summary allows us to
take an original quote and rewrite it using our own voice and
style, better matching the tone we are using in our paper. Summary
reduces the original quotation to a few sentences and includes only
the essential idea the author is expressing. Summary does not
include examples, evidence, or background information. Summaries
include the thesis and conclusion an author reaches in an entire
piece. A summary can also cover just sections of a long work, such
as a paragraph. Summaries require full documentation, just like
quotations.
Slide 54
Summary Example Original: Such intuition is even making its
way, albeit slowly, into scholarly circles, where recognition is
mounting that ever-increasing pressures on ecosystems,
life-supporting environmental services, and critical natural cycles
are driven not only by the sheer number of resource users and the
inefficiencies of their resource use, but also by the patterns of
resource use themselves. In global environmental policymaking
arenas, it is becoming more and more difficult to ignore the fact
that overdeveloped countries must restrain their consumption if
they expect underdeveloped countries to embrace a more sustainable
trajectory. Thomas Princen, Michael Maniates, and Ken Conca,
Confronting Consumption, p. 4 Summary: Overconsumption may be a
more significant cause of environmental problems than increasing
population is (Princen, Maniates and Conca 4).
Slide 55
Paraphrasing Like summary, paraphrasing takes a quotation and
rewrites it in our own voice, tone, and style. Unlike summary,
paraphrasing includes specific details like examples and evidence.
Paraphrases are usually close to the same length as the original.
Paraphrases require full documentation, just as quotations and
summaries do. Paraphrasing is useful when dealing with an original
work that might be written at a more basic or advanced level than
our reader can handle. We can rewrite the original in a way that
best meets our readers needs.
Slide 56
Paraphrase Example: Donnes Meditation 17 Original: Perchance he
for whom this bell tolls may be so ill as that he knows not it
tolls for him. And perchance I may think myself so much better than
I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have
caused it to toll for me, and I know not that (Donne 5).
Paraphrase: The bell that is announcing someones approaching death
might be for someone who is so sick that he does not realize the
bell is for him. Maybe this bell I hear is for me, but I dont know
it because I think I am healthier than I really am. My friends,
though, perhaps know the truth and have asked the bells ring for me
(Donne 5).
Slide 57
Double Check Sources No matter how you incorporate outside
materials, double check to make sure you have provided an accurate,
fair, and honest quote, summary, or paraphrase. Make sure you have
documented all uses of outside materials appropriately for the
documentation style you are required to use in the class. LB Brief
discusses most of pertinent issues regarding this on pp. 420-424
and in chapter 54 (avoiding plagiarism).
Slide 58
Plagiarism Plagiarism involves using someone elses words or
ideas without giving them credit. Without documentation, these
words/ideas appear as your own. Plagiarism can be intentional or
unintentional. Because the end result is the same, some professors
respond to both types the same failing the student for the
assignment or even the course. Some information, deemed common
knowledge, does not require documentation unless you quote from the
source itself. LB Brief defines common knowledge as the standard
information on a subject as well as folk literature and commonsense
observations (Aaron 426). Plagiarism is considered academic
dishonesty and a form of cheating. Your student handbook goes into
more details about the consequences of academic dishonesty.
Slide 59
Common Knowledge: Types Standard Information: historical facts
and statistics. This does not include interpretations of facts
(426). Folk Literature: Stories with no known author, like Snow
White. However, a particular authors version of the story is not
common knowledge. For example, I could write my own story, but I
would have to cite references to versions such as Mirror, Mirror,
or Snow White and the Huntsman 2 recent retellings of the folk
tale. Commonsense Observations: Ideas and beliefs commonly known by
people. This does not include specific theories or interpretations
by people of these common ideas.
Slide 60
Common Knowledge: Types Common knowledge is often a gray area,
and teachers can interpret it differently. Always check with an
instructor before determining something is common knowledge unless
it is a very clear case (e.g. Washington lived at Mt. Vernon). If
you turn to a source to fill out your knowledge on a subject, you
may not know enough to determine if the info you want to use is
common knowledge. If you do not have time to ask your instructor,
play it safe and cite the information anyway. Common knowledge
deals in the basic facts or info. It does not refer to how someone
else has written them down. So Snow White may be common knowledge,
but Grimms version of it is not. If I were to copy parts of Grimms
story without giving him credit, I would still be plagiarizing his
work. Though I may get facts from a dictionary, such as a common
definition, if I copy and past Websters exact words in my paper, I
am plagiarizing because someone else chose those specific words and
arrangement of ideas. Therefore, the info itself might be common
knowledge, but the style, diction, arrangement, and design are
not.
Slide 61
Intentional Plagiarism: Types Inserting original material from
another source without quotation marks or citations. This material
can be as short as a phrase or as long as an entire paper. Using a
paraphrase or summary of original material without citations and
acknowledgment of the source. Buying, downloading, or retyping an
entire paper from another source, such as the internet or a
magazine, and submitting it as your assignment.
Slide 62
Unintentional Plagiarism: Types Unintentional plagiarism is
often called technical plagiarism because the writer has usually
misapplied, misunderstood or didnt remember a documentation rule,
or the writer simply made a mistake on some sources but bot all.
The overall intent in the paper, though, is clearly NOT to cheat or
steal work from someone else. Leaving off quotation marks around a
quote but still including citations. Quoting but leaving out
citations. Failing to use citations for some summaries or
paraphrases in a paper. Incorrectly categorizing something as
common knowledge that instead needs full documentation. After
reading a lot of research, accidentally incorporating information
as you write that should be documented.