Plagiarism: What is it,

and how do I avoid it?: And what is MLA again?

Using someone else’s work, in part or in whole—whether that be a published work, something from the internet, a friend’s paper, a paper bought off the internet or from some other service, or work that someone did for you

Outside source or information that is not properly referenced Direct wording that is not in quotations and cited, or

paraphrasing that is too close to the original wording and/or is not cited

Work done—in part or in whole—for another class

Plagiarism

Common knowledge does not require acknowledgement: Facts that most people know. For example,

“The mascot of the University of Kentucky is the wildcat.”

Facts available in a variety of sources. For example, “The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.”

What about “common knowledge”?

So, what exactly requires a citation so that I’m not plagiarizing?

Quotations, paraphrases, summaries Facts that aren’t widely known; claims that are arguable Images, statistics, charts, tables, graphs, other visuals

from any source Ideas from another source Experiments conducted by others Interviews Help or advice from someone else

When in doubt, go ahead and cite it!!!

OK, so how do I give credit to the sources where I got those things?

In WRD classes always use MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines. The guidelines change almost every year, so make sure you’re using an up-to-date guide.

All sources should be cited in-text and on a works cited page.

MLA format for essays

In-text: necessary for every quotation, paraphrase, or summary.

(author’s last name page number)Ex: (Cofer 40).Note that there is no comma separating the name and the page number and that the sentence is ended with a period AFTER the citation.

…continued:

Works Cited page:Author last name, first name. “Title of essay.” Title of book.

Edition. City: Publisher, Year. Pages. Medium.

Cofer, Sandra Ortiz. “Silent Dancing: A Partial Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood.” The Engaged Citizen: A Reader for First-Year Writing. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2010. 35-40. Print.

Journal articles

Works Cited Author last name, first name. “Title of article.” Title of journal

Vol#. Issue# (Year): pages. Medium of publication.Bennett, Tanya Long. “The Protean Ivy in Fair and Tender Ladies.” The Southern Literary Journal 30.2 (1998): 76-95. Print.OR from a database:Bennett, Tanya Long. “The Protean Ivy in Fair and Tender Ladies.” The Southern Literary Journal 30.2 (1998): 76-95. JSTOR. Web. 25 Sept. 2012.

How do I use a quote effectively?

Avoid just “dropping in” quotes. Ex: My journey is very similar to the one Stacey Johnson

describes. “My past has shaped me to not see color and to know that there is no barrier too large to overcome” (31).

Better: As in the essay “Culture Clash,” my journey helped me realize I could overcome obstacles. The author claims that she learned that “there is no barrier too large to overcome,” which is similar to the conclusion my journey helped me reach (Johnson 31).

What about images?

Figure 1: “Dickens’s Jo.” Advertisement for George Lander’s Bleak House at the Pavilion Theater, London, 1877.

A Painting, Sculpture, or PhotographInclude the artist's name. Give the title of the artwork in italics. Provide the date of composition. If the date of composition is unknown, place the abbreviation n.d. in place of the date. Name the medium of the piece, and finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution.

Fine. But what happens if I decide to ignore all of this and just plagiarize anyway?

DWRDM guidelines: “The minimum penalty for plagiarism is a zero on the assignment

for a first, ‘minor offense’; more severe penalties may be recommended and are mandated by the faculty senate for ‘major’ and subsequent offenses. Students should also be aware that according to faculty senate rules, those charged with plagiarism may not withdraw from the course in which the offense occurred for any reason.”

First offense (minimum penalty): meet with DWRDM associate director; 0 on assignment and letter of warning; cannot withdraw from the course to avoid failing

For more information…

PURDUE OWL MLA!!!!!!!!!!!!! A Pocket Style Manual. The UK WRITING CENTER =)