The Five Paths to Preventing Plagiarism

by

Colleen McGovernAndy Pulford

Sarah Siddique

© 2013 SPRING INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE CENTER

Pre-quiz Please complete the pre-quiz side of your handout.

Plagiarism is …Using someone else’s words or ideas without telling people that you borrowed them from someone else.

5 Paths to Preventing Plagiarism

Answer this question using the clicker:

Do you think you have ever plagiarized?

A. Yes B. No

Plagiarism is NOT only for International Students American students commit plagiarism.

Students can get into trouble for plagiarism, even American students.

Path 1ALWAYS CITE THE SOURCE

Path 1Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.

True/False? If you find a great quote on the internet

that you want to use in your paper, you can copy it into your paper if you use quotation marks (“”) and write where you got the quote from.

A. TrueB. False

TRUEYou can use someone else’s ideas or words, but you must use quotation marks (“”) for direct quotes and cite the source.

PATH 1: ALWAYS CITE THE SOURCE Citing the source means that you write

who the author is and where you read or heard the information.

YOU MUST CITE THE SOURCE!

YOU MUST CITE THE SOURCE CORRECTLY!

How do we do it right?“The starter’s gun fired into the bright blue sky over Greece. Twenty-five runners took off from the bridge at the town of Marathon. It was 2:00 p.m. on April 10, 1896, and the first marathon race in history had just begun” (Andrews 103).

Andrews, Mary Evans. “Olympic Marathons, Then and Now.” For Your Information 4. 2nd ed. Karen Blanchard and Christine Root Eds. White Plains, NY: Pearson Longman, 2007. Print

PATH 1: ALWAYS CITE THE SOURCE When you use information from an outside

source, CITE THE SOURCE. Even if you paraphrase, CITE THE SOURCE. Even if you ONLY use the ideas, CITE THE

SOURCE. Even if you use quotation marks (“ “), CITE

THE SOURCE. Even if you get the information from the

internet, CITE THE SOURCE.

Path 1Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.Cite the source means: A. writing all the source information that appears in

the article and that is required to find it, using a special form and order.

B. copying the article and attaching it to the paper.C. giving source information for at least one of the

ideas I have in my paper.D. providing the authors first and last name and the

source at the end of the paper.

Cite the source means: A. writing all the source information

that appears in the article and that is required to find it, using a special form and order.

B. copying the article and attaching it to the paper.

C. giving source information for at least one of the ideas I have in my paper.

D. providing the authors first and last name and the source at the end of the paper.

Path 2ALWAYS PARAPHRASE WELL

Path 2Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.A paraphrase means writing someone else’s ideas in your own words. A strong paraphrase… A. replaces the difficult vocabulary of the original sentence

with synonyms but keeps the same sentence order.B. needs to cite the source only if the words are not

changed.C. can have some of the same phrases or groups of words

as the original.D. expresses the same idea of the source by expressing it in

the writer’s own style: grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure.

A paraphrase means writing someone else’s ideas in your own words. A strong paraphrase… A. replaces the difficult vocabulary of the original

sentence with synonyms but keeps the same sentence order.

B. needs to cite the source only if the words are not changed.

C. can have some of the same phrases or groups of words as the original.

D. expresses the same idea of the source by expressing it in the writer’s own style: grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure.

PATH 2: ALWAYS PARAPHRASE WELL Paraphrasing means writing the SAME

ideas but in YOUR words NOT just changing the vocabulary NOT just changing the sentence structure NOT just changing the grammar

Don’t forget Path 1: ALWAYS CITE THE SOURCE

Is this a good paraphrase?A: Yes B: No

Original sentence from an article in a textbook:

“Few athletes have achieved as many victories as cyclist Lance Armstrong” (Globus 95).

Here’s what the student wrote in his paper:

Not much athletes have accomplished as many wins as bicyclist Lance Armstrong (Globus 95).

NOThe student has only changed a few words.

How do we do it right? Use the vocabulary you know Use the tell a friend method Use a translator or bi-lingual dictionary

to help with a few words that you don’t know in English

Don’t look at the original when you are writing your paraphrase

Read, understand, separate, and rewrite

Path 3ALWAYS AVOID THE GRAVEYARD

Path 3Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.Choose the best completion for what is true about avoiding plagiarism. It is all right to A. use my friend’s paper that was written in Level 4 on the

same topic if I change some of the parts and edit the mistakes.

B. discuss the organization and ideas of my paper with a classmate or a native-speaker friend.

C. find or buy a paper online to create an outline for my paper because that’s part of researching my topic.

D. pay my friend who is getting a Ph.D. to edit the first draft of my essay because it received a low score.

Choose the best completion for what is true about avoiding plagiarism. It is all right to A. use my friend’s paper that was written in Level 4

on the same topic if I change some of the parts and edit the mistakes.

B. discuss the organization and ideas of my paper with a classmate or a native-speaker friend.

C. find or buy a paper online to create an outline for my paper because that’s part of researching my topic.

D. pay my friend who is getting a Ph.D. to edit the first draft of my essay because it received a low score.

Ghost Writer

“sheet ghost on Tumblr.” Photograph. nd. Google Images. www.tumblr.com. Web. 28 Sep. 2013.

PATH 3: ALWAYS AVOID THE GRAVEYARD

Ghost Writing means that someone else wrote your paper or speech for you. Paying someone else to write your paper

means that you did not write the paper. Buying a paper off the internet means

that you did not write the paper. Copying or using someone else’s paper

means you did not write the paper.

Path 3

From Paragraph 1Despite the development of modern society, health care still remains the basic right of citizens.

From Paragraph 2

Health care help to the people before three month ago.

Did the same student write both of these? A.Yes B. No

NOThis is plagiarism because the two writing styles are very different. It is clear that two different people wrote these samples.

Path 3

Samuel Johnson

II. Social impacts

A. Society’s

perception of the

divorced

B. Social isolation

C. Disintegration of

relationships

Danielle Grayson

II. Social impacts

A. Society’s

stigma of divorced

people

B. Social isolation

C. Disintegration of

relationships

Plagiarism or not?A. Yes B. No

YESThis is plagiarism because two different writers couldn’t have written almost identical sentences.

How do we do it right?

YOU CAN’T!

YOU MUST DO YOUR OWN WRITING!

Path 4ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN WRITING

Path 4Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.A student wants to explain some complex ideas and write them into an essay. What is the best way to do this? A. write them in several simple sentences using basic

English sentence structure and word order. Then try to connect the ideas to show how the thoughts connect logically.

B. type the sentences into Google or Microsoft translator.C. tell a native speaker the ideas and then write down

what he or she says. D. translate the ideas word by word, looking each up in a

monolingual dictionary.E. cut and paste phrases from the Internet so that it

gives the meaning I want.

A student wants to explain some complex ideas and write them into an essay. What is the best way to do this? A. write them in several simple sentences

using basic English sentence structure and word order. Then try to connect the ideas to show how the thoughts connect logically.

B. type the sentences into Google or Microsoft translator.

C. tell a native speaker the ideas and then write down what he or she says.

D. translate the ideas word by word, looking each up in a monolingual dictionary.

E. cut and paste phrases from the Internet so that it gives the meaning I want.

PATH 4: ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN WRITING

The 4th Path to preventing plagiarism is NOT getting TOO MUCH HELP!

Getting too much help means that the writing no longer shows your writing style or ability.

Sources of too much help Native speakers

Host families Friends Girlfriends or boyfriends

Google translator

Path 4Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.

True/False? You can never get “too much help.” Help

is always good!A. TrueB. False

FALSEWhen your host mother or friend edits your writing line by line, you are getting too much help.

Path 4 The student wrote this for a journal

assignment:

The ecosystems function in order to support the human population which….

Markets are needed with realistic values for nature and more effective legislation….

Path 4When the teacher asked the student about this writing, she said…

“I spent hours working on this with my host mother.”

Is this plagiarism? A. Yes B. No

YESThis is plagiarism because the writing no longer reflects the student’s writing style.

How do we do it right? Ask native speakers to explain why your writing is

incorrect. Don’t just write down the changes they suggest.

Ask more fluent English speakers to mark your mistakes, but don’t allow them to make the corrections.

Use a translator or bilingual dictionary to help you find only the most difficulty words you need to express your ideas. Don’t just get a translator to change your sentence or paragraph into English.

Ask your teacher for help or go to study hall. We are trained to help you improve your writing.

Path 5ALWAYS KNOW THE LAW

Compare the sentencesOriginalFor people who want a valuable experience abroad, there are exciting opportunities to study and volunteer -- … the tuition for these classes and room and board is very low because you volunteer” (Hartman 128).

ParaphraseA. There are

exciting chances to study and volunteer for those poor people who want a beneficial experience in another country (Hartman 128).

Compare the sentencesOriginalFor people who want a valuable experience abroad, there are exciting opportunities to study and volunteer -- … the tuition for these classes and room and board is very low because you volunteer” (Hartman 128).

ParaphraseB. People volunteer

because they don’t want to pay tuition or living costs (Hartman 128).

Compare the sentencesOriginalFor people who want a valuable experience abroad, there are exciting opportunities to study and volunteer -- … the tuition for these classes and room and board is very low because you volunteer” (Hartman 128).

ParaphraseC. Volunteering can

offer a rich learning experience for people who can’t afford tuition (Hartman 128).

Compare the sentencesOriginalFor people who want a valuable experience abroad, there are exciting opportunities to study and volunteer -- … the tuition for these classes and room and board is very low because you volunteer” (Hartman 128).

ParaphraseD. If someone has

trouble paying for tuition, volunteering is a way to reduce costs, as well as having exciting learning experiences.

PATH 5: ALWAYS KNOW THE LAW Saying, “I didn’t know,” doesn’t mean you

didn’t do it. Don’t forget what you have been taught. Don’t forget the 5 Paths to Preventing

Plagiarism. You are responsible for this material.

It is YOUR responsibility to learn the rules. It is not the responsibility of the teachers to inform you of every possible instance of plagiarism.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW, ASK BEFORE YOU DO IT.

Path 5Use your clickers to show your answers from the quiz.

True/False? I won’t get into trouble for plagiarism if I

honestly wasn’t trying to cheat; I just need to explain this to the teacher.

A. TrueB. False

FALSEJust because you didn’t mean to do it doesn’t mean that you didn’t do it.

Path 5Example Email to Instructor I apologies for everything I should tell

you before I did it. Please don’t tell sharilen about this

because I’m worried. If you tell her I will be kick out from the school.

Please I’m bagging you

How do we do it right? Remember what you have been taught. We hope this session has helped. Learn more about plagiarism. Ask for help from a trusted person.

CONSEQUENCES OF PLAGIARISMTHE PATH TO DISMISSAL

The Path to Dismissal When a student is caught plagiarizing, the following consequences will occur at SILC:

First time: The teacher decides the penalty and reports the incident to the Assistant Director who keeps the report in the student’s file.

The Path to DismissalSecond time: (Even if the previous time was in a different class from the first time)

The teacher and the Assistant Director will decide the effect on the student’s grade or assignment, AND the student will be given an official Letter of Warning from SILC.

The Path to DismissalThird time:

The student will receive a zero for the assignment and be placed on disciplinary probation, which will continue for the rest of the student’s time at SILC.

The Path to DismissalFourth time:

The student will be dismissed from SILC for disciplinary misconduct.

Results of Dismissal When a student is dismissed from SILC, it is

difficult for them to enter another school. When a student is expelled from a

university, it is often difficult for them to enter another university or get a job.

When a person’s plagiarism is discovered after completing school, they are often fired from their jobs and find it difficult to find another job.

POST QUIZNow that you have seen this presentation, answer this question again:

Do you think you have ever plagiarized in the past?

A. Yes B. No

Post QuizPlease complete the post quiz on the other side of your handout.

Remember to sign that you understand the information and the possible consequences.

Turn it in before you leave.