Avoiding Plagiarism:
and other writing tips…*
BUS 302
The Gateway Experience
*: Adapted from the University of Alberta in Canada
What Is Plagiarism?
Use of another’s work without giving credit
“Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in any academic exercise”
(CSUN 2010-2012 Catalog, Appendix E)
Discussion Question
Why should we be concerned
about it?
Because…
If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself.
You don’t learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don’t get specific feedback geared to your individual needs and skills.
Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to
basketball practice for you – you’ll never get the benefit of the practice yourself.
Plagiarism is dishonest because it
misrepresents the work of another as your own.
Plagiarism devalues others' original work.
Submitting another writer's work as yours is taking an unfair advantage over students who do their own work.
It is wrong to take or use property (an author's work) without giving the owner the value or
credit due.
Copyright violations can result in fines or legal damages.
Plagiarism violates the CSUN Code of Conduct and can result in suspension or expulsion.
CSUN's reputation affects the value of your degree; student dishonesty hurts CSUN’s
standing and can make your degree worth less.
Because…
Discussion Questions
Why do people plagiarize?
What can we do to prevent it?
Types of Plagiarism
Intentional plagiarism:
deliberate copying or use of another’s work without credit.
Unintentional plagiarism can result from:
not knowing citation standards
(e.g., “I thought the Internet was free!”)
sloppy research and poor note-taking habits, or
careless “copying and pasting” of electronic sources.
Both types are subject to disciplinary
action
The Spectrum of Offenses
Possibly Unintentional
Plagiarism
Deliberate Plagiarism
Using a source too closely when paraphrasing
Building on someone’s ideas without
citation
Copying from another source
without citing (on purpose or
by accident)
Hiring someone to
write your paper
Buying, stealing, or borrowing a
paper
Avoiding Plagiarism
Manage your time
Keep track of your sources
Distinguish your ideas from the ideas in other sources
Be careful when working with others
Think of the consequences
Proper Citation
Know what to cite
Keep track of original sources
Be careful of “cut and paste” online research
There are “no freebies”
Beware of “common knowledge”
Know how to cite
Provide enough information so we can find the original source
Use an accepted standard such as APA or MLA
Use your own words and ideas
If you repeat another’s exact words, you must use quotation marks and cite the source.
Avoid using others’ work with minor cosmetic changes.
Proper Citation – cont’d
Know when to cite
Direct quotations
Paraphrased ideas
Facts or information that isn’t common knowledge
When in doubt, you must cite
Plagiarism in Teams
Team Assignments
All members of the team are responsible for accuracy and honesty of team work
Keep track of your own research and contributions to the team
Proofread for each other
Read the paper before it is submitted
Study Groups
When working together on individual assignments, hand in your own
words/answers
Don’t give others your written answers. You can discuss how you got your solutions
1 You are writing new insights about your own experiences.
2 You are using an editorial from your school’s newspaper with which you disagree.
3 You use some information from a source without ever quoting it directly.
4 You have no other way of expressing the exact meaning of a text without using the original source verbatim.
5 You mention that many people in your discipline belong to a certain organization.
6 You want to begin your paper with a story that one of your classmates told about her experience in Bosnia.
7 The quote you want to use is too long, so you leave out a couple of phrases.
8 You really like the particular phrase somebody else made up, so you use it.
Below are some situations in which writers need to decide whether or not they are running the risk of plagiarizing. Indicate if you would need to document (Yes), or if it is not necessary to provide quotation marks or a citation (No). If you do need to give the source credit in some way, explain how you would handle it. If not, explain why.
Deciding When To Give
Credit: Examples
Academic Dishonesty
Types of Academic Dishonesty
Cheating
“Intentionally using or attempting to use
unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise”
Fabrication
“Intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic
exercise”
Facilitating academic dishonesty
“Intentionally or knowingly helping or
attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty”
Plagiarism
Source: CSUN 2010-2012 Catalog, Appendix E.
Academic Integrity Quiz*
*: Adapted from the University of Alberta in Canada
Answer 1
YES!
If your instructor specifies that you are expected to do your own work,
then both you and your friend can be
charged with plagiarism. If you’re not
sure whether or not you are allowed
to work in groups, ASK!!!
Answer 2
YES!
Helping someone to cheat is
frowned upon and is definitely a prohibited under the CSUN Policy on Academic Dishonesty . You
could be charged and face
penalties.
Answer 3
YES!
You are still copying someone else’s ideas without acknowledging the
author, even if you were going to say the same thing. Every single time
you quote from another source, you
must include the citation.
Answer 4
NO – But this is a trick question!
Altering a medical note falls under
the category of Misrepresentation
of Facts and carries penalties just
as strict as the other instances of
inappropriate academic behavior.
Answer 5
YES!
You could be charged with plagiarism (after all, you are
handing someone else’s work in as your own), and your friend could
be charged with participating in an
offense.
Answer 6
NO!
It’s your choice whether or not to report someone else’s cheating. However, it’s you that’s going to lose out here –
cheating skews the curve and gives someone an academic advantage
through dishonest means. Do you really
want that in your classes?
Answer 7
YES!
As strange as it sounds, re-
submission falls under the category of Cheating. When your instructor
assigns a paper, it is expected to be
researched and written specifically
for that purpose.
Answer 8
NO – But this is a trick question!
You are misrepresenting facts by fabricating anything on your
bibliography or any other
assignment, for that matter. You are
better off to head back to the library
to find one more source.
Answer 9
NO!
Materials posted by professors for student use are legitimate and a great way to study. If professors post old exams for student use, you can use them as practice
tests.
Answer 10
YES!
This is another case of
Misrepresentation of Facts.
