Transcript Plagiarism Tutorial

Plagiarism
What it really is and how to avoid it!
Used with permission from the authors,
Michelle Kramer & Sherri Miller
Mount Lebanon High School
Pittsburgh, PA
Adapted with permission from the authors
by Barb Lachman
Shorewood H.S.
Objectives for This Tutorial
Read about examples of plagiarism and the
consequences in the real world.
Learn more about plagiarism:
• What plagiarism is and how you can avoid it
• When to cite your sources
• How to cite your sources
Take Quiz #1 to check your understanding of
plagiarism.
Take the Final Quiz to check your understanding of
Source Citations.
Pledge that you will avoid plagiarism.
You know something about
plagiarism…Don’t you?
Sure you do. Teachers have been
talking (and talking, and talking)
about plagiarism—and how you
should avoid it.
But, if it is so bad, why do students
(and adults) do it?
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My
(pick one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My (pick
one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
I didn’t know
that I had to
cite my
sources.
I didn’t
understand the
assignment
and I needed
some help.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My (pick
one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
I had to. I
need to
have good
grades.
I didn’t know
that I had to
cite my
sources.
I didn’t
understand the
assignment
and I needed
some help.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Why do students plagiarize?
Here are some excuses…
Why does it matter? My (pick
one of the following)
teacher/parent/guardian doesn’t
care if I do it.
I had to. I
need to
have good
grades.
I didn’t know
that I had to
cite my
sources.
I didn’t
understand the
assignment
and I needed
some help.
The assignment was dumb/boring/too
hard/too easy/etc., so why should I put
my effort into it?
Have you heard any
of those before?
But those are weak excuses …
There is no acceptable reason for plagiarism.
Plagiarism is cheating
and it will be treated seriously if it
is found in your work.
Look at these real life examples…
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
Doris Kearns
Goodwin, a Pulitzer
Prize winning
historian, was forced
to step down from
the Pulitzer board
after she was found
to have accidentally
used another’s words
in one of her books.
Hostetter, Janet. 6 Apr 2006. Associated Press
Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http://apimages.ap.org>
Kirpatrick, David D. “Author Goodwin Resigns from Pulitzer
Board.” New York Times. (1 June 2002.) 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E7D71
43AF932A35755C0A9649C8B63>.
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
After being accused
of rampant
plagiarism in her
work, tenured
professor Madonna
G. Constantine was
fired from her
position at Columbia
University.
Bondafeff, Dian. 10 Oct. 2007. Associated Press
Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http://apimages.ap.org>.
Santora, Marc. “Columbia Professor in Noose Case Is
Fired on Plagiarism Charges.” New York Times. (24 June
2008.) 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/nyregion/24columbia.
html?scp=1&sq=Madonna%20Constantine%20&st=cse>.
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
As a reporter for the
New York Times, Jayson
Blair plagiarized or
fabricated in more than
40 stories between 2002
and 2005. He was fired
from his job. The top
two editors of the
newspaper resigned as a
result of the scandal.
“Correcting the Record.” New York Times. 11 May 2003. The New York Times. 5 Aug 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E1DB123FF932A25756C0A9659C8B63>
Image: Szymaszek, Jennifer. 12 May 2004. Associated
Press Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http:// apimages.ap.org>
Real Life Plagiarism Scandals
Blair Hornstein was the
valedictorian of her high
school class and had
earned admission to
Harvard University. After
articles Hornstein wrote
for a local newspaper
were discovered to have
been plagiarized, Harvard
University withdrew their
acceptance.
“Blair Hornstein.” The Gothamist. 14 July 2003. 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://gothamist.com/2003/07/14/gothamist.php>.
Capuzzo, Jill P. “MOORESTOWN JOURNAL; Seeing Crimson.” New York
Times. (20 July 2003.) 5 Aug. 2008.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E6D61E3CF933A157
54C0A9659C8B63&scp=4&sq=Blair%20Hornstein%20&st=cse>.
So, as you can see,
plagiarism is a serious offense.
This presentation is part of your
class work so that you know
what plagiarism is
and
how you can avoid it.
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is:
• To steal the words or ideas of another
person
• To pass off the words or ideas of
another person as your own
Further:
• It doesn’t matter whether the theft is
intentional or accidental. Either way, it
is plagiarism.
Let’s look at some
hypothetical situations.
For each, determine if the student
plagiarized or did not.
Decide on your answer before you move to the
next slide.
Jack’s Situation
Jack has an English paper due tomorrow.
He read the book and paid attention
during class, but he has no idea what to
write about.
Jack logs onto the Internet to get some
ideas about topics for his paper.
He finds a great idea and begins writing his
paper using the topic he found. He is very
careful to avoid copying any text or words
from the Internet article he found.
Is this plagiarism?
Jack DID plagiarize.
Jack’s actions constitute plagiarism.
• Jack is committing plagiarism by taking
the ideas of the source without citing
them in the paper.
• Even though he put the ideas in his own
words, Jack is stealing ideas from the
source.
Jill’s Situation
During history class, Jill is asked to
find some background on Fidel
Castro’s rise to power.
Jill does a Google search and arrives at
Wikipedia’s article on Fidel Castro.
Without using quotation marks, Jill
cuts and pastes several sentences
from Wikipedia into her assignment.
Is this plagiarism?
Jill DID plagiarize.
Jill’s actions constitute plagiarism.
• By taking the words from the Wikipedia
article, Jill is committing plagiarism.
• She can avoid plagiarizing by quoting
the article in her assignment and
including an entry that describes the
source in a bibliography at the end of
her paper.
Gretel’s Situation
Gretel is a freshman who is having
trouble keeping up with work. When
her science teacher assigns a short
worksheet on genetics, Gretel is
confused and frustrated.
During lunch, Gretel borrows her
friend’s paper and copies the
answers onto her own paper.
Is this plagiarism?
Gretel DID plagiarize.
Gretel’s actions constitute plagiarism.
• Even if Gretel’s friend gave permission
for Gretel to copy her work, it is still
plagiarism. If Gretel’s friend gave her
permission, her friend is also guilty of
plagiarism.
• Gretel is guilty of plagiarism. She tried
to take credit for the words and ideas of
another person.
Think you’ve got it?
Read the following…
(and pay attention! There will be a quiz
on this information at the end!)
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is:
• To steal the words or ideas of another
person
• To pretend the words or ideas of
another person are your own
• It doesn’t matter whether the theft is
intentional or accidental. Either way, it
is plagiarism.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Cite the source of any idea or words
you take from anyone else.
Use quotation marks to mark the
beginning and end of the source’s
words.
Write a bibliography (a list of your
sources) to show your sources.
OK, I get it…
there are penalties for
plagiarizing because it
is stealing someone
else’s words or ideas.
But,
if I’m not caught,
I won’t get in trouble.
So, what is the
benefit of citing
my sources?
Four good reasons for citing
sources in your work:
• Citing reliable information gives
credibility to your work and shows you
are a good researcher.
• Cheating is dishonest.
• It is only fair to give credit to the
source—otherwise, you are stealing the
source’s ideas.
• The consequences are severe—
plagiarism is not worth the risk.
You probably have two
questions:
(1) What do I need to cite?
(2) How do I cite?
Read on for the answers…
What do I need to cite?
If you created it without any help,
you don’t need to cite it!
If you didn’t create it by yourself, you
must cite the sources where you
got ideas or information.
If the information is common
knowledge you don’t need to cite it.
What’s COMMON KNOWLEDGE?
The one exception for citation is
common knowledge.
You do not need to cite the information IF:
(1) an educated person should know the
information,
OR
(2) it is a basic fact that could be found in an
encyclopedia.
So, you don’t need to cite a basic fact
that is common knowledge.
but you must cite the source of opinions
and ideas that are not your own.
And, you must cite anytime you use the exact
words of the source—even if the words are
presenting common knowledge.
So, you don’t need to cite a basic fact,
For example: The writer Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.
OR
Harper Lee was born in 1926.
but you must cite the source of opinions
and ideas that are not your own.
For example: Dorothy Gale believes that Lord of the Flies is an inspiring story (75).
OR
According to Joe Smith, Piggy represents the human spirit (15).
And, you must cite anytime you use the exact
words of the source—even if the words are
presenting common knowledge.
Last Review
If you created it without any help, you don’t need
to cite it.
If you didn’t create it by yourself, you must cite
the sources where you got ideas or information.
If the information is common knowledge you
don’t need to cite it.
If you use the exact words of any source--even if
the information is common knowledge--you
must use quotation marks around the quote
and cite it.
So, let’s check to see that you
understand when you need to cite
the source and when you don’t…
Are you ready for a practice quiz?
If you want, you can review this
presentation again first.
Don’t go to the next slide until you’re ready.
Test Case #1:
Choose an answer before looking at the next slide.
Jack isn’t sure if he needs to cite the source of the
information below. He found the fact online.
“Abraham Lincoln was our 16th president.”
What do you think? What should Jack do? Choose
one of the answers below.
Cite the source.
This means he will:
1. Either:
a) Surround with quotation marks, or
b) Put the quotation into his own words,
changing the syntax, structure, & organization
2. Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
3. Give the page number, and
4. List the source in a bibliography
Do not cite the
source.
This means that the information is a
commonly reported fact. It is generally
known and available from many sources.
Jack should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Jack will write the well-known
information in his own words.
Jack does NOT need to cite this
information.
Jack does not need to cite the source
or quote the information because it is
common knowledge.
Abraham Lincoln’s status as the 16th
President of the US is a fact that is
well-known and can be found in
many places. Therefore, Jack can
use the information without citation.
Test Case #2: Choose an answer before looking at the next slide.
In her paper on Affirmative Action, Jill found one source that
explained that Affirmative Action “evens the field of play by
forcing equality among all players.”
In her paper, Jill uses the phrase “forcing equality” without using
quotation marks, but she puts all the other parts of the source
into her own words.
What should Jill do? Choose one of the answers below.
Cite the source.
This means she will:
1. Either:
a) Surround with quotation marks, or
b) Put the quotation into her own words,
changing the syntax, structure, & organization
2. Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
3. Give the page number, and
4. List the source in a bibliography
Do not cite the
source.
This means that the information is a
commonly reported fact. It is generally
known and available from many sources.
Jill should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Jill will write the well-known
information in her own words.
Jill MUST cite this information.
Jill needs to cite the source of the
paraphrase because the idea belongs
to the source.
Further, because Jill uses the unique
phrase “forcing equality,” she must
include that phrase in quotation
marks, indicating that it is a direct
quotation from the source.
Test Case #3:
Choose an answer before looking at the next slide.
Gretel found a very helpful article in an online
database. She very carefully rewrote the content in
her own words and style; she changed the order and
organization so that it fit smoothly into her paper.
What should Gretel do?
Cite the source.
This means she will:
1. Either:
a) Surround with quotation marks, or
b) Put the quotation into her own words,
changing the syntax, structure, & organization
2. Include a lead-in giving the source’s name,
3. Give the page number, and
4. List the source in a bibliography
Do not cite the
source.
This means that the information is a
commonly reported fact. It is generally
known and available from many sources.
Gretel should verify the information in at
least two sources, then
Gretel will write the well-known
information in her own words.
Gretel MUST cite the source.
Gretel rewrote the source’s idea and
content, and she must give credit to
the source.
She must provide her reader with the
source of the idea that she used.
Are you ready?
If not, review the presentation again.
Then, tell your teacher you are ready
to take
Quiz #1: Identifying Plagiarism
Next, how to Cite a Source
It’s easy. Just provide your audience with the
source of any ideas or words that are not
your own.
• First, carefully mark the beginning and end of
the source’s words or idea.
• Then, provide a bibliography to show where the
borrowed material originated.
In fact, listing your sources shows your
audience that you are an informed, wellresearched writer!
How to Cite Direct Quotations
1. Write a bibliography entry to show
where the material originated.
2. Carefully mark the beginning and end of
the source’s words or idea.
• Use a signal phrase to introduce the
source.
• Use quotation marks to surround the
words of the source.
• Provide the page number (or author
and page number) after the closing
quotation marks.
How to Cite Direct Quotations
1. Write a bibliography entry to show
where the material originated.
Park, Beth L. Understanding William Golding’s
Lord of the Flies. Lebo University Press:
Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.
How to Cite Direct Quotations
2. Carefully mark the beginning and end
of the source’s words or idea.
• Use a signal phrase to introduce the
source.
• Use quotation marks to surround the
words of the source.
• Provide the page number (or author
and page number) after the closing
quotation marks.
EXAMPLE:

According to critic Beth L. Parks, Piggy finds
peace through “his search for the height of his
own potential” (Parks, 24).
How to Cite Paraphrases
1. Provide a bibliographic entry to show where the
borrowed material originated.
2. Mark the beginning and end of the source’s
material.
• Use a signal phrase to introduce the source
• Put the source’s original words into your own
words:
 Change words, the order of the words, and
the sentence structure.
 If you only change it a little bit, it is still
plagiarism
• Provide the page number (or author and page
number) after the closing quotation marks.
How to Cite Paraphrases
1. Write a bibliography entry to show
where the material originated.
Park, Beth L. Understanding William Golding’s
Lord of the Flies. Lebo University Press:
Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.
How to Cite Paraphrases
2. Mark the beginning and end of the source’s material.
• Use a signal phrase to introduce the source
• Put the source’s original words into your own
words:

Change words, the order of the words, and the
sentence structure.

If you only change it a little bit, it is still
plagiarism
• Provide the page number (or author and page
number) after the closing quotation marks.
EXAMPLE:
Literary critic Beth L. Parks says Piggy tries hard to keep
order so he can be be a good person (Parks, 24).
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
Enclose the
borrowed
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
Enclose the
borrowed
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
Enclose the
borrowed
It can be said in a bunch of different
ways…
But, they all mean the same thing…
Clearly show which
words and ideas
are not your own.
Enclose the
borrowed
Can you identify plagiarism
when you see it?
Try the following four examples. On
each you will see the source material
and the student’s use of that
material.
See if you can judge what is
acceptable use or plagiarism.
Decide on your answer before you move to the next slide.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 1
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Student’s Text:
One reason that Lincoln was well-liked during
his lifetime was that his integrity was sincere.
A person’s statements and dealings with the
world allows that person to be judged as
honest.
Student’s Bibliography:
No references given.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
This example shows Plagiarism!
The student put the author’s idea into
her own words; however, she did not
give credit to the source of the idea.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 2
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
Student’s Text:
Phillips believes that the populace’s admiration
for Lincoln stems from his integrity and honesty
(52).
Student’s Bibliography:
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln on Leadership:
Executive Strategies for Tough Times. Warner
Books: New York, 1992.
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
This example shows
Acceptable Use!
The student clearly marked the boundaries of the
paraphrase:
• He used the author’s name at the beginning of the
paraphrase to show where Phillips’ idea starts.
• He used the page number at the end of the paraphrase to
show where Phillips’ idea ends.
The reference on the bibliography page is accurate.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 3
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Student’s Text:
Lincoln was so admired in his lifetime because
he had integrity. Integrity must be sincere.
Through an individual’s words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be judged to be genuine.
Student’s Bibliography:
No references given.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
This example shows Plagiarism!
The student used the exact words of
the source without providing any
indication of their origin.
A reader would believe that this
passage is the work of the student,
and it is not.
Acceptable Use or Plagiarism?
Example 4
Original text from
the source:
Integrity must be
sincere. That’s one
reason Lincoln was so
admired in his lifetime.
Through an individual’s
words, deeds, and
actions, integrity can be
judged to be genuine.
Donald T. Phillips. Lincoln on
Leadership. (52)
Student’s Text:
During his lifetime, people admired Lincoln
because his words, deeds and actions
demonstrated his sincere, genuine integrity.
Student’s Bibliography:
Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln on Leadership:
Executive Strategies for Tough Times. Warner
Books: New York, 1992.
CHOOSE ONE:
Acceptable Use
Plagiarism
This example shows Plagiarism!
The student changed the order of the
words and the structure of the
sentences; however, he did not give
credit to Phillips’ book as the source
of the idea.
So, to review…
Plagiarism is a serious offense. Not
only does it carry heavy penalties,
but your integrity is damaged when
you plagiarize.
Plagiarism is easily avoidable—just cite
the sources when you use the words
or ideas of another person.
If you have any questions, see your
teacher or school librarian!
Final Directions:
•
•
•
•
•
If you want, review this presentation again.
Ready? Now, tell your teacher you are
ready for Final Quiz: Citing Resources.
At the end of the quiz is an honor code
statement. You will sign it in order to show
you have had this training.
Then have your parent sign the honor code.
Your English teacher will collect these
signed forms.
Sources Consulted
DeSena, Laura Hennessey. Preventing Plagiarism:
Tips and Techniques. National Council of
Teachers of English: Urbana, IL, 2007.
Harris, Robert A. The Plagiarism Handbook:
Strategies for Preventing, Detecting, and Dealing
with Plagiarism. Pyrczak Publishing: Los Angeles,
2001.
Valenza, Joyce Kasman. “What is Plagiarism? (And
Why You Should Care).” Springfield High School
Media Center Information Literacy Lessons.
Springfield School District.
End of presentation.
If you have questions or suggestions,
please see your teacher or librarian.