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The CSU guide to avoiding plagiarism

THE CSU GUIDETO AVOIDING PLAGIARISMWelcome Charles Sturt University expects that the work of its students and staff will uphold the values of academic honesty and integrity. This Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism is an important resource that will help you understand these values and apply them in practice.

All scholarly and professional work involves researching, understanding and building on the work of others. Honesty and integrity demand that we recognise and acknowledge that work. In this guide you will find advice and support to enable you to do this properly and well.

Plagiarism is contrary to the values of academic integrity and honesty. The practice of plagiarism within the University could undermine the University’s reputation and also that of students and staff who have acted with integrity and honesty. It is important that we all take our share of responsibility for maintaining the best standards and values in the work of our University.

Professor Ross Chambers Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)

This guide addresses:

what is meant by plagiarism and why it is important

the CSU policy on plagiarism and the consequences of breaching this policy

ways to develop skills in order to avoid plagiarism

how to identify cases of plagiarism

where to seek further information

CONTENTSUnderstanding plagiarism .................................................................................................................................. 2

What counts as ‘other people’s ideas’? .............................................................................................................3

What counts as ‘common knowledge’? .............................................................................................................4

The importance of academic integrity ...............................................................................................................5

Why students plagiarise .................................................................................................................................... 6

Student responsibilities...................................................................................................................................... 7

Consequences of plagiarism..............................................................................................................................8

Strategies for avoiding plagiarism......................................................................................................................9

1. Understand the terminology ....................................................................................................................9

2. Acknowledge the source and give credit ...............................................................................................10

3. Referencing: citing your source .............................................................................................................10

4. Understanding ‘your voice’ in your writing ..............................................................................................12

5. In-text referencing .................................................................................................................................. 15

6. Paraphrasing, referencing and ‘your voice’ ............................................................................................20

7. Summarising, referencing and ‘your voice’ ............................................................................................21

8. Note-taking and referencing ..................................................................................................................23

9. Group work and referencing ..................................................................................................................24

10. The world wide web (www) and referencing ..........................................................................................25

Identifying plagiarism: Case studies ................................................................................................................26

Checklist to avoid plagiarism ...........................................................................................................................28

More information .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................... 29

UNDERSTANDINGPLAGIARISMIntroductionAs a Charles Sturt University (CSU) student, you encounter other people’s ideas in every subject throughout your studies. You use other people’s ideas to help you develop your knowledge and form your own opinions. Consequently you need to be aware of, and clear about, the rules to be followed when using the ideas of others.

Every CSU student has the responsibility to give credit where credit is due. Whenever you draw on the ideas, concepts or theories of others or use another person’s words from print or electronic sources, you must acknowledge that you have ‘borrowed’ those ideas or words.

In university studies, to fail to provide due acknowledgment is considered theft – intellectual theft - whether resulting from ignorance or unethical choices. To not provide due acknowledgment is called plagiarism. Always remember that plagiarism is never considered acceptable scholarly behaviour.

What is plagiarism?

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ASK YOUR LECTURER, TUTOR OR LEARNING SKILLS ADVISER

A student plagiarises if he or she gives the impression that the ideas, words or work of another person are the ideas, words or work of the student.

Most students try to honestly acknowledge their sources and often plagiarism is a result of ignorance, honest misinterpretation, careless note-taking and/or poor time management and planning skills. Intentional plagiarism occurs when a student deliberately sets out to deceive others that the ideas and words they present in an assignment are their own. Whether inadvertent or deliberate, plagiarism can have a significant impact on grades, and in more serious cases, can result in failure from a subject or even exclusion from a course of study.

Remember, if you consistently and honestly use the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style, or another style acceptable to your Subject Coordinator, you will avoid plagiarism. The key to correctly acknowledging your sources is to follow the specific rules in a recognised referencing style.

Knowing what, how and when to acknowledge may be particularly challenging if, in your home culture, some ideas and knowledge are shared collectively and there is an expectation that acknowledgment is unnecessary. Similarly, during your previous education, you may not have learnt about intellectual property, citations and reference lists. So if your previous education was culturally different, or if you have returned to study after a significant break, it is important to remember that there is a scholarly expectation that you will consistently and honestly let your reader know where you obtained your material.

While most students want to learn and develop their expertise, and only a small proportion of students choose to deliberately plagiarise, you can benefit from more clearly understanding why plagiarism happens and how to correctly identify your intellectual debt to others in your written work.

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WHAT COUNTS AS ‘OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS’?

words quoted directly from another source

all ideas paraphrased from another source

distinctive words borrowed from another source

ideas or materials taken from the web

words, ideas or pictures from TV programs, letters, songs, computer programs and/or advertisements

ideas used from an interview

The following examples of using other sources are considered plagiarism:

submitting another student’s assignment as your own, including:

paying someone to write your assignment for you

using parts of a past student’s assignment in your assignment without acknowledgment

buying a paper and submitting it as your own work

using the structure, argument and research sources from another student’s answer

cutting phrases, sentences or paragraphs from the web and pasting these into your paper without due acknowledgment

taking ideas, words or sentences from brochures, databases, journals or unpublished papers

pasting material found on the web or in print into your work and only acknowledging part of the material you copied

using quotation marks but acknowledging less than all the words you quote

copying a paragraph exactly and including a citation only at the end of the paragraph (you are plagiarising because your reader does not know exactly where the borrowed material begins)

copying a paragraph and making small changes, e.g. changing some verbs, replacing an adjective with a synonym and providing acknowledgment in a bibliography (UK Centre for Legal Education 2003)

cutting and pasting a paragraph by using sentences from the original but omitting one or two and/or putting one or two in different order without quotation marks but with in-text and bibliographical acknowledgment (UK Centre for Legal Education 2003)

In other words, anything you want to use that someone else, writes, emails, draws or implies, needs to be acknowledged.

When acknowledging other writers’ ideas, keep direct quotations to a minimum, avoid overly long quotes and use paraphrasing to demonstrate your understanding.

Acknowledging sources also allows you to take credit for your opinions and thoughts and helps develop your ability to summarise and synthesise information because your lecturers are interested in your interpretation of sources and what you understand.

See the Avoiding Plagiarism section (page 9) for advice, information and practise on acknowledging sources.

CONSULT YOUR LECTURER IF IN DOUBT

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WHAT COUNTS AS‘COMMON KNOWLEDGE’?Sometimes you may be unsure whether ideas need to be acknowledged. Examples of ideas shared by the academic and/or wider community include:

Commonly available information, such as that found at Charles Sturt University’s learning skills website, which contains handouts about how to study independently and effectively

While information about what is available for students on the learning skills website does not need to be acknowledged, if you take words, sentences, paragraphs and/or ideas from the site and use them in your written or oral academic work, then due acknowledgment is essential.

Common sense understandings, e.g. smoking causes cancer

Well-known events from history or contemporary life, e.g.

the war on terrorism

Colonial Australia

Terms widely used in the public arena, e.g. the generation gap

If you want to use another person’s words to explain why and how smoking causes cancer, you must acknowledge the owner of the words by indicating exactly where the other person’s words begin and end using quotation marks and providing an in-text citation and a reference list entry.

Similarly, if you want to discuss other writers’ opinions about the war on terrorism or the characteristics of the generation gap and you decide to paraphrase the opinion before discussing it, then you need to acknowledge the author of the opinion using an in-text citation and a reference list entry.

Terms shared by scholars in specific disciplines, e.g.

impressionism (art theory/art history)

leadership styles (commerce/education)

constructivism (education/teaching)

If you want to define or explain leadership styles, constructivism or impressionism, you are likely to refer to other writers’ words and ideas. This means you must then acknowledge where you found the explanation or description and honestly acknowledge the authors using a recognised referencing style.

To determine whether an idea can be considered common knowledge, use the following guidelines:

You find the same information undocumented in at least five other sources.

You think a person could easily find the information with general reference sources such as a general encyclopedia (OWL Writing Lab, 2004).

Remember, anything that you create, discover, deduce, analyse or think about other authors’ words and ideas does not need to be cited. For example:

observations or experiments you carry out

your opinions, interpretations or commentary

your arguments, conclusions and judgements

IF IN DOUBT ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SOURCE

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THE IMPORTANCE OFACADEMIC INTEGRITYScholarshipAt university, you are considered a scholar as well as a student, and your fundamental scholarly task is to not only use knowledge to facilitate your own learning, but also be able to apply knowledge to new questions, issues and contexts. Throughout your studies, you will encounter the best ideas that have been developed and built on by past and present scholars. If you deliberately plagiarise, you deny yourself the experience of gaining mastery and confidence in your own learning abilities, knowledge and skills.

IntegrityThe Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary (7th edn.1987) defines integrity as wholeness; soundness; uprightness; honesty. In the context of higher education, academic integrity refers to taking personal responsibility to be honest when using other people’s material. A student who has integrity will make fair use of the work of others, so that when presenting an assignment for assessment, the marker can see exactly what sources have been used and also what the student has learnt and contributed.

ProfessionalismYou are expected to graduate with a thorough understanding of the strengths and limitations of knowledge in your chosen field. If you deliberately plagiarise, you are unlikely to develop your knowledge base, and be able to maintain and update your expertise – expertise that will be integral to your professional success.

Employers and professional bodies will expect that you can learn independently, have the required knowledge, skills and attributes and can make ethical choices. As well as institutional penalties for academic dishonesty, there are profound professional implications as you may not be competent in your chosen field.

TO BE INTELLECTUALLY DISHONEST AMOUNTS TO THEFT

WHY STUDENTSPLAGIARISESometimes plagiarism stems from lack of academic writing or referencing skills or because there is a lack of awareness of what constitutes plagiarism.

If you:

are more concerned with passing subjects than learning

lack confidence in your writing and thinking skills

have difficulty coping with the demands of tertiary learning and assessment

have poor research skills

have poor time and personal management skills

have insufficient time to read, research and reflect

do not know the rules of referencing

do not reference accurately and correctly

do not use effective note-taking methods

do not analyse and evaluate what you read

do not maintain detailed records of all sources consulted

then you may inadvertently plagiarise.

When using sources, make clear to the reader where the other person’s ideas or words begin and end.

For example:

Commenting on barriers to communicating scientific knowledge to the public, Greer (2007) states that “the overwhelming majority of scientists believe that their main job is to do original research and provide free and open access to results. They do not believe they should necessarily become involved in discussions about how those results should be used or the far-reaching implications of those results: in other words, politics”.

This example uses quotation marks to show the words that were ‘borrowed’ and an introductory phrase to acknowledge the author of the borrowed words. Remember that full bibliographic details must be included in your reference list so that your reader can return to your source material.

Always record the bibliographic details during research. This strategy saves you time and helps you avoid inadvertent plagiarism.

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STUDENTRESPONSIBILITIESCSU’s Student Misconduct Rule acknowledges that plagiarism can be unintentional, e.g. where a genuine effort is made to acknowledge sources but referencing skills are poor. Nevertheless, ignorance is not a defence.

CSU’s policy states that plagiarism includes:

copying any material from books, journals, study notes or tapes, the web, the work of other students, or any other source without indicating this by quotation marks or by indentation, italics or spacing and without acknowledging that source by footnote or citations; or

rephrasing ideas from books, journals, study notes or tapes, the web, the work of other students, or any other source without acknowledging the source of those ideas by footnotes or citations. This could include material copied from a source and acknowledged, but presented as the student’s own paraphrasing.

Clearly, this rule requires that we recognise the difference between plagiarism and legitimate summarising with citations and know the rules for quoting and paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism.

Notice that sources include diagrams, television documentaries, radio programs and lectures as well as journal articles, books, other students’ work and importantly, web sources.

To avoid plagiarism, it is essential that you develop ethical practices when recording others’ ideas from any source and use effective referencing skills throughout your research and written work.

Remember to take due care when you summarise, quote and/or paraphrase. Honestly citing all your sources of information will:

help you create a strong paper

demonstrate respect for intellectual property

provide a service to the reader

CONSEQUENCESOF PLAGIARISMWhile CSU’s Academic Misconduct Rule recognises that not all cases of plagiarism are equally serious, academics have clear responsibilities to report suspected plagiarism cases. The outcome of careless referencing or poor note-taking may be a fail on the paper while a more serious breach can lead to exclusion from the University.

The seriousness of the misconduct, the relative experience of the student and whether the student has previously been found guilty of misconduct will be given due regard but penalties become progressively harsher depending on the nature of the plagiarism. For instance, if a fail grade is recommended, the student will not be entitled to a refund of fees, or if exclusion is recommended this will be for a period of up to two years. For further information on CSU’s Academic Misconduct Rule, visit: www.csu.edu.au/acad_sec/misc

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STRATEGIES FORAVOIDING PLAGIARISM 1. Understand the terminologyBeing familiar with the terminology is a start to avoiding plagiarism.

Attribution: a synonym for the word ‘citation’ meaning that the author of the source has been appropriately acknowledged

Bibliography: a list of resources listed in author alphabetical order at the end of the document. The bibliography is made up of texts that have been referenced in-text (the full citation for these texts would normally appear in alphabetical order in the ‘References’ list) and mentioned by author or cited in-text.The Bibliography also includes other resources that have been read but NOT cited in-text. Check with your lecturer as to whether a Bibliography or a References list is required.

Citation: this is a synonym for the term ‘attribution’ meaning that the author of the source has been appropriately acknowledged. A citation needs to accompany all in-text referencing, that is, if you use a direct quotation and/or an indirect quotation. Also, each completed reference in the ‘References’ list or Bibliography is also called a citation.

End-text referencing: this refers to the ‘References’ list or the Bibliography

In-text referencing: this refers to different types of referencing in the document or paper, that is, direct quotations or indirect quotations (paraphrasing and/or summarising).

Plagiarism: is the act of not acknowledging your source. In other words, you have tried to pretend that the written ideas are yours when they are another author’s. To avoid plagiarism, always cite your source.

Paraphrasing: is changing the original language and sentence structure. In this case, you must still cite your source.

Reference list (or list of References): this is a list of references at the rear of the document. This list refers to all the resources cited (mentioned) in your document. If you have directly quoted, paraphrased or summarised in your document, then you will have the full bibliographic details of that source listed in your ‘References’ list. Based on the APA (American Psychological Association) this can include: author’s surname and initials, year of publication, title in italics, publisher, e.g. Smith, R. P. (2004). Smith family stories across generations. Cootamundra, NSW: Peterson. The ‘References’ list is arranged in author alphabetical order. It is strongly advisable to consult the current APA Referencing Guide and your Study Guide for expectations regarding your referencing style.*

Charles Sturt University’s APA referencing resources are available on the Learning skills web site: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/referencing/index.htm or obtain a hardcopy pocket version: Perrin (2007).

Referencing: this refers to in-text and end-text referencing of all resources referred to within the document, as well as the ‘References’ list.

Summarising: a summary is similar to a paraphrase except that a summary is shorter. When you summarise, you compress large amounts of information into the fewest possible sentences. To do this, you include only the main points and main supporting points, leaving out the details. You must not change the meaning of the original text.

Referencing

3. Referencing: citing your sourceReferencing is citing from where you have gained the information. If the original ideas came from a text, a journal article, a chapter in a text, an online source, an interview, a discussion, a forum, a lecture, the study guide, a newspaper, a poem, a TV show, an industry-based visit etc. this original source must be cited as an in-text reference and an end-text reference.

2. Acknowledge the source and give credit

In-text citations End-of-text referencing

Direct quotes Reference list Bibliography

Indirect quotes

Paraphrasing Summarisingand/or

STRATEGIES FORAVOIDING PLAGIARISM

REFERENCING TERMINOLOGY

Do this whenever you use:

another person’s idea, opinion or theory

a summary of another person’s written words

any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings or any pieces of information that are not common knowledge

a paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words

quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words

You must reference:

to respect and acknowledge the work of others

to avoid cheating and copying

to give your work credibility and reliability

to follow academic writing conventions

to allow the reader to source the information and be able to read further

to make it very clear to the reader that you are not trying to pretend that the ideas are yours

because the reader will have more confidence in your writing if they know where the information has been obtained

because, by being thorough in your referencing, it implies that you have thoroughly checked the facts

The following diagram illustrates referencing terminology and shows how it is used in an academic writing context:

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How do you reference?

The APA REFERENCING style is the preferred style at CSU.

Some lecturers/subjects may require a different style. Always check that you are using the correct referencing style for your subject. This should be stated in your subject outline. If in doubt, ask your lecturer.

For examples of how to reference many types of information sources, refer to Perrin (2007) or the online resource: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/pdfs/apa.pdf

End-text References/References ListThis list is referred to as the ‘References’ or ‘References list’. It is the list of references at the end of your document that includes the works you actually cited or referred to in your document.

List resources in alphabetical order using the authors’ surnames.

There must be a direct link between your in-text reference and your end-text reference, that is, your in-text reference must be present in full bibliographic detail in the ‘References’ list at the rear of your assignment.

An example of a References list:

Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre. (2002). CRC Research Programs. Narrabri, NSW:Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre. Retrieved November, 2002, from <http://www.cotton.crc.org.au/AboutUs/Org/CRCPrograms.htm>

Bowman, J. & Corkum, CV. (2001). Spatial scales of trapping in small-mammal research, Canadian Field-Naturalist, 115, 472-475.

Nead, L. (1992). The female nude: Art, obscenity, and sexuality. London: Routledge.

Schroeder, J. J. (1995). [Developing self-esteem and leadership skills in Native American women.] Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 66(7), 48-49, Retrieved August 26, 2001 from ProQuest database.

Waitg, R. P. (2000, May 30). Introduction to topography and tourism. Lecture presented for CSU lectures in Ecological studies, NSW: Charles Sturt University.


Assembling a ‘References’ list: Each citation is assembled in author alphabetical order with all citations integrated, i.e. articles,

texts, online sites, lecture notes, etc. are all integrated and written in one alphabetical list.

There are no separate headings for the different types of sources, e.g. a heading for texts; a heading for online articles; a heading for journals. ALL are assembled together in alphabetical order.

Note the second and subsequent lines of each citation are indented. This is so that the reader can scan down the left-hand side of the page and quickly identify the references sourced.

Note the use of commas and full stops. It is important to be consistent throughout your referencing style.

Note the referencing style suggested in your study guide and in the APA referencing guidelines available at: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/pdfs/apa.pdf

What is citing your source?

Plagiarism is using the work of other people without acknowledging them.

Hence, to AVOID plagiarism = CITE YOUR SOURCE.

Citations appear in-text and end-text.

4. Understanding ‘your voice’ in your writingIn assignments, you are often expected to:

give your opinion

argue the case

put yourself in the writing

comment, criticise, discuss, etc.

present your thoughts

give your interpretation

In other words, you are expected to use ‘your voice’ throughout your writing.

What is ‘your voice’? ‘Your voice’ is the expression used to indicate that you, the writer, has an opportunity to give your opinion and/or interpretation of the material.

Put yourself into your writing by expressing thoughts, opinions, interpretations and ideas through your written ‘voice’.

HIN

TH

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How do you express ‘your voice’ academically?It is not sufficient to write:

I think that…

I believe that…

I agree with…that…

I think it is…

Yes, these are examples of ‘your voice’, but when expressed using the personal pronoun ‘I’, it tends to give a subjective tone to the writing.

Academic writing needs to be objective.

Academic writing needs to be supported by authors and their research. In other words, academic writing needs citations throughout to provide validity and reliability to the statements.

In summary, academic writing needs to be:

objective in tone

supported with citations

inclusive of ‘your voice’

Your document cannot be just pages of citations, either direct or indirect; it must have ‘your voice’ represented.

There are many ways of expressing ‘your voice’ in academic writing. Over the page is one example: An Activity. It is a piece about writing clearly.

At the end of the paragraph, you will have an opportunity to feed ‘your voice’ into the paragraph. In addition, three questions will be asked for you to reflect upon:

Where did you integrate ‘your voice’?

How did you integrate ‘your voice’

Why did you integrate ‘your voice’ this way?


AN ACTIVITY: Expressing your voiceOriginal textSmith (1999) and Black (2003) demonstrate the positive outcomes of presenting ideas clearly and concisely. Jones (2001) adds that the clarity of concepts is enhanced when terminology and structure are appropriate to the written genre.

Your turn to integrate ‘your voice’:

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

NOW reflect on your decision and answer the following three questions:

Where did you integrate ‘your voice’? .........................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

How did you integrate ‘your voice’ ...............................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

Why did you integrate ‘your voice’ this way? ...............................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................


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Comments1. Smith (1999) and Black (2003) demonstrate the positive outcomes of presenting ideas clearly and

concisely. Jones (2001) adds that the clarity of concepts is enhanced when terminology and structure are appropriate to the written genre. Based on these authors, a connection can be made between…

2. Smith (1999) and Black (2003) demonstrate the positive outcomes of presenting ideas clearly and concisely. Jones (2001) adds that the clarity of concepts is enhanced when terminology and structure are appropriate to the written genre. It can be concluded from what Smith (1999), Black (2003) and Jones (2001) have stated that writing is…

3. Smith (1999) and Black (2003) demonstrate the positive outcomes of presenting ideas clearly and concisely. Jones (2001) adds that the clarity of concepts is enhanced when terminology and structure are appropriate to the written genre. Based on what these authors have said, it can be concluded that writing is…

Note: The writer’s voice has been italicised ONLY to emphasise this example. In academic writing, you would NOT italicise ‘your voice.’

Q. Where did you integrate ‘your voice’? In the above examples, ‘your voice’ has been added after the evidence of the authors.

Q. How did you integrate ‘your voice’? ‘ Your voice’ is evident in the expressions beginning ‘Based on … and ‘It can be…’

Q. Why did you integrate ‘your voice’ this way? ‘ Your voice’ was positioned after the authors and their input so that the reader is placed in a position of being somewhat convinced and impressed by the authoritative statements. Then you add ‘your voice’, in the third person to keep the tone objective, and conclude based on the authors’ information.

I hear voices!Academic writing should comprise of many ‘voices’ made up of relevant authors and ‘your voice’. You can add these ‘voices’ through direct quotations, paraphrasing, summarising and citing your source in all cases.

Remember to cite your source, when you quote directly, when you paraphrase and when you summarise. All these types of ‘voices’ must be referenced.

5. In-text referencingThe following citations are taken from the example References list on page 13. Each citation will be presented with examples of how to reference in-text and comments are made regarding these references.

Example 1 Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre. (2002). CRC Research Programs. Narrabri, NSW:

Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre. Retrieved November, 2002, from http://www.cotton.crc.org.au/AboutUs/Org/CRCPrograms.htm


In-text1. ……….a paraphrase or summary……….(Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre, 2002).

2. The Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre (2002) was known to have distributed…a paraphrase or a summary………..

3. “ Cotton is the backbone of the Australian economy” (Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre, 2002, para 7).

Comments1. This is how the in-text citation would appear at the end of the sentence that refers to the information from

this source. Note that the full stop comes after the bracket.

2. Only the year is in brackets because the ‘author’ is a necessary part of the sense of the sentence

3. This is a direct quote enclosed by double quotation marks. Being from an online source, the page numbers may be absent from the article. When this occurs, indicate the paragraph (para) number from where the quoted was obtained e.g. para 7: or indicate this paragraph (para) by using the symbol “ ¶ ” instead of the abbreviation “para” ; for example, … para 7 or … ¶7. This paragraph symbol is found in the “Insert “ menu feature under “symbol”.

Example 2Bowman, J. & Corkum, C.V. (2001). Spatial scales of trapping in small-mammal research.

Canadian Field-Naturalist,115, 472-475.

In-text1. …a paraphrase or summary………………(Bowman & Corkum 2001).

2. Bowman and Corkum (2001) suggest that… (a paraphrase or summary)

3. Bowman and Corkum (2001, p.64) state that “all people concerned are influenced by the mammals.”

Comments1. (Bowman & Corkum, 2001) appears at the end of the information that was taken from this source. Notice

that inside the brackets, an ampersand is used instead of ‘and’.

2. Bowman and Corkum are necessary parts of the sentence; they act as the subject and therefore are not enclosed in brackets. The year (2001) is in brackets as this is not an integral part of the sense of the sentence. Note also that the ampersand (&) has changed to ‘and’ because a) it is not in brackets; b) it is read as part of the sentence and needs to be written in full.

3. A direct quote and, therefore, page number is cited.

Example 3Nead, L. (1992). The female nude: Art, obscenity, and sexuality. London: Routledge.

In-text1. …….(a paraphrase or a summary)……….(Nead, 1992).

2. Nead (1992) argued that…(a paraphrase or a summary)…

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Comments1. The sentence is a paraphrase or summary of the ideas from Nead. Therefore, Nead is acknowledged at

the end of the sentence with the year of publication.

2. Nead is the subject of the sentence and a necessary word to read to make sense of the sentence. Hence, ‘Nead’ is not enclosed in brackets and the year is (1992).

Example 4Schroeder, J. J. (1995). Developing self-esteem and leadership skills in Native American women. Journal of

Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 66(7), 48-49. Retrieved August 26, 2001, from ProQuest database.

In-text1. (a paraphrase or a summary)……. (Schroeder 1995).

2. Schroeder (1995 )………( a paraphrase or a summary)…….

3. “Self-esteem is fundamental to human development” (Schroeder, 1995, p. 48).

4. Schroeder (1995, p. 48) quoted that “self-esteem is fundamental to human development.”

Comments

1. The source is acknowledged at the end of the sentence.

2. Schroeder is a necessary part of the sense of the sentence, and is therefore, not in brackets.

3. The exact words of the author have been used, enclosed in double quotation marks, followed by citing the author, year and page number.

4. The page number (or paragraph number or paragraph symbol if the page number is unavailable) is added whenever you quote the direct words of the author.

In-text referencing hintsDrawing on the ideas of others when you are developing your own thinking and writing is exciting and necessary for the development of your intellect and your academic writing.

Useful phrases to introduce references: adapted from Cottrell (1999, p. 124).

As X (year) points out, …

According to X (year), …

To quote from X (year, page),

X (year) states\suggests that …

X (year) tells\shows us that …

In an article entitled Name of text, X (year) points out that …

Referring to …, X (year) says that…

As X (year) stated\wrote\said, …

Writing in 1996, X argued that…


When selecting a verb to introduce what the author has said, told, showed, stated, argued etc. select one which conveys the author’s attitude toward the material. For example,

The author questions…

The author decided…

The author demonstrates…

OR relates, writes, identifies, defines, names, predicts, explains, expresses, differentiates, discusses, distinguishes, classifies, associates, applies, interprets, restates, reviews, uses, summarises, detects, appraises, criticises, arranges, composes, creates, designed, formulates, organises, prepares, plans, produces, assesses, critiqued, evaluates, measures, prescribes, produced, specifies, chose, recommends, etc

Provide referencing citations whenever you use in-text sources.

Direct quotations, referencing and ‘your voice’Direct quoting is using the exact wording and punctuation contained in the original work.

Quotation marks are required to show the direct quote.

Avoid overusing direct quotes in your piece of writing as this might suggest that you have not understood the information well enough to be able to put it in your own words, that is, paraphrasing or summarising the information. Follow conventions when using direct quotes. For example,

if you decide to omit some of the words in the middle of a longer quote, an ellipsis (...) should be used, i.e. three dots to indicate words have been omitted on purpose

if you wish to insert some of your own words, usually one or two to maintain the flow of your essay or clarify a point, place [square brackets] around your own words

quotes longer than approximately 40 words should be indented on the margin: double quotation marks do not appear at the beginning or end of the block quotation.

Selecting direct quotationsUse double quotations marks “ ” and a citation, e.g. (Smith, 2000, p. 36), when using the exact words of the author, even if it is a short phrase. You must make it clear to the reader which words are the author’s and which words are your own.

Select direct quotations that:

develop a step in your argument

present striking, memorable phrasing

provide a strong, specific example

summarise an author’s main points

(Trivedi & Williams, 2002, para 4)


WHEN YOU USE THE IDEAS OF OTHERS YOU MUST CITE THEM18

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When selecting quotations, avoid:

quoting unnecessary details and descriptions

quoting in order to supply padding for your writing

quoting common facts

quoting chunks of information that could be better summarised

quoting information you could state in your own words

(Trivedi & Williams, 2002, para 5)

Examples Showing the author’s (Smith 2001) point of view:

In Aeronautical engineering principles, Smith (2001, p.48) concludes that “...”

The following quotation reveals Smith’s (2001, p. 67) bias: “...”

Unlike some authors, Smith (2001, p. 94) states that “...”

Smith (2001, p. 123) is in favour of the idea and strategy that includes “...”

Smith (2001) argues by adding that “...”

Showing your agreement with the author:

Note: there is usually a conscious effort not to use personal pronouns like ‘I, we, our, us, me, my’ because these can detract from the objectivity of the academic writing.

Students are generally encouraged to convey an objective tone, not a subjective tone.

Check with your lecturer or subject coordinator if it is acceptable to use these personal pronouns. Hence, to show your agreement with the author:

I agree with Smith’s (2001, p. 47) point that “...”.

It can be agreed with Smith’s (2001, p. 47) point of view that “...”.

Like Smith (2001, p. 87), I believe that “...”. because……

Like Smith (2001, p. 87), it can be agreed that “...”.because……

Smith (2001, p. 34) is correct when he/she says that “...”.because……

Examples of showing disagreement with the author:

Smith (2001, p. 58) fails to address the issue when he says, “...”.....because……

When Smith (2001, p. 78) argues that “...”, his reasoning is questionable because…

One can disagree with Smith’s (2001, p. 68) idea that “...”….because……

It is not a question of “...” (Smith, 2001, p. 105), but one of …….because……


HIN

T Using ‘your voice’ to disagree Justify why you believe what you believe. Justify by giving evidence and/or examples.

When using a direct quote, once you have placed it in the text and cited its source, remember to then link it to your argument, i.e. state the main concepts of the quote and show their relevance to the assignment topic. You need to explain to the reader, the significance of the concepts to the context of your writing. This is ‘your voice’ represented.

To paraphrase:

rewrite the original language

change the original sentence structure

cite the source

If you retain a short phrase or a distinctive word, use quotation marks.

6. Paraphrasing, referencing and ‘your voice’Paraphrasing is using the work of others, keeping the same meaning, but writing in your own choice of words.

Paraphrasing is generally more highly valued by academics than direct quoting because by paraphrasing the information, you are demonstrating that thought processing has taken place; in other words, you have thought about the information and have understood some of what you have read.

Paraphrasing allows you to:

demonstrate that you understand what you have read and that you can apply this knowledge

better maintain your personal style and the smooth flow of your essay

Seven steps to paraphrasing1. Read the text carefully.

2. Underline any important words or main ideas.

3. Look up any difficult words. Try to find synonyms for the difficult words. A synonym is another word that has the same meaning, e.g. the sea/the ocean; frog/amphibian.

4. Try to find different ways of expressing phrases (word groups) indicating time or place, e.g. in the morning/early; in the late afternoon/evening.

5. Rewrite each sentence. Change the sentence structure and the vocabulary without changing the meaning.

6. Revise what you have written, comparing it to the original. Your paraphrasing should clarify the original.

7. Cite your source. Do not forget to include appropriate reference information at the end of your paraphrase. This is so that the reader can go back to the original version (adapted from UNE, n.d.).

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7. Summarising, referencing and ‘your voice’Summarising is different from paraphrasing: a summary is shorter than a paraphrase.

When you summarise, you compress large amounts of information into the fewest possible sentences. To do this, you include only the main points and main supporting points, leaving out the details. You must not change the meaning of the original text.

To write a summary or to summarise an article means that particular characteristics are evident.

A summary is much shorter than the original text.

It should communicate the main ideas of the text and the supporting points written in your own words.

It is written in a very brief form.

The summary should give someone who has not read the original text, a clear and accurate overview of the text.

Writing a summary requires a thorough understanding of the content of the text and the ability to paraphrase.

A formal summary should include a reference.

(UNE, n.d.)

10 steps to summarising1. Skim the text and note any headings or subheadings.

2. Divide the text into sections.

3. Read the text carefully. Use a dictionary and thesaurus; find synonyms, if necessary. Read difficult texts more than once.

4. Pay special attention to the first and last paragraphs. Identify the main ideas or arguments.

5. Identify the main idea (called ‘the topic sentence’) in each paragraph. This is frequently the first sentence in the paragraph.

6. Identify the supporting ideas for the main concepts.

7. Try to write one or two sentences for each paragraph. Include the main ideas (usually a paraphrase of the topic sentence) and the main supporting ideas (also paraphrased).

8. *Revise, proof-read and rewrite in order to polish your summary.

9. Cite your source; use an in-text reference.

10. Add the full bibliographic details of your source to the ‘References’ list at the end of your document.

* Revising means: Read back over your writing to check that the meaning is clear. Proof-reading means: Check spelling, the structure of your sentences, punctuation, verb tenses, grammatical processes etc. Rewriting means: Write a more advanced version, that is a ‘good’ copy. (UNE, n.d.)


AN ACTIVITY: Example of a paragraph that needs to be summarised.Original textLanguage and Communication Language is the main means of communication between people. But so many different languages have developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. For many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international, universal language which all people could speak and understand. The arguments in favour of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all peoples spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and good will might increase between countries.

(Kispart as cited in Oshima & Hogue, 1999, p. 94).

Now write your summarised version ......................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

A suggested summary: People communicate mainly through language. However, having so many different languages creates communication barriers. Some think that one universal language would bring countries together culturally and economically and also increase good feelings among them (Kispart cited in Oshima & Hogue, 1999).

Comment Main ideas have been included.

Original meaning is unchanged.

Original sentence structure has changed.

Original length has reduced.

Original source has been referenced.


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8. Note-taking and referencing

BE CAREFUL…Plagiarism can begin at the note-taking stage.

As you take your notes, distinguish between direct quotes, paraphrases and summarised notes by recording the complete reference, that is, the author’s surname, year and page number beside the information. Also record the full bibliographic information for the ‘References’ list.

Keep in mind, in later drafts, that you may need to refer back to the original source in order to clarify the context of the quote and information. Hence, a valuable step is to have taken down the reference and bibliographic information.

The best way to take notes depends on:

the way your mind works

the kind of text you are working with

what you want to use the notes for (the purpose)

the amount of time you think is reasonable to invest

Effective note-takingTaking notes effectively will aid your understanding, writing and remembering.

Scan for the main ideas and to increase interest.

If the material is relevant, read in full.

Read with purpose - highlight the most important points.

Now take brief notes, preferably in your own words.

Be a critical thinker. Ask yourself questions.

What is the main idea?

What are the supporting ideas?

How do these ideas compare with those in other texts?

Is the text biased/narrow point of view?

Are there any key quotes?

To be an effective reader you need to read with:

a purpose (know why you are reading)

a plan (know the way you need to read to match the purpose of your reading)

cite your source


Types of note-takingTwo types of note-taking that are commonly used are linear note-taking and concept mapping.

Linear note-taking most frequently used

main headings and subheadings appear down the page

sections are often indented and numbered

Concept mapping visual diagram / map

lends itself to the use of colour, space and imagination

a visual representation of a holistic picture

No matter which method of note-taking you use, you must cite your source, i.e. you must reference your notes to avoid plagiarism. You need to reference your notes so that when it comes to writing another draft, you know the difference between ‘your voice’ and the voices of other authors. Your punctuation and citations must clearly show where ‘your voice’ begins and ends and where the authors’ voices begin and end.

Train yourself now to always CITE YOUR SOURCE!

9. Group work and referencingAn important part of your study often entails working in small groups or working collaboratively with peers. It is important that:

you are clear about which parts of the assessment task you can collaborate upon, and

which parts of the assessment task you need to complete independently.

It is your responsibility to know the parameters of the peer collaboration involved. If in doubt, check with your lecturer/subject coordinator.

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Strategies for avoiding plagiarism in group work Read the assessment task carefully.

Note the conduct/requirements of the group.

Note the conduct/requirements of you and what you must complete and submit independently of group activity.

Check the expected behaviour and practices in each subject outline that are considered to be plagiarism and make sure you avoid these.

Make sure you participate at all group meetings and contribute fairly to the group work. This will ensure your familiarity with group members and their contribution to the assessment task.

All group tasks involve collaboration and organisation for members to discuss aspects of the assessment. Start early, allowing yourself plenty of time to follow up with further group discussions.

If you are working on an individual report and are having difficulty,

contact your lecturer / Subject Coordinator

contact a Learning Skills Adviser

Ensure you have correctly cited all sources used in your assignment. As you are note-taking, cite your source (Delvin 2004).

10. The world wide web (www) and referencingThe web has become a ready source of information for assignments. Avoid plagiarising web-based resources by:

citing your sources

consulting the APA Referencing guide

referencing all material

recording details for in-text and end-text referencing

Even if there is no author/ no year, you still need to reference any material you have used from the web.

Refer to the APA Referencing guide, found at: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/pdfs/apa.pdf to check how to reference electronic material, including web pages within a website, works published in electronic format, electronic reproductions of work based on a print source, electronic transcriptions of works, email, listserv, forum and newsgroups.

Be aware that lecturers and subject coordinators are now using software to detect plagiarised material from online sources.

AVOID PLAGIARISM ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCE


IDENTIFYING PLAGIARISM:CASE STUDIESCase 1 - Using another student’s workYou share accommodation with other first-year undergraduate students who are all studying agricultural science. One day, mid-way through first semester, you notice your room mate’s essay on the computer desk you share with her. As you read, you recognise several paragraphs as your answer to the essay. You realise that because your draft is saved on the hard drive, your room mate had access to it.

Is this a case of plagiarism? Who is being unethical? Why?

ANSWER Certainly plagiarism has occurred in this scenario. The hapless student whose work was used without permission has a responsibility to ensure that their work is secure. Do not leave your assignment work on a hard drive that is accessible to other students. Instead, save your work to a CD or thumb drive, delete any copy stored on the hard drive and/or make access to your files password-protected. If working on an assignment in a CSU computer lab, do not leave your work unattended when you take a break. Instead, save your work to disc and log out until you return to your task. Do not share your draft assignment answers with other students, whether electronic or hard copy (at least before all work is graded). You may also decide to inform your subject coordinator that you are concerned that access to your assignment answer has been compromised.

The student who made improper use of the other student’s assignment by copying and pasting sections into her own answer has breached the fair use of material. This is a case of deliberate plagiarism and, as such, is likely to result in at least a fail grade for her paper. She may also cause her room mate to doubt her honesty and integrity and lose a friend.

Case 2 - Plagiarism and the web A Subject Coordinator uses a software tool to check for plagiarism in the papers submitted by his second-year students. Plagiarism detection software can search a range of sources including ProQuest, the web and databases of past students’ assignments. The Coordinator uses this software tool as it can provide evidence about whether deliberate and/or inadvertent plagiarism has or has not occurred.

The Coordinator found a student’s assignment that contained similar phrases and sentences to those available on several websites. After carefully checking the sites against the student’s answer, the Coordinator determined that the student had copied a small number of sentences and phrases from each of a number of websites without acknowledging the author or sources of the sentences or phrases.

The student informed the Coordinator that he had worked hard to find information on the web and that much time-consuming searching was involved to find relevant information. He had completed his own research, included his own analysis and constructed his own answer to the question. “I only copied two or three words, or in one case a sentence, from a couple of sites” he said. “Also” he said, “I have trouble referencing material from the web because often the information I need to reference correctly is not included on the site”.

Has this student plagiarised?

ANSWER The short answer is yes. This student has plagiarised by not following the rules that govern fair use of other writers’ material. While this student completed his own research, he also must use the results of his research in an ethical way. Even if a website does not have an author or publishing date, students should always acknowledge use of web sources following the guidelines provided in the APA Referencing Guide http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/pdfs/apa.pdf

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Remember that ignorance is not a defence, but the degree of seriousness of the behaviour will be taken into account when determining an appropriate institutional response. In this case, the student was permitted to resubmit his answer after correcting the errors. The best outcome he can expect is a pass grade for this paper. His coordinator is also likely to closely analyse his next paper to ensure that he continues to learn about ethical use of web sources and how to acknowledge web sources as accurately as possible.

Case 3 - Sharing assignmentsYou are struggling to understand an assignment question and have to submit the assignment in a few days. A friend offers to give you a copy of an answer to the question written by a student last year that received a distinction grade. You accept your friend’s offer and read the borrowed paper after which you put the borrowed paper aside – more confident now that you understand what you are required to do. You do your own research, develop your understanding and write your paper.

Is this plagiarism?

ANSWER No, this is not plagiarism because you developed your own understanding of the question you were to answer, completed your own research and determined the structure and argument for your paper. You acknowledged all the sources of information that you used to help you answer the assignment question correctly and accurately using a recognised referencing style. CSU provides a link to APA referencing for all students at: http://apastyle.apa.org and further guidance to referencing on the Learning Skills site: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/referencing.htm

Case 4 - Group work You are required to complete a group assignment in one of your first-year subjects. The assignment requires you to collaborate with two other students and to jointly present your results to your class as well as submit individual written papers for assessment (10% of final grade for the presentation and 30% for the written assignment). Your subject outline does not provide clear guidance about what is considered permissible collaboration but you do know that it is not appropriate to write just one paper that each student in the group submits for assessment. Your group collectively decides to assign each member to write a different section of the presentation and also shares research sources and brainstorms and shares ideas.

Does this kind of collaboration constitute plagiarism?

ANSWERThe issue of plagiarism in group work can be confusing for students. In general, it is acceptable to allocate parts of the oral presentation to each group member and acknowledge the contributions during the presentation. Regarding the written assignment, sharing research sources, brainstorming and sharing ideas is not plagiarism as long as each student then individually researches, takes notes and structures their own thoughts, ideas and opinions to answer the assessment task.

ALWAYS ASK YOUR SUBJECT COORDINATOR WHAT THEY EXPECT

CHECKLIST TO AVOID PLAGIARISM:ASK YOURSELF “HAVE I…?”

Taken my notes accurately

Cited the sources with all the note-taking

Clearly highlighted direct quotations and cited the source

Clearly highlighted paraphrases and cited the source

Clearly highlighted summaries and cited the source

Assembled a ‘Working’ References List containing the full bibliographic details of each source named in-text

Used in-text citations when writing an absolute statement, paraphrase and summary

Paraphrased by:

Citing the source

Changing the sentence structure

Keeping the original meaning

Used ‘my voice’ by giving my opinion or stating my interpretation of the author’s material

Consulted the APA referencing guide on the Learning skills site: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/referencing.htm

Sought clarification from the lecturer/subject coordinator

Sought assistance regarding referencing from a learning skills advisor

Re-read my writing to check that I have referenced appropriately

Checked that each of the authors I cited in-text has a corresponding entry in my Reference List

MORE INFORMATION For further information on CSU policies relating to student responsibilities, academic misconduct and plagiarism refer to:

CSU Student Charter at www.csu.edu.au/acad_sec/information/stconcod.htm

CSU Academic Misconduct Policy at www.csu.edu.au/acad_sec/misc

For further information on referencing, refer to:

APA Referencing Guide at http://apastyle.apa.org

CSU Referencing Guide at Learning Skills website at www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/referencing.htm

For further assistance regarding avoiding plagiarism and/or referencing:

Check your subject outline or with your lecturer regarding the preferred style of referencing in your subject

Contact a Learning Skills Adviser at www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning

Enrol in a STUDYLINK subject at www.csu.edu.au/student/studylink

Post a message to the Learning Skills Forum at http://forums.csu.edu.au

For more information on plagiarism detection programs, visit www.turnitin.com 28

BIBLIOGRAPHYAcademic Skills Office. (2007, December 6). Teaching and Learning Centre. University of New England, Australia.

Retrieved December 7, 2007, from http://www.une.edu.au/tlc/aso/students/factsheets/plagiarism.pdf

American Psychological Association. (2001, August). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Bate, D., & Sharpe, P. (1996). Writer’s handbook for university students. Sydney: Harcourt Brace.

Cottrell, S. (1999). The study skills handbook. Great Britain: Macmillan Press

Devlin, M. (2004). Avoiding plagiarism and cheating: a guide for students at Swinburne University of Technology. Higher Education Division, Swinburne: Swinburne University.

Georgetown University, (2006, August 24). What is plagiarism? Retrieved November 30, 2007, from http://www11.georgetown.edu/programs/gervase/hc/plagiarism.html

Harris, R. A. (2001). The Plagiarism Handbook. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Learning Connection. (2007, August 27). Avoiding Plagiarism. University of South Australia. Retrieved November 20, 2007, from http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learnngconnection/student/learningAdvisors/plagiarism.asp

McGowan, B. (2003). Literacy 2 certificate in tertiary and community studies (CTCS). UPNG: University of Papua New Guinea.

Online Writing Lab, (2004). Avoiding plagiarism. Purdue University. Retrieved December 2, 2007, from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/

Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (1999). Writing Academic English. NY: Addison Wesley Longman.

Perrin, R. (2007). Pocket guide to APA Style (2nd ed.). New York: Houghton.

Trivedi, L. & Williams, S. (2007). Using Sources. Hamilton College Writing Centre. Retrieved December 7, 2007, from http://www.hamilton.edu/writing/sources.html

UK Centre for Legal Education, (2006, January 2). All my own work? Plagiarism and how to avoid it. Retrieved November 30, 2007, from http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/trns/plagiarism/guide.html

Werrell, E. (2007, August 1). Avoiding plagiarism: practical strategies, Part 7: Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism. Duke Libraries. Retrieved December 7, 2007, from http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism/

Writing Tutorial Service. (2004, April 27). Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It. Indiana University. Retrieved December 7, 2007, from http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

This document is intended as a general guide. Information in this document is current as at November 2007.

Written by: Beverley McVilly, Bernie McGowan 2007 Published by: Student Services, Charles Sturt University Production by: Division of Marketing Communications, Charles Sturt University Printed by: CSU Print

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Course for Overseas Students (CRICOS) Provider Number is 00005F (NSW) and 01947G (VIC) for Charles Sturt University.

© Charles Sturt University 2007.

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Student Services - begatafeTPC - homebegatafetpc.wikispaces.com/file/view/Avoiding+Plagiarism...THE CSU GUIDE TO AVOIDING PLAGIARISM Welcome Charles Sturt University expects that the