What is Plagiarism?

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAGIARISM

LEARN HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM

CONSEQUENCES FOR PLAGIARISM

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means

to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as

one's own

to use (another's production) without crediting the source

to commit literary theft

to present as new and original an idea or product derived

from an existing source.

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves

both stealing someone else's work and lying about it

afterward.

But can words and ideas really be stolen?

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

turning in someone else's work as your own

copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit

failing to put a quotation in quotation marks

giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation

changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source

without giving credit

copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the

majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our

section on "fair use" rules)

Why Students Plagiarize

Different Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism when sources are not cited.

"The Ghost Writer"

"The Photocopy”

"The Potluck Paper"

"The Poor Disguise"

"The Labor of Laziness"

"The Self-Stealer"

Different Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism with sources cited (but still

plagiarized)

"The Forgotten Footnote"

"The Misinformer"

"The Too-Perfect Paraphrase"

"The Resourceful Citer"

"The Perfect Crime”

Know the Rules and Consequences!

Check the student/parent handbook for the rules regarding cheating and

plagiarism.

CONSEQUENCES FOR CHEATING/PLAGIARISM

1st offense: Zero (0) for the assignment/assessment (teacher

communication with a parent/guardian).

2nd offense: Zero (0) for the assignment/assessment and discipline referral

(teacher and/or administrator communication with a parent/guardian).

3rd offense: Discipline referral and failure of the marking period during

which the action occurs (administrator communication with a

parent/guardian).

Prevent Plagiarizing or Cheating:

Submit original work and find ways to personalize your assignments Stay organized and avoid procrastination in writing a paper or

studying for a test/quiz, etc. Never cut and paste unless you intend to use a direct quotation Put away all notes, keep an eye on one’s own paper, work in silence,

and refrain from leaving one’s seat once an exam has begun Place the names of all participants on any collaborative assignments

or experiments Use the appropriate format (APA or MLA) as required by the teacher

in all classes Submit a bibliography along with the completion of any research

paper Document all sources used Mention sources in the text of the document Consult the teacher if unsure about a question relating to the

originality of one’s work