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Plagiarism Lynn Hendsbee Liberty University Online

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According to Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary (2007), to plagiarize means to steal or pass off the ideas or words of another as ones own; to use anothers production without crediting the source; to commit literary theft; to present new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. Plagiarism is an act of fraud and involves stealing someone elses work without giving them credit for it. The premise that words and ideas can be stolen is based on copyright laws, which protect original ideas and inventions as long as they are recorded in some way, such as in a book or computer file. Students plagiarize for various reasons; a shortage of time before an assignment is due, assignments are too difficult, and/or plagiarism boundaries become blurred. Certain situations make plagiarism an attractive alternative rather than actually doing the work. Identifying the factors of both intentional and unintentional plagiarism is the best way to prevent plagiarism from happening at all. Intentional plagiarism, knowingly defrauding someone elses work as ones own, may be perceived as a thrill for the student if he or she doesnt get caught. With the vast wealth of information available on the internet, producing an original work may seem impossible and finding existing sources of quality work is easier. However, it is important to remember that best sources must be cited. Another reason students might plagiarize is because they may be intimidated by the quality of work found online, thinking their own cannot compare. (www.plagiarism.org, 2010) To combat such intimidation, teachers should explain that they are interested in seeing that students understand the assigned topic, as opposed to expecting the student to achieve higher standards than brilliant experts who devote years to the subject. One more reason students may choose to plagiarize is because they are under enormous pressure to make good grades as they compete for scholarships, admissions, and jobs. Students would do

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well to remember that grades wont matter if they dont have skills to show for them. Another possible reason for intentional plagiarism is peer pressure. Students see their peers making good grades with little effort, and deduct that they might as well do the same. Yet another reason is poor planning. Students may be overwhelmed with course work, deadlines, or both, and plagiarism seems a more attractive option than not turning in an assignment or having points deducted for turning it in late. Completing assignments in stages, prioritizing, and effectively organizing their time will help students manage college courses and make tasks seem less overwhelming. Unintentional plagiarism, appropriating the work of others without proper authority, happens for a variety of reasons. When paraphrasing, students may inadvertently plagiarize by either changing the original too much or not enough. Students hand writing may be a source of confusion when trying to distinguish between notes and sources. Other examples of unintentional plagiarism include not being able to find reference material and not knowing which information should be cited. Students can avoid unintentional plagiarism by emphasizing original thoughts and ideas (www.plagiarism.org, 2010). Plagiarism is a crime in academia (www.papercheck.com, 2010). The most common form of plagiarism is failure to cite properly, usually due to either ignorance or oversight. Examples of improper citation are as follows:
1. Improper citation of a direct quote: According to Grandin and Barron, the mind of a

person with autism is one of absolutes. Proper citation in APA format: According to Grandin and Barron (2005), the mind of a person with autism is one of absolutes (p. 83). The actual copied text is enclosed in quotation marks, and the period that ends the sentence comes after the citation.

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2. Improper citation of someone elses idea: In peoplethose without autism

(neurotypicals) can only be learned through direct experience. Proper citation in APA format: In peoplethose without autism (neurotypicals) can only be learned through direct experience (Grandin & Barron, 2005). The information is rephrased, but it is not a commonly known fact and must be cited.
3. Possible lack of confidence in writing skills: This type of plagiarism is apparent when

large sections of a paper are copied verbatim from a source, and/or segments of a paper are clearly in different writing styles (www.papercheck.com, 2010). There are various ways for students to incorporate other writers work into their own writing. Citing refers to identifying specific sources and authors. References in APA publications are cited in text with an author-date citation system and are listed alphabetically in the reference list. Works of those individuals whose ideas, theories, or research has influenced ones work must be cited (APA, 2010). Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and be attributed to the original author. Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into ones own words, and also must be attributed to its source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter and slightly condensed from the original passage. Summarizing involves putting main ideas into ones own words while highlighting main points. Like paraphrasing, summarizing is generally shorter and broader than source material. Summarized ideas must be appropriately credited to the original source. When expressing anothers ideas, it is recommended to note the name of the ideas originator in the sentence or throughout the paragraph. Additionally, one should use parenthetical citations, footnotes, or endnotes to refer readers to other sources, as necessary. Also, quotation marks should be used around key phrases or words that the original writer used to describe the

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idea. (www.purdue.edu/owl, 2010).

Generally speaking, something can be regarded as common knowledge if the same information is found undocumented in at least five credible sources. Information may also be considered common knowledge if what is being presented is something that readers will already know or if such information could easily be found in general reference sources. When in doubt, cite; if the citation is unnecessary, the instructor will say so. It is always better to over-cite rather than under-cite because all original work will be sure to be referenced (www.purdue.edu/owl, 2010).

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REFERENCES American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American psychological association. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association

Merriam-Websters collegiate dictionary (11th ed.). (2007). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster Plagiarism: What Is It? (2009). Improve your writing with papercheck. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2010. http://www.essay-advice.papercheck.com Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2010). Avoiding plagiarism. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2010. http://www.owl.english.purdue.edu What is Plagiarism? (2010). Learning center: plagiarism definitions. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2010. http://www.plagiarism.org