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   Introduction | What is plagiarism | Avoiding Plagiarism |   
   Examples   
      
   PLAGIARISM   
      
   What it is, and How to Avoid It   
      
   1. INTRODUCTION   
      
    2. WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?   
      
    3. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM   
      
   4. EXAMPLES   
      
   1. INTRODUCTION   
      
   Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. Each year a number of   
   cases of plagiarism are brought to the attention of the Dean of   
   Arts and the President’s Office. Depending on the severity of   
   the offence, students found guilty of plagiarism may lose credit   
   for the assignment in question, be awarded a mark of zero in the   
   course, or face suspension from the University. Most cases which   
   pass through the Dean’s office result in at least a temporary   
   suspension from the University (permanently noted on the   
   student’s transcript) and a mark of zero.   
      
   2. WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?   
      
   Complete plagiarism   
   Near-Complete plagiarism   
   Patchwork plagiarism   
   Lazy plagiarism   
   Self plagiarism   
      
   Most simply, plagiarism is intellectual theft. Any use of   
   another author’s research, ideas, or language without proper   
   attribution may be considered plagiarism. Because such   
   definitions include many shades of accidental or intentional   
   plagiarism, these need to be described more fully.   
      
   Complete Plagiarism   
      
   This is the most obvious case: a student submits, as his or her   
   own work, an essay that has been written by someone else.   
   Usually the original source is a published journal article or   
   book chapter. The use of unpublished work, including the work of   
   another student, is just as serious.   
      
   In such cases, plagiarism cannot be "avoided" by paraphrasing   
   the original or acknowledging its use in footnotes. The work is   
   the property of another author and should not be used. See   
   Example #1   
      
   Near-complete Plagiarism   
      
   A student may also lift portions of another text and use them in   
   his or her own work. For example, a student might add her or his   
   own conclusions or introduction to an essay. Or a student might   
   scatter his or her own comments through a text taken   
   substantially from another source.   
      
   These practices are unacceptable. Even with some attribution,   
   the bulk of the work has been done by another. See Example #1   
      
   Patchwork Plagiarism   
      
   In many cases, a student will lift ideas, phrases, sentences,   
   and paragraphs from a variety of sources and "stitch" them   
   together into an essay. These situations often seem difficult to   
   assess. Most essays, after all, are attempts to bring together a   
   range of sources and arguments. But the line between plagiarism   
   and original work is not difficult to draw. See Example #2   
      
   Lazy Plagiarism   
      
   Lazy plagiarism crops up in many student essays, and is usually   
   the result of sloppy note-taking or research shortcuts. Examples   
   include:   
      
   inadvertent use of another’s language, usually when the student   
   fails to distinguish between direct quotes and general   
   observations when taking notes. In such cases, the presence of a   
   footnote does not excuse the use of another’s language without   
   quotation marks.   
      
   use of footnotes or material quoted in other sources as if they   
   were the results of your research.   
      
   sloppy or inadequate footnoting which leaves out sources or page   
   references.   
      
   Although it may not be the student’s intention to deceive, it is   
   often difficult for instructors to distinguish between   
   purposeful and accidental plagiarism. See Example #3   
      
   Self Plagiarism   
      
   The use of an essay written for one course to satisfy the   
   requirements of another course is plagiarism. Students should   
   not use, adapt, or update an essay written for another purpose.   
      
   This is not intended to discourage students from pursuing   
   specific interests. If you want to use a previously completed   
   essay as a starting point for new research, you should receive   
   the instructor’s approval and provide her or him with a copy of   
   the original essay. If you want to use substantially similar   
   essays to satisfy the requirements of two related courses, you   
   should get approval from all the instructors concerned.   
      
   3. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM   
      
   research   
   writing   
   footnoting   
   editing   
      
   It is not hard to draw the distinction between original and   
   thoroughly plagiarized work. But the "grey areas" between these   
   extremes are more vexing. Students should avoid any hint of   
   dishonesty by maintaining good research habits and paying   
   attention to a few basic rules of writing and documentation.   
      
   Research   
      
   Most written assignments begin with the collection of research   
   notes -- a combination of ideas or quotes from other sources,   
   and the student’s own ideas. Whether you keep notes on index   
   cards, in a loose-leaf binder, or on old envelopes in a desk   
   drawer, it is important to record and organize them in such a   
   way that vital information is not lost.   
      
      
   Keep careful and complete track of sources. Accurately copy the   
   author, title, and other information about the source   
   publication, including the number(s) of the page(s) from which   
   notes or quotes were taken.   
      
   Distinguish carefully between your ideas and the ideas of   
   others. This is a simple question of intellectual honesty. If   
   you use another’s conclusions, acknowledge them. If you come to   
   the same conclusions as another on your own, you should still   
   acknowledge the agreement.   
      
   Distinguish carefully between your own words and those of   
   others. If necessary, highlight or use coloured index cards for   
   directly quoted material.   
      
   Writing   
      
   As you begin to tie your ideas together in written form,   
   consider the following:   
      
      
   Begin by organizing your essay in an original manner. Avoid   
   mimicking the pattern or order of argument used by others.   
   Remember: this is your humble contribution to a debate or a body   
   of research; it is not (in most case) an attempt to summarize or   
   paraphrase the work of others.   
      
   As you weave the ideas and language of others into your work,   
   make clear choices about the use of quoted material. In other   
   words, either quote directly, or state the idea(s) in your own   
   language. Do not mess around with close paraphrases or purely   
   cosmetic changes. See Example #4   
      
   Read the first draft carefully. Is the distinction between your   
   work and the work of others clear and unambiguous? You might   
   even take an early draft and highlight all those passages that   
   summarize, paraphrase, or quote other sources. Is there enough   
   of your own work left in the essay?   
      
   Footnoting   
      
   Many cases of plagiarism occur in the documentation rather than   
   the body of the essay. You should have a clear idea of the   
   variety of purposes a footnote (or endnote) may serve, and many   
   different ways you can acknowledge the work of others. For   
   specific cases See Example #5. Also note the following:   
      
   Always record your source of the information; never use or rely   
   on another author’s footnotes.   
      
   The footnote should allow the reader to find or check the   
   material being cited. Provide exact page numbers for direct   
      
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