Sign in or 
Share this
Plagiarism and Copyright
Back to: Citations, Plagiarism & Copyright
Plagiarism
Plagiarism has been very a popular topic in the news lately. Many people have been accused of committing plagiarism, reporters from the New York Times, to Harvard professors, to members of the British government, to famous writers and movie producers such as James Cameron. Students get severely punished or even expelled for plagiarism.
Obviously, plagiarism is a serious matter. But what is plagiarism anyway, and how can people avoid charges of plagiarism?
What is Plagiarism?
For example, using:
or
Let's look at a specific case.
How do I let the reader know the
source of my information?
By using CITATIONS.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism has been very a popular topic in the news lately. Many people have been accused of committing plagiarism, reporters from the New York Times, to Harvard professors, to members of the British government, to famous writers and movie producers such as James Cameron. Students get severely punished or even expelled for plagiarism.
Obviously, plagiarism is a serious matter. But what is plagiarism anyway, and how can people avoid charges of plagiarism?
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is using the ideas and words of others
without clearly acknowledging their source.
For example, using:
- another person’s idea, opinion, or theory;
- any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of information—that are not common knowledge (see below);
- quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words;
- paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words.
Let's look at a specific case.
From: Friedman, Jerome. "Their Name Was God: Religious Charlatans in the Seventeenth-Century English Popular Press." Journal of Popular Culture 25.1 (Summer 1991): 55
One of the earliest periods providing abundant information about charlatans are the two chaotic decades of the English Revolution. From 1640 to 1660 a relatively uncensored press in London published for the mass market of newly literate readers shocking accounts of religious entrepreneurialism. These publications were chapbooks, or penny-book pamphlets, published by the thousands and distributed all over England. Along with ballads and almanacs, these publications appealed to the broad mass of English commoners who in later ages would read the Reader's Digest, The New York Post, and the New York Daily News, and even the National Enquirer.
| One of the earliest periods that provides a great deal of information about swindlers are the twenty years of the English Revolution. These years saw a relatively uncensored press in London published for the new readers who could now read shocking accounts of a religious business. These publications were chapbooks that were published and sold all over England. Along with popular songs, these publications were read by many English common people who would later read the Reader's Digest, The New York Post, and the New York Daily News, and even the National Enquirer. | Plagiarism? Is this plagiarized? |
| The earliest time we have records that discuss swindlers and charlatans comes from the troubled period from 1640 to 1660 in England. Compared to the earlier years, the media in London was mostly free to print what they wished, and they decided to provide their fledgling readership with scandalous stories of religious frauds. These stories appeared in the popular form of the day, chapbooks. These were printed by the thousands and sent all over England. The common people enjoyed these publications, alongside their ballads and other helpful books. These people are the same as those who would later read the Reader's Digest, and the National Enquirer. | Plagiarism? Is this plagiarized? |
ANSWER
Of course they are! The main ideas were taken, in some cases even copying the actual words, without a citation.
How do I avoid plagiarism?
By using CITATIONS.
| One of the earliest periods that provides a great deal of information about swindlers are the twenty years of the English Revolution. These years saw a relatively uncensored press in London published for the new readers who could now read shocking accounts of a religious business. These publications were chapbooks that were published and sold all over England. Along with popular songs, these publications were read by many English common people who would later read the Reader's Digest, The New York Post, and the New York Daily News, and even the National Enquirer. (Friedman 55) | With the citation, this is not plagiarism, but a waste of time. You might as well quote. |
| The earliest time we have records that discuss swindlers and charlatans comes from the troubled period from 1640 to 1660 in England. Compared to the earlier years, the media in London was mostly free to print what they wished, and they decided to provide their fledgling readership with scandalous stories of religious frauds. These stories appeared in the popular form of the day, chapbooks. These were printed by the thousands and sent all over England. The common people enjoyed these publications, alongside their ballads and other helpful books. These people are the same as those who would later read the Reader's Digest, and the National Enquirer. (Friedman 55) | This is a paraphrase. This shows at least some understanding of the original source. |
To avoid Plagiarism:
- accurately relay the information in the original:
- either use the original words (quotation), or
- your own words (paraphrase)
AND
- always let the reader know the source of your information
How do I let the reader know the
source of my information?
By using CITATIONS.
OK. I get the point.
So, what do citations do?
How do I make citations?
So, what do citations do?
- they give credit to the author or creator and
- they enable a reader to locate the source you cited
How do I make citations?
- Use quotation marks (“”) for quotations (words copied from the original)
- Do not use quotation marks for paraphrases (restating the idea in your own words), although you can use quotations and paraphrases together. To continue our example:
- The earliest time we have records that discuss swindlers and charlatans comes from the troubled period from 1640 to 1660 in England. Compared to the earlier years, the media in London was mostly free to print what they wished, and they decided to provide for their "newly literate readers shocking accounts of religious entrepreneurialism." These stories appeared in the popular form of the day, chapbooks. These were printed by the thousands and sent all over England. "Along with ballads and almanacs, these publications appealed to the broad mass of English commoners who in later ages would read the Reader's Digest, The New York Post, and the New York Daily News, and even the National Enquirer."(Friedman 55)
- In both cases, cite your source using the method your instructor wants, e.g. Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association, Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian, and so on.
- Citing web sources is different. Even if you are using the electronic version of a printed journal, you must cite the electronic version. Sometimes there are differences between the two versions. Always check on how to cite an electronic version of an item.
What is Common Knowledge?
Common knowledge are the parts of a paper where we do not have to use citations.
What About Internet Term Paper Mills?
See the policies
It’s Never been Easier to Plagiarize
It’s Never been Easier to Catch Plagiarists 
Common knowledge are the parts of a paper where we do not have to use citations.
- facts that can be found in numerous places and are likely to be known by a lot of people
e.g.
Abraham Lincoln gained the Republican nomination for US President in 1860Few people in the poorest parts of the world have ready access to good medical supplies.or
What is not Common Knowledge?
- Interpretations
Few people in the poorest parts of the world have ready access to good medical supplies, but it is due entirely to their own internal political conflicts.
- Facts that are not generally known
King Louis IX of France banned the game of chess in 1254.
What About Internet Term Paper Mills?
- If you turn in a paper from a paper mill, it is definitely a case ofplagiarism and you will be punished.
For information on AUR policies concerning plagiarism,
see the Student Handbook.
It’s Never been Easier to Plagiarize
Cut and paste is a cinch with just a change of a few words
It’s Never been Easier to Catch Plagiarists
there are all kinds of new tools coming out constantly,
some of them very powerful
some of them very powerful
Want more information? See:
Continue with: Intellectual Property and Copyright
Plagiarism Tutorial at Duke University (with some local guidelines as well)
How to Avoid Plagiarism (a video from Rutger's University)
Continue with: Intellectual Property and Copyright
|
j.weinheimer |
Latest page update: made by j.weinheimer
, Nov 19 2009, 5:33 AM EST
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by j.weinheimer
3 words added 3 words deleted view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
