The document discusses plagiarism and how to properly cite sources. It defines plagiarism as using others' work without citation. The two main rules are to always cite direct quotes and ideas that are not common knowledge. Several scenarios are presented that demonstrate when citations are needed, such as when quoting from textbooks, citing opinions, or using statistics. Whether to cite a paraphrase depends on if the information is considered common knowledge.

1. PLAGIARISM What it is, what it
ain’tLet’s go!

2. A DEFINITION
Plagiarism is…
“handing in any work as your own which contains any
part that is not your own and not properly cited. It
includes any copying or paraphrasing of others' words or
ideas, whether another student's, or printed or internet
sources, without clearly and accurately identifying it and
its source.”
See this definition in context, and more information
about PSC’s academic honesty policies here. I’ve got it!

3. THE TWO RULES
1. You always give credit to the author/source of
something you quote, and always put quotation marks
around (and a citation after) the sourced material.
2. You always give credit to any idea, opinion, personal
view, or concept that is not common knowledge, and
include a citation immediately after the sourced
material.
I’ve got it!

4. SOME VOCABULARY
“to quote” – to use the exact words from another source
“to paraphrase” – to use an idea from another source, but
not the exact words; to rephrase another’s idea in your
own words
“to cite” – to give credit to the original author or source
using an accepted format
I’ve got it!

5. A SCENARIO
You quote a definition of inauguration from the
dictionary in an essay you’re writing.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

6. GOOD JOB!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

7. SORRY!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

8. ANOTHER SCENARIO
In an essay for your class on religion in world history,
you quote a passage from the book of Luke in the Bible.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

9. GOOD JOB!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

10. SORRY!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

11. YET ANOTHER…
In a paragraph you’re writing for your Spanish class, you
want to quote some material from your textbook.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

12. GOOD JOB!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

13. SORRY!
Any quotation must automatically be cited, regardless of
the content.
Next Question

14. BORED YET?
For a presentation for high schoolers, you paraphrase the
definition of “myocardial infarction” as you found it in
Grey’s Anatomy.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

15. GOOD JOB!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. “Myocardial
infarction,” a type of heart attack, would be common
knowledge to a medical expert. Hence, we don’t need to
cite it.
Next Question

16. SORRY!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. “Myocardial
infarction,” a type of heart attack, would be common
knowledge to a medical expert. Hence, we don’t need to
cite it.
Next Question

17. ANOTHER SCENARIO…
You paraphrase the definition of the word “constitution”
based on what you read in Webster’s Dictionary.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

18. GOOD JOB!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. The definition of
a common word is common knowledge. Because it’s not
quoted, it doesn’t need to be cited.
Next Question

19. SORRY!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. The definition of
a common word is common knowledge. Because it’s not
quoted, it doesn’t need to be cited.
Next Question

20. ANOTHER…
In an essay you’re writing for ENG 102, you paraphrase
the opinion of a political pundit who was on CNN the
night before.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

21. GOOD JOB!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. Opinions are
never common knowledge, so we have to cite this.
Next Question

22. SORRY!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. Opinions are
never common knowledge, so we have to cite this.
Next Question

23. ANOTHER…
Trying to prove that Americans are getting less
intelligent, you include (but not quote) a statistic
regarding the number of Americans who have read a
book recently, which you saw on www.yahoo.com
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

24. GOOD JOB!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. Like opinions,
statistics are never common knowledge, so we have to
cite this.
Next Question

25. SORRY!
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. Like opinions,
statistics are never common knowledge, so we have to
cite this.
Next Question

26. ANOTHER SCENARIO…
After you read a sportswriter’s recap of last night’s
football game, you paraphrase what s/he said about the
game in an assignment you’re working on.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

27. WELL….
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. In this case, it
depends upon what information was in the article.
Scores, stats, etc? – Common knowledge, and we don’t
cite it.
An explanation for why one team one or lost – Opinion,
and we need to cite it.
Next Question

28. ANOTHER SCENARIO
You’re paraphrasing the incidents that took place during
a fight at your school, as reported in the city newspaper.
Do you need to cite it?
Yes
 No

29. WELL….
Whether we cite paraphrases is dependent upon whether
the information is common knowledge. Like the
sportscaster’s recap, here it depends upon what
information was in the article.
Basic information about what happened? – Common
knowledge, and we don’t cite it.
A supposition about why it happened?– Opinion, and we
need to cite it.
Next Question