This document provides information about plagiarism and defines it as presenting another author's work as one's own without proper citation or acknowledgment. It discusses various types of plagiarism such as verbatim copying, paraphrasing without citation, and mosaic plagiarism using uncredited quotations. Potential reasons students plagiarize are explored, such as perceived ease or belief that plagiarism does not seriously matter. The document emphasizes that plagiarism is a form of fraud and can have serious academic consequences. It provides advice on how to avoid plagiarism through improved note-taking, paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing sources of information. In conclusion, the document stresses that plagiarism ultimately hurts the plagiarizing

1. image credit: http://www.squidoo.com/free-online-teaching-tools#module147349431

2. Plagiarism
what’s the
BIG DEAL
Prepared by Cynthia S. Wetzel, Librarian
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – Perkinston Campus
November 2013

3. Look Familiar?
“Plagiarism is scholarly theft, and it is defined as the unacknowledged use of
secondary sources. More specifically, any written or oral presentation in which
the writer or speaker does not distinguish clearly between original and
borrowed material constitutes plagiarism. Because students, as scholars, must
make frequent use of the concepts and facts developed by other scholars,
plagiarism is not the mere use of another’s facts and ideas. However, it is
plagiarism when students present the work of other scholars as if it were their
own work. Plagiarism is committed in a number of ways:
1. Reproducing another author’s writing as if it were one’s own.
2. Paraphrasing another author’s work without citing the original.
3. Borrowing from another author’s ideas, even though those ideas are
reworded, without giving credit.
4. Copying another author’s organization without giving credit.
Plagiarism is a serious offense. An act of plagiarism may lead to a failing grade
on the paper and in the course, as well as sanctions that may be imposed by the
student judicial system.” Undergraduate Bulleting 2009-10, p. 72.
Excerpted from LIS 201: Introduction to Information Literacy Syllabus (Welsh, 2010)

4. http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/plagiarismtutorial.php

5. Plagiarism Defined
Oxford English Dictionary
• plagiarism, n.
1.The action or practice of taking someone else’s
work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one’s own;
literary theft.

6. To Be Blunt . . .
“In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud.
It involves both stealing someone else‟s work
and lying about it afterward.”
plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism/

7. Plagiarism : What is it?
image source: Google.com

8. Plagiarism : What is it?
image source: http://www.turnitin.com/assets/en_us/media/plagiarism_spectrum.php

9. Harvard Guide to Using Sources
– Verbatim
− Uncited paraphrase
– Mosaic
− Uncited quotations
– Inadequate paraphrase

10. Harvard Guide to Using Sources
– Verbatim
− Uncited paraphrase
– Mosaic
− Uncited quotations
– Inadequate paraphrase

11. Why do students plagiarize?
They say …
– they didn‟t mean to
– everyone does it
– it‟s easy/easier than being original
– it doesn‟t matter anyway
– everything is free on the Internet

12. Why do students plagiarize?
They say …
– they didn‟t mean to
– everyone does it
– it‟s easy/easier than being original
– it doesn‟t matter anyway
– everything is free on the Internet
Intentional or Inadvertent
it‟s still Plagiarism

13. *IS* it
Plagiarism?
source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

14. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

15. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

16. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

17. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

18. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

19. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

20. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

21. source: http://international.humber.ca/student-support/academicsupport/the-formula-to-keeping-your-work-honest/understandingcheating/what-is-considered-cheating/understanding-plagiarism

22. Avoiding Plagiarism
• Understand what is plagiarism
and know your institutional policy
• Improve your note-taking skills
cite it when you find it, not later
• Paraphrase and summarize correctly
visit the Writing Center for help
• When in doubt, cite the source
or check with your instructor

23. What‟s the BIG DEAL?
Who does it hurt?
BIG consequences
www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detectionblog/topic/current-events

24. So WHO does plagiarism really hurt?
YOU

25. Plagiarism
it is a
BIG DEAL

26. • Welsh, T. (2010). LIS 201: Introduction to Information Literacy
Syllabus. http://ocean.otr.usm.edu/~ w146169/201syllabus.htm
• “What is plagiarism.” Plagiarism.org. N.p., 2013. Web.
http://plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism/
• “Avoiding Plagiarism.” Harvard Guide to Using Sources. N.p., 2013.
Web.
http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&tabgroupid=icb.t
abgroup106849
• Is it plagiarism? http://international.humber.ca/studentsupport/academic-support/the-formula-to-keeping-your-workhonest/understanding-cheating/what-is-consideredcheating/understanding-plagiarism
• Plagiarism Detection & Prevention Blog
http://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog
• Selwyn, N. (2008). „Not necessarily a bad thing…”: a study of online
plagiarism amongst undergraduate students. Assessment &
Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(5), 465-479.
doi:10.1080/02602930701563104. (Academic Search Premier)
Slide References
• "plagiarism, n.". OED Online. September 2013. Oxford University
Press. 31 October 2013
http://www.oed.com.logon.lynx.lib.usm.edu/view/Entry/144939?redirect
edFrom=plagiarism&

27. Image Credits
• Coverhttp://www.squidoo.com/free-online-teachingtools#module147349431
• Plagiarism Tutorial
http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/plagiarismtutorial.php
• Google.com http://www.google.com/#q=types+plagiarism
• The Plagiarism Spectrum
http://www.turnitin.com/assets/en_us/media/plagiarism_spectrum.php

28. image credit: http://www.squidoo.com/free-online-teaching-tools#module147349431

29. Plagiarism
it is a
Assignments
Readings
Exercise(s)
Discussion Board
BIG DEAL

30. Readings
• Textbook
• Articles
“Nine things you should already know about plagiarism.” Office of Academic
Integrity, University of Okalahoma. N.p., n.d. Web.
http://integrity.ou.edu/files/nine_things_you_should_know.pdf
Glazer, S. (2013, January 4). Plagiarism and cheating. CQ Researcher, 23,
1-28. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
“Avoiding Plagiarism: Safe Practices.” Online Writing Lab, Purdue
University, N.p., n.d. Web. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/03/

31. Optional Reading
Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other
questionable writing practices: a guide to ethical
writing. The Office of Research Integrity, U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services. N.p.,
2013, May 15. Web. http://ori.hhs.gov/avoidingplagiarism-self-plagiarism-and-other-questionable-writingpractices-guide-ethical-writing
Rosenzweig, M. & Schnitzer, A. (2013). Selfplagarism: perspectives for librarians. College &
Research Libraries, 74(9), 492-494. Web.
http://crln.acrl.org/content/74/9/492.full

32. Exercises
#1 Plagiarism Tutorial
Go to the following website:
http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/plagiarismtutorial.php
Complete the tutorial, including the pre- and
post-test.
When you receive the email results, forward
the email to your instructor.

33. Exercises
#2 Online Plagiarism Checking
Prepare 3 paragraphs (5 to 10 sentences each).
#1. Cut-and-paste a paragraph from Wikipedia or
other popular website on any topic you choose
#2. Paraphrase the paragraph you used for #1
#3. Write a completely original paragraph
Submit paragraphs to a plagiarism checker.
smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/
plagiarism-detect.com/
www.plagtracker.com/
www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/
Save the results and submit to class dropbox.

34. Consider This . . . Self-Plagiarism
(Weekly Discussion Topic)
• Read
– The Ethics of Self-Plagiarism (in course files)
– Self-Plagiarism: Ethical Shortcut or Moral
Scourge?
http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2011/09/07/selfplagiarism-ethical-shortcut-or-moral-scourge/
• Post your opinion regarding self-plagiarism in
the Weekly Discussion Board
• Comment on at least two of your classmates
posts.