created for SSU QEP Workshop series -Academic Research and the Ethics of Writing.

1. Plagiarism
What’s the Big
Deal?
Autumn Johnson, MLIS
Nikki Rech, MLIS

2. Workshop Series:

3. What is plagiarism?
openclipart.org
What is Academic Integrity?

4. Plagiarism: What’s the Big
Deal?
Plagiarism is an act of fraud that involves both stealing
(another’s intellectual property) and lying (implying that
the work is one’s own).
Adapted from http://www.plagiarism.org/resources/student-materials/

5. Academic Integrity
• Founded upon values of
• Honesty
• Trust
• Fairness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Deceit & Misrepresentation are incompatible with the
fundamental activity of this academic institution and will
not be tolerated.
*taken directly from the 2012-2013 Student Handbook

6. So…what happens @ SSU?
• All cases of detected academic dishonesty will be reported by
the faculty to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
• Plagiarism or cheating in any academic work will result in a
recorded grade of "F" for that work.
• A second offense during the course of a student's academic
career at Savannah State will result in an "F" for the course in
which the academic dishonesty has occurred. In addition,
students who have committed a second offense of academic
dishonesty during their academic career at Savannah State will
be placed on academic probation for a minimum of one
semester.
• A third incidence of academic dishonesty during a student's
career at Savannah State will result in immediate dismissal
from the College.
savannahstate.edu/academic-affairs/academic-policies.shtml

7. what is not mentioned…
• Trust is completely broken
• Faculty will have problems writing you a recommendation
• Your sense of self worth is depleted
• Your ability to actually do the work and Think is not
developed
• This makes graduate school more difficult
• This makes job performance more difficult
www.flicker.com

8. what is not mentioned…
• Devalues your degree program!
• What is your degree worth if it was obtained by stealing
ideas/resources from others?
• Devalues your faculty!
• How can anyone outside the university trust the
professionalism or expert status of a group that allows
plagiarism?
• Makes it harder on everyone else!
• A once burned professor is not a pleasant person to deal
with as far as assignments go!

9. what is not mentioned…
• It’s never too late to get caught!
Source: Huffington Post. Gawker, US News

10. what is not mentioned…
• Consequences in the “real world” are even more severe
Source: Getty Images (See Notes)

11. Source: MSNBC [Youtube ]

12. Source: YouTube

13. So…what happens to these
famous folks?
• Loss of current job
• Loss of opportunity to run for desired office/job/position
• Loss of trust
• Reputation ruined
• Increased scrutiny
• Media Nightmare

14. So…what happens in the real
world?
Source: CNN [YouTube]

15. Why do folks do it?
• Students…?
• Professionals…?
• Famous people…?

16. So EASY to be Caught…
Simple Web Search
• Few words in google.com often pull up entire
plagiarized source
Plagiarism Detection Software
• Turnitin
• Write Check
• iThenticate
Same papers/articles/photos/etc keep showing
up! Your professors and the public will notice!

17. Plagiarism Resources
Upcoming Lectures:
• Plagiarism: How to Avoid It (October 29 & 30)
• What Counts as Common Knowledge (November 5 & 6)
• Factual Integrity (November 19 & 20)
• Rhetorical Recycling (December 3 & 4)

18. Plagiarism Resources
• Plagiarism LibGuide
• Academic Research and the Ethics of Writing LibGuide
• International Center for Academic Integrity The International Center for
Academic Integrity works to identify, promote, and affirm the values of
academic integrity among students, faculty, teachers, and administrators.
• Plagiarism.org Plagiarism.org is a free resource sponsored by iParadigms
LLC, makers of Turnitin, WriteCheck, and iThenticate.
• Plagiarism: Why is it such a big issue for medical writers? Web Article from
Perspectives in Clinical Research
• Plagiarism & Ethical Issues Discussion from IEEE Robotics & Automatation
Society on the ethics of plagiarism as it pertains to their publication.
• Why is Plagiarism Unethical? Electronic article from eHow.

19. Questions?
Autumn Johnson
johnsona@savannahstate.edu
Nikki Rech
rechn@savannahstate.edu