This document discusses plagiarism and proper citation methods. It defines plagiarism as using someone else's work without attribution. Intentional plagiarism through actions like passing off another's paper as one's own is considered a serious academic offense. Unintentional plagiarism through improper citation is more of a stylistic issue that can be addressed by learning citation conventions. The document provides examples of what constitutes common knowledge versus more specific ideas or facts that require citation. It also discusses how to properly paraphrase or summarize sources while avoiding plagiarism.

1. Plagiarism and Citation Methods

2. What is Plagiarism? Occurs when someone deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source

3. The Importance of Intent There’s a difference between intentionally presenting someone’s work as your own and misusing your sources

4. Some Examples of Deliberate Use Using papers from a paper mill Presenting someone else’s paper as your own Copying large sections of text from a source without attribution These are considered serious academic offenses

5. Misuse of Sources Academic conventions dictate certain methods for citing sources These conventions must be learned and mistakes will happen Careless or mistaken use of citation conventions is not plagiarism As long as some effort is made to indentify source material, it will be treated as a stylistic issue

6. What is Common Knowledge? Anything your reader could commonly know or that is available in general sources This sort of knowledge will vary from discipline to discipline Generally, any sort of knowledge you see commonly repeated in the research you are reading is considered common knowledge

7. What Isn’t Common Knowledge? Highly specific statistics Not all specifics are highly specific. Some are common knowledge e.g. the population of the US Controversial information or ideas that contradict prevailing opinions Ideas that appear in only a few of your sources or that are specific to one source

8. Examples of Common Knowledge Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President On Sep. 11th, Al-Qaeda attacked the United States On average, Mars is 78 million km from the Earth

9. Not Common Knowledge Some scholars believe Abraham Lincoln suffered from manic-depression Currently, Al-Qaeda’s operational capacity has been reduced to the point where it is more a brand name than a centralized organization Steven Hawking believes that colonizing Mars and other planets is the only way to preserve the human race

10. Other Points Where Problems Could Arise Failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks Also, if you quote someone, you must cite them and provide a reference

11. Summary vs. Paraphrase A paraphrase reports information from a source in the same number of words A summary reports information from you source in a condensed form

12. Possible Issues When summarizing or paraphrasing, you must restate the author’s ideas in your own language If you half-copy the author’s sentences, you have misused your source This could happen if you mix the author’s phrases with your own or if you plug synonyms into the author’s sentence structure

13. Example from Hacker Original text In an effort to seek the causes of this disturbing trend, experts have pointed to the rise in childhood obesity that are unrelated to media. -Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, “The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity” (2004, p.1

14. Problem: Borrows Too Many Phrases According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2004), experts have indicated a range of significant potential contributors to the rise in childhood obesity that are not linked to media (p. 1).

15. Problem: Same Structure According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2004), experts have identified (pointed to)a variety (range) of significant (important) factors causing (potential contributors to) a rise in childhood obesity that are not linked (unrelated) to media (p. 1).

16. Solution to This Problem Since it is easier to copy the source when it is in front of you, set the source aside and write a paraphrase or summary from memory When you have finished your paraphrase or summary, check your source for accuracy and to make sure it isn’t too close to the original Finally, if you are having a hard time, feel free to quote the source directly

17. Acceptable Paraphrase A report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2004) claimed sources other than the media were responsible for the childhood obesity crisis.

18. If You Are In Doubt Consult your Hacker Style Manual Send me an email or ask me in class

19. Sources For This Paper For this paper, you research should emphasize primary sources and scholarly research For example, instead of reading two editorial opinions on a court decision you should actually go and read the court decision itself However, an editorial piece from an opposing position could help you identify what assumptions your audience has and what arguments they are making

20. Where To Look? The library’s website has a comprehensive database for scholarly articles Government websites and non-profit websites usually have a wealth of information on a variety of public issue topics Wikipedia could provide a good starting point as well

21. Perspective on Both Sides Since your paper will be based on trying to convince an audience opposed to your position, you should include at least one source with an opposing position

22. Why Do This? This will allow you to reasonably address the concerns and arguments of the other side of your issue and allow you a chance to address these concerns It will also give you a better idea of the assumptions that your audience holds and allow you to make a more persuasive argument to that audience