ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM

Academic integrity emphasizes the respect for knowledge and the respect for others' ideas. In
essence, academic integrity ensures that you receive merit and proper recognition for your work.
Plagiarism is the most common and most misunderstood form of violation.
Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's
original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the
offense.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means
- to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
- to use (another's production) without crediting the source
- to commit literary theft
- to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying
about it afterward.
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
- turning in someone else's work as your own
- copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
- failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
- giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
- changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
- copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work,
whether you give credit or not
Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that
certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to
find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism.
1. Using a direct quotation without quotation marks or a citation
Example: Historian Jane Doe argues that most Americans believed the war would end quickly.
In this example, the writer has not quoted or cited the historian's words. Instead, consider this revision:
Historian Jane Doe argues that, "most Americans believed the war would end quickly" (23).

2. Paraphrasing or changing an author's words or style without citation

Example: President Lincoln reminded the nation that 87 years ago the founding fathers created a new
country, rooted in the concept of freedom for all men.
In this example, the writer has changed President Lincoln's words and they have not provided a
citation. Instead, consider this revision: President Lincoln reminded the nation that 87 years ago the
founding fathers created a new country, rooted in the concept of freedom for all men (Encyclopedia
Britannica). Or, you may simply provide the quote: President Lincoln reminded the nation that,
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in
liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" (Encyclopedia Britannica).

3. Insufficiently acknowledging sources or providing a partial citation

Example: An historian argues that, most Americans believed the war would end quickly.
In this example, the writer has failed to provide the author's name or where the quote is located.
Instead, consider this revision: Historian Jane Doe argues that, "most Americans believed the war
would end quickly" (23).

This type of plagiarism also includes failure to list all references on a reference or works cited page.
4. Failing to cite sources for information considered non-common
Example: Napoleon died when he was 51 years old.
In this example, the writer has failed to provide a citation for Napoleon's age at death, a fact that may
not be common knowledge. Instead, consider this revision: Napoleon died when he was 51 years old
(Encyclopedia Britannica).

Determining what constitutes common knowledge may be difficult. For example, most Americans
know that Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S.; therefore, a citation is not necessary. However,
if you are unsure what constitutes common knowledge, be safe and cite the source.
5. Using an essay from one course for another without instructor permission
Example: If you are re-taking a course and you use the final essay from the first course for
the second without permission from your instructor, you are plagiarizing. If you submit the
same essay to two separate professors (either in the same semester or at a later semester)
without both professors' approval, you are plagiarizing.
6. Failing to attach all group members' names to a group project
Example: If you are working on any group project or assignment and you leave even one
group member's name off the project or assignment when you hand it in to your instructor,
you are plagiarizing.
7. Using someone else to heavily edit or re-write your essay
Example: If you purchase an essay from the internet, you are plagiarizing.
If you pay your roommate, friend, fellow student, or anyone else to write your paper, you are
plagiarizing.
If you ask someone to edit your essay or re-write you essay in a manner that drastically alters
the essay, you are plagiarizing.
The information on this handout comes from What is Plagiarism? provided by Turnitin.com and Research
Resources <plagiarism.org/assets/downloads/what_is_plagiarism.doc> and Academic Integrity Plagiarism - University of Illinois Springfield http://www.uis.edu/academicintegrity/students/plagiarism.html

QUOTING, PARAPHRASING, AND SUMMARIZING

These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to the
closeness of your writing to the source writing. 1
Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match
the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase
must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original
passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.
Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main
point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries
are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.
Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. You might use them to:
Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
Give examples of several points of view on a subject
Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Writers frequently intertwine summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. As part of a summary of an

article, a chapter, or a book, a writer might include paraphrases of various key points blended with
quotations of striking or suggestive phrases as in the following example:
In his famous and influential work The Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud argues that dreams are the
"royal road to the unconscious" (page #), expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through
a process known as the "dream-work" (page #). According to Freud, actual but unacceptable desires are
censored internally and subjected to coding through layers of condensation and displacement before emerging
in a kind of rebus puzzle in the dream itself (page #).

It might be helpful to follow these steps:

Read the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas.
Summarize in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is.
Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay.
Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.
There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. Often, a short quotation works well
when integrated into a sentence. Longer quotations can stand alone. Remember that quoting should be
done only sparingly; be sure that you have a good reason to include a direct quotation when you
decide to do so (from OWL at Purdue University, USA).
Writing Summaries
When you write a summary, keep in mind the following questions:

The
information
on
summarizing,
paraphrasing
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/01/
1

and

quoting

comes

from

Does the summary accurately reflect the sources key facts or ideas?
Is the summary shorter than the original but detailed enough to stand on its own?
Does the summary help your reader understand the context of the information or statements you include from
the source?
Is the summary written entirely in your own words, except for key words or phrases that are enclosed in
quotation marks and accurately cited?
Does the summary appropriately acknowledge the original source?

Please remember:
1. Be objective (do not offer an interpretation of the authors ideas, just mention the main points in the original
text
2. Use your own words
3. Make sure you include the most important ideas (do not get lost in details)

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is one way to use a text in your own writing without directly quoting source material.
Anytime you are taking information from a source that is not your own, you need to specify where
you got that information.2
A paraphrase is:
Your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a
new form
One legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source
A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea
Steps to Effective Paraphrasing
1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the
top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.
4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential
information in a new form.
5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to
incorporate the material into your paper.

Exercise:
The original passage: Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse
quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as
directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials
while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.
Paraphrase A: Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of
them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly
quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.
Paraphrase B: In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a
desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material
recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

The information comes from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/02/