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English Composition
WRT122
Plagiarism
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Narrative Essays
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 WARNING!!!
Today’s lecture is not exciting. However, please do
not talk or sleep in class – or talk in your sleep.

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 Plagiarism
• What is plagiarism?

• Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words as

your own

• The word “plagiarism” comes from the Latin word for

“kidnapper” and is considered a form of theft, a breach
of honesty in the academic community.
(http://writing.yalecollege.yale.edu/what-plagiarism)

• Definition: plagiarism occurs when a writer uses

someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not
common knowledge) material without crediting the
source (http://wpacouncil.org/node/9)
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 Plagiarism
• Theft of Words - this is when a student uses
words from a source and does not give credit
to the original creator of that information.
• Using words from a book, article or web site
without telling where you got it.
• Downloading papers from free paper sites.
• Using old papers written by friends or
classmates
• Cutting and pasting information without saying
where you got it.
• Purchase of Words - this is when a student
turns it in as their own work. http://www.csulb.edu/library/subj/plagiarism/
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 Plagiarism
• What are some examples of plagiarism?
• Using another person’s idea, opinion, or
theory
• Using any facts, statistics, graphs,
drawings—any piece of information—that is
not common knowledge
• quotations of another person’s actual spoken
or written words
• paraphrase of another person’s spoken or
written words
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

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 Common Knowledge
• Is this common knowledge?
• Vietnam is in Southeast Asia.
• Vietnam is located at 15.454°N, 106.576°E
• Vietnam has a population of 89 million.
• The U.S. has a population of 320 million.
• Tet is the celebration of the Lunar New Year.
• Christmas is on December 25th.
• 2015 is the Year of the Goat.

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 Plagiarism Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lmp3-
0UIFM

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 Types of Plagiarism
• Intentional (Deliberate) –Deliberate plagiarism is
copying the work of others and turning it as your
own. Whether you copy from a published essay,
an encyclopedia article, or a website you are
plagiarizing.

• Unintentional (Accidental) - when a writer does not

intend to plagiarize, but fails to cite his or her
sources completely and correctly. Careful note
taking and a clear understanding of the rules for
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing sources
can help prevent this.
http://www.writing.northwestern.edu/avoiding_plagiarism.html

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 Plagiarism
Students plagiarize for many reasons:
• Accidentally
• Dishonesty
• Lack of time
• “Others do it”
• Pressure to complete assignments/get As
• Many resources for doing so (online materials)
• Cultural differences with respect to plagiarism

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Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing
Quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing: presenting the ideas of
authors

– Quotation: “Among teenagers aged 15 to 19 years old the

percentage watching television has decreased over the last 20
years. About 75% of teenagers in 1996 watched television,
compared to 71% in 2015.”

– Paraphrasing:
The percentage of 15-19 year-old teenagers watching
television decreased from 75% in 1996 to 71% in 2015.

– Summarizing:
The percentage of teenagers watching television decreased
4% over the past 20 years.
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 WARNING!!
• Plagiarism is cheating. You could be
punished or suspended; you will be
removed from my class.
• Papers are submitted to a plagiarizing
software.
• Previous essays are on the plagiarism
database.

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 Narrative Essay
A narrative essay is about an experience that
YOU faced during your life. It tells a real story,
which is meaningful and important to you.
It describes how a certain event changed a
major part of you and your life, and how you
have reacted to what happened to you.
A good narrative has a point to make, or an
idea to pass on. The writer uses details that are
significant and combines them to build a story
that is easy for the reader to follow.
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 Assignment Format
• Assignments must be on A4 paper
• Your name, IRN, and class number in the
top right corner
• All assignments must be in ink – not
pencil. It is OK to mark through changes.

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 Homework

• Personal Essay – Due Tuesday

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 Homework #1:
Online Plagiarism Tutorial

Online Plagiarism Tutorial

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 Personal Essay
Directions: Write five paragraphs to answer the questions below. Be specific with your answers.

Paragraph 1: Biographical information - Be specific. (Family, Home, Education, Activities)

Paragraph 2: EIU - Be specific.

Why did you choose EIU? National exam?
Was a Business major your first choice?
Why do you want a degree in Business?

Paragraph 3: Job - Be specific.

What job do you want after you graduate?
If you could have any job you wanted, what would you choose? Why?

Paragraph 4: Personal - Be specific.

What is your biggest strength? What is your biggest weakness?
Describe yourself and your life in ten (10) years (2023)?

Paragraph 5: English - Be specific.

How many years of English have you had?
What are the most difficult things about studying and speaking?
What do you want to learn from this class?
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 Assignment Format
• Font size – 12
• Line spacing – 1.0
• Page layout margins – normal
• Indent / spacing set at “0”
• Save as WRT 122 Homework Template
• Essay text – 2.0 spacing