No Plagiarism! Clear Advice for Scholars and Students

1. No Plagiarism!Clear Advice for Scholars and Students Karen Klomparens, Dean MSU Graduate School

2. Why not plagiarize? • YOUR OWN WORDS AND IDEAS ARE IMPORTANT, as a scholar you need to create your own ideas and words! • Your graduate program, and especially a research paper, thesis or dissertation is your contribution to knowledge. It must be original (new), although it builds on the work of others. MSU - The Graduate School

3. Defining Plagiarism • Plagiarism is stealing by using another persons words or ideas. • Plagiarism is academically dishonest. • Plagiarism is not accepted in intellectual work. • Plagiarism can/will result in penalties. MSU - The Graduate School

4. Possible penalties Faculty are responsible for maintaining academic integrity….no plagiarism! • Failing grade for an assignment • Failing grade for a course • Dismissal from the graduate program Plagiarism is easy to find! Don’t do it! MSU - The Graduate School

5. Definitions (cont.) Plagiarism is the “use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author, and the representation of them as one's own original work [1].” From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism (retrieved 7/5/09) [1] 1995 Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary MSU - The Graduate School

6. What is Plagiarism? • Plagiarism= the uncredited (no quotation marks, no reference) use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas [2]. • “Copying large sections of text from a source without quotation marks or proper citation”. • “Sources” can be books, journal articles, newspapers, and other print media AND THE INTERNET! • If you use someone else’s words, you MUST give them credit to honor their thinking and words. [2]http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/ (retrieved 7/5/09) MSU - The Graduate School

7. Example Original work: Academic excellence comes through recognition by one's peers. Some new and innovative ideas have the potential for generating widespread professional interest and credit in the area of their scholarship for purely academic reasons. Others have the potential for generating substantial commercial interest and financial gain. Either can be motivation to stretch and even exceed acceptable standards of conduct in how scholarship is conducted. From http://grad.msu.edu/rcr/(retrieved7/6/09) Work done by a student after reading the original work: Recognition of your research and writing by other faculty and students demonstrates excellence. Some new research or scholarship can create great interest among your professional colleagues and credit as a contribution to knowledge. Others have the potential for generating substantial commercial interest and financial gain. Either of these outcomes could encourage a person to conduct research in a way that is not responsible. IS THERE PLAGIARISM in the work done by the student? MSU - The Graduate School

8. Example Original work: Academic excellence comes through recognition by one's peers. Some new and innovative ideas have the potential for generating widespread professional interest and credit in the area of their scholarship for purely academic reasons. Others have the potential for generating substantial commercial interest and financial gain. Either can be motivation to stretch and even exceed acceptable standards of conduct in how scholarship is conducted. (From: http://grad.msu.edu/rcr/retrieved 7/6/09) Work done by a student after reading the original work: Recognition of your research and writing by other faculty and students demonstrates excellence. Some new research or scholarship can create great interest among your professional colleagues and credit as a contribution to knowledge. Others have the potential for generating substantial commercial interest and financial gain. Either of these outcomes could encourage a person to conduct research in a way that is not responsible. IS THERE PLAGIARISM in the work done by the student? YES! One sentence was copied word for word with no “quote” marks and no reference. MSU - The Graduate School

9. To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you use: • Another person’s idea, opinion, or theory; • Any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of information—that are not common knowledge; • Quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or • Paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words. From: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml (retrieved 7/5/09) MSU - The Graduate School

10. How to avoid plagiarism • When you take notes or copy phrases or words, NOTE THE SOURCE. Put direct quotes (=taking every word in a sentence or sentences) in your notes. • Put the citation (where you got the words) in your notes. • Learn how to paraphrase properly (summarize and synthesize). MSU - The Graduate School

11. Quotations • “Put in quotation marks everything that comes directly from the text, especially when taking notes”. • Quotation= using someone’s exact words. Put all the exact words you use in quotation marks. Reference the source. From: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml (retrieved 7/5/09) MSU - The Graduate School

12. Paraphrase “Paraphrase= using someone’s ideas or words, but putting them in your own words. Although you use your own words to paraphrase, you must still acknowledge the source of the information”. A paraphrase is not a direct quote…but a summary of an idea in your own words. Sometimes a synthesis or restatement of several works, after you think about it. http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml (retrieved 7/5/09) MSU - The Graduate School

13. Learn to paraphrase • Read the paragraph or page. • Write down the main ideas in a list. • If you use exact words in a phrase, or a whole sentence, use “quotation marks”. • Try to write a sentence in your own words that helps you understand the paragraph or page. What 2 or 3 important points do you want to remember from those words? MSU - The Graduate School

14. Learn to paraphrase “Each graduate student admitted to a doctoral program has the responsibility to form a guidance committee with the approval and the assistance of the department or school chairperson or director or designated representative. The guidance committee will consist of at least four MSU regular faculty at least three of whom, including the committee chairperson, possess an earned doctoral degree. ..The regular faculty of MSU shall consist of all persons appointed under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor…. [3] ” [3] The MSU Academic Programs Catalog, 2007-09. Page 64. OR http://www.reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Text.asp?Section=111#s394 (retrieved 7/5/09) MSU - The Graduate School

15. Summary: NO PlagiarismHow to avoid it • Take careful notes as you read. If you use someone else’s words, even from the internet, “quote” them AND cite them (=add a reference). • Paraphrase (summarize) in your own words. • Plan ahead so you have time to read and think before writing a paper. MSU - The Graduate School

16. Summary: NO PlagiarismHow to avoid it • If you work with other people on a project, you must be very careful that each of you write up your own report, with no sentences copied from each other. • Consider writing a paper in your native language, and then translating it. Ask your advisor or teacher for help and advice. Ask the MSU Writing Center for help and advice. http://writing.msu.edu/ Ask someone at the Library for help and advice. REMEMBER: YOUR OWN WORDS ARE IMPORTANT, as a scholar you need to create and write your own ideas and words! MSU - The Graduate School