Avoiding Plagiarism

Some students do not know clearly about plagiarism; therefore, they usually make this mistake either accidental or intentional. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to understand what it is. Then take steps to avoid this mistake. This mistake will make some serious consequences that influence whole learning result of someone.

1.     What is plagiarism?

According to Writing and Humanistic Studies, they define that:

 “Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s ideas or language without acknowledging that they were not created by you. This definition applies to ideas, words and unusual structures regardless of where you find them—in a book, on a webpage, in an email.

Additionally, they state:

“Whenever you include another person's information or wording in a document, you must acknowledge the source and include a citation that will tell your readers where you obtained it—otherwise you are guilty of plagiarism.”

They also said:

  “Plagiarism is intellectual theft--plagiarism.

Beyond that, under copyright law, a writer legally owns

           Ideas (unless they are general, common knowledge)

Words used to express those ideas

Syntax (sentence formation) –the word order (style, effect, and clarity)”

2.     Consequences of Plagiarizing:

The main consequences were citation in www. writing.mit.edu:

Plagiarism in the academic world can lead to everything from failure for the course to expulsion from the college or university.

Plagiarism in the professional world can lead to, at the very least, profound embarrassment and loss of reputation and, often, to loss of employment.

3.     Avoiding plagiarizing by citing source

According to “Avoiding Plagiarizing” of website: www.writing.mit.edu, they point out, “There are three other terms that we need to define: quotation, paraphrase, and summary.”

 They explain that:

“Quotation: A quotation must use the exact words of the source. If the quotation is relatively short (usually fewer than 3 lines or 40 words), those words must be enclosed in quotation marks. For instance,”

          For example:

• As Steven Strang points out, “Contrary to some popular notions, most writers do not have full-blown ideas popping out of their heads like Athena” (48).
• Notice that the quotation is introduced (“As Steven Strang points out”), that the exact words are enclosed in quotation marks, and that the page number is given (using, in this case, the MLA style).
• At the end of the paper, there would be a bibliographical entry that would give the author, the title of the source, the publisher, date of publication, etc.)

Longer quotations are given in block quotations (see the quotations from Ed White and john Edlund later on in this entry).

Paraphrase: To paraphrase is to put the ideas in a passage into our own words, usually following the order in which the ideas were presented in the original. All major ideas are included. Usually a paraphrase is a bit shorter than the original, but when terms or concepts have to be defined, a paraphrase might actually be longer. Any paraphrase requires the same kind of citation as an exact quotation.

There are only three good reasons for paraphrasing:

1.     Translating technical material into simpler language for a lay audience

2.     Paraphrasing because a professor has explicitly requested that you do so

3.     “Translating” a poem into simpler language so that we can understand where the ambiguities lie (and this type of paraphrase rarely makes it into our papers)

Summary: A summary puts the major idea(s) of a passage into our own words and significantly shortens it. Once again, you must attribute the ideas to the original source.”

          Eventually, plagiarism is not good for education career, and it has so many serious consequences that are really impossible to guess. So, the best way to avoid plagiarism is to understand what it is. Then take steps to avoid this mistake. Avoiding plagiarism is good for all of us.

          

Work cited

“Avoiding plagiarism” Writing Humanities and studies. Web. 14 Jan, 2004

http://writing.mit.edu/wcc/avoidingplagiarism

Read more

     http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/04/