Plagiarism
"To take and use as one's own (the thoughts, writings, or inventions of another person); to copy (literary work or ideas) improperly or without acknowledgement."
- "Plagiarism", The Oxford English Dictionary
Writing is about expressing your ideas, based on your findings and those of researchers who have preceded you. How as well as what you write enables your teachers to assess your skills with synthesizing information and expressing it in an organized, logical manner. A critical part of writing is citing the sources of the data, ideas and facts you use. This acknowledgment of the work of others indicates that you understand their contribution to your work. If you deliberately do not acknowledge your sources or if you are sloppy with your citations, you may be accused of plagiarism and receive no credit for your work.
Suggestions to avoid Plagiarism
Cite your sources
This entails keeping track of the various web sites, articles, books and data sets you use in your work. Then, as you refer to facts, quotes, theories and ideas drawn from them, you cite the source. Here are some resources for citing items properly.
Allow time to synthesize before writing
Not allowing enough time can translate into thoughtless cutting and pasting. Overuse of quotations can also appear to be a last minute approach to scholarship.
Use your own words
Quotations are powerful when used strategically and sparingly. Quoting long passages, especially in science writing, is usually not acceptable. Paraphrasing is an alternative when you want to communicate the person's ideas, but in your own wording. Here are some resources to learn more about when to quote and when to paraphrase.
Test your understanding
Learning more about what is and isn't plagiarism will increase your confidence when writing. The University of Calgary has an quiz to test your understanding.
Read OSU Student Conduct information
OSU has a policy concerning academic dishonesty. The Office of Student Conduct provides useful information on plagiarism.
