Plagiarism+Policy

Plagiarism. Teachers are usually familiar with the general quality and ability of students. As such, if work is handed in that is of a standard not usually associated with that student’s work, it is natural for a teacher to ask questions about the validity, sources and ideas contained in that work. Students are responsible for answering these questions to the teacher’s satisfaction. What is plagiarism? Plagiarism is using another person’s work or ideas in whole or in part, without giving credit for them. It is academically dishonest and morally and legally wrong to do this. Unfortunately in today’s digital world, it has become all too easy to use another person’s research and writing as your own. However it is also just as easy for a teacher to use an internet search to find out whether or not work has in fact been plagiarized. 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. **General Information:** It is **unacceptable to copy something out of a book, newspaper, journal or any other printed source**. The most blatant example of this is to directly copy something word for word. It does not matter if it is only a phrase. If it is not yours, either do not use it or place it in quotes and reference it. There are different methods for doing this. The important thing is that the reader can tell what is yours, and what is someone else's.    For short quotes, use quotation marks in the sentence. An example is "CFC's: These substances are also of concern in connection with the destruction of stratospheric ozone" [Bunce, N. //Environmental Chemistry// (Winnipeg: Wuerz, 1994, p. 19)] Another reason to use references is to **show where you get information from.** When you state a fact, unless it is "general knowledge," you should say where it comes from. Otherwise, a careful reader will have no way to verify your statement. It may be subjective to decide what is "general knowledge" but keep in mind who is your audience. As an example what is your reaction to the statement: Wetlands emit 150 million tons of methane each year [Bunce, N. //Environmental Chemistry// (Winnipeg: Wuerz, 1994, p. 18)]. Without the reference, why should you believe me? **Terms to Know:** **Common knowledge** : facts that can be found in numerous places and are likely to be known by a lot of people. Example : John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States in 1960. This is generally known information. **You do not need to document this fact.** **Quotation:** using someone’s words. When you quote, place the passage you are using in quotation marks, and document the source according to a standard documentation style. The following example uses the Modern Language Association’s style: Example : According to Peter S. Pritchard in USA Today, “Public schools need reform but they’re irreplaceable in teaching all the nation’s young” (14). **Paraphrase:** using someone’s ideas, but putting them in your own words. This is probably the skill you will use most when incorporating sources into your writing. Although you use your own words to paraphrase, you must still acknowledge the source of the information.