Avoiding Plagiarism

In good academic fashion, let's start with the definition.

Here are the definitions found in my 2 favorite online dictionaries.

1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarizing

Main Entry:

pla·gia·rize

plagiary

Date: 1716

transitive verb : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source intransitive verb : to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

2. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=60393&dict=CALD

to use another person's idea or a part of their work and pretend that it is your own:

The actual judgment call isn't too difficult. You know what's yours and what isn't.

Typically, plagiarism can fall into any of the following categories:

Category 1: Stealing someone else's words.

Category 2: Presenting someone else's words inaccurately.

Category 3: Stealing someone else's idea.

In all of the above, the word stealing means: "uncredited use."

Example 1: My use of quotation marks here indicates that I chose to embed into my explanation the precise words I found on http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/.

Category 1 leaves no room for grey areas. Any time you wish to use/ borrow/ imitate any combination of words uttered, written or broadcast previously, you MUST

• Show that they are not your own by using quotation marks, or if it is a large section, by setting it apart form the remaining text (new paragraph with deeper indent and narrower right margin);
• State whose words they are; and
• Provide details regarding where (and sometimes when) you found/heard them.

Notes: Sometimes you'll find you need to make slight alterations to sentence structure (without altering meaning), so that the quotation will fit into your sentence. If you find you need to leave out a word, insert an ellipsis (looks like three periods in a row: ...) for the removed word. If you choose to add a word or two, place the added word(s) in brackets.

Category 2 can only exist if you failed to read the NOTES to Category 1. Here's a crude example. Stealing a long diamond necklace and wrapping it several times around my wrist as a bracelet doesn't make it my bracelet. Sad? Perhaps!

The same is true for words in a sentence: stirring and mixing words, and/or spicing them up won't change the fact that they're not mine.

Category 3 is probably most prone to abuse. After all, ideas are more fluid and their boundaries less definable than those of a group of words. But is it really one big grey area?

The key to avoiding pitfalls and loopholes is to acknowledge the source that inspired you and go beyond it, by offering your personal addition, as suggested in these guidelines:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/

• Develop a topic based on what has already been said and written but write something new and original
• Rely on opinions of experts and authorities on a topic but improve upon and/or disagree with those same opinions
• Give credit to researchers who have come before you but make your own significant contribution
• Improve your English or fit into a discourse community by building upon what you hear and read but use your own words and your own voice

Summarizing, synthesizing and paraphrasing are alternatives to quoting directly from a text, but remember, you still have to credit your source.

Was it really necessary to use quotation marks around that pair of words? Strictly speaking --no. The OWL at Purdue doesn't exactly have a patent on that word combo; however, since I did "run into" that pair while perusing the site for ideas and guidelines, it

• a) Made sense within the context,
• b) Allowed me to adhere to the rule "when in doubt, err on the safe side," and
• c) It provided the perfect opportunity to acknowledging the Purdue Online Writing Lab as one of my primary sources.

In academic frameworks, there is a tendency to distinguish intentional from unintentional plagiarism. This approach, poses the following question: was the student hoping that the infraction would go unnoticed, or was it an instance of innocent oversight?

The reason for this differentiation is to call for different punitive measures to be applied for each. In the"real world," it is less applicable.

It does, however, emphasize the need to avoid oversights.

How to Avoid "Oversights"?

Essentially, that requires 3 things:

1. Awareness. Once you have internalized the concept of giving credit where credit is due, you are ready to move on to the next step.

2. Good organizational skills: anytime you gather any type of material for your writing assignment, make sure you have the ability to highlight, set apart, or underline (choose your own favorite method) everything and anything that you pick up, ranging from a particular turn of phrase all the way to the premise for your argument, and then document your source.

3. A conscientious approach. A conscientious approach develops from understanding and identifying with the purpose behind these rules.

Why Do We Bother?

Well, just like any other theft: it's a no-no! It's a lot nicer to show and be shown respect for our individuality and our work.

Best Advice?

Do what everyone has already told you:

• Write from your personal perspective
• Bring in your own personal experience
• Find your individual voice.

If you're writing for blogs, you have the built-in blogging advantage: recognizing and crediting others' is precisely what you want to do anyways, as it increases traffic to your site and brings you a palpable measure of success.

P.S. I'll try to address the second part of the request in a separate Hub.