What is plagiarism?
According to the Ashworth College Handbook, “Plagiarism is an act of taking someone else’s words or ideas and using them or representing them as one’s own work. This includes not properly citing the source of the words or ideas” (2019 Ashworth College Catalog, p. 58). Most colleges have a similar definition.
What’s the most common mistake that Prof. Nixon sees in assignment submissions?
The most common mistake I see in submissions is failing to put quotation marks around direct quotations. Even if you cite the source afterward, if you fail to include the quotation marks to show that the words are not your own, it’s a form of plagiarism.
Why is it important to tell your readers/listeners where your information comes from?
There are numerous reasons.
- It makes you sound trustworthy and credible to your listeners.
- It provides credit to the authors of the information you are sharing.
- It helps your listeners to do their own further research on your topic.
- If you don’t cite your sources, it’s plagiarism. And plagiarism can lead to failing an assignment, failing a course, or even being expelled from a college. (See your own college catalog for specifics.)
How do I cite my sources on a reference page?
At the college where I currently teach, we use the American Psychological Association format, otherwise known as APA style. APA has some extremely specific guidelines that we must follow. Luckily, there are some places you can go for help with APA style.
My favorite place for learning how to use APA format is Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. If you learn better by watching a video, the lab offers one on YouTube.
The part of APA to be most concerned about for the courses I teach is making a list of your references, as much of APA style has to do with writing longer papers, and not really for writing outlines and speeches. (Check with your own professor to see if this is the same for your courses.)
If you’re still struggling with formatting your references in APA style, visit Citation Machine. This website, which has both free and paid offers, lets you enter a URL for a source, and then it pulls in the information it needs to cite the source properly.
I’m writing a speech script. Do I have to cite sources in it, too?
Yes. You won’t put the author’s name and the page number in parentheses, as you would in a paper, because that would be awkward to say aloud.
The best advice I’ve seen on how to seamlessly weave your source citations into your script comes from Bucks University. Take a few moments to read the article Citing Sources in an Oral Presentation.
Where can I go for help to make sure I don’t plagiarize?
Your college will likely have a writing lab of some sort that can assist. Check with your professor for suggestions.
It’s been forever since I had to write a speech or paper. How can I make sure I don’t plagiarize?
In brief, tell where you got your information from, both in the body of your speech or paper and on your Works Cited / Reference page.
Use quotation marks if you choose to use the exact words of a source rather than putting the information into your own words.
Make sure that every source mentioned in your assignment appears in the Reference page, and that every source in your list of references appears in your assignment.
For more tips on how to avoid plagiarizing, visit the Ashworth College Learning Resource Center at https://lrc.ashworthcollege.edu/plagiarism-resources/
Do I just put a list of the URLs that I used at the end of my assignment to show what sources I used?
No. You will need to briefly cite your sources in your assignment (paper or speech script), and also provide a list of the sources you used at the end on a References page.
For a reminder on how to cite sources, see https://lrc.ashworthcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Plagiarism-Quick-Guide.pdf
Yikes. I just got feedback from you, and you told me I plagiarized. I didn’t mean to do it — I just didn’t know better. What do I do now?
First, (if you’re one of my students) read through the complete message you received from me.
Second, take a deep breath.
Then, if the plagiarism occurred on your first submission of an assignment, some colleges offer you the opportunity to revise for a potentially higher grade. Please do this if the option exists for you!
Are there different kinds of plagiarism?
Yes, and they are all treated similarly at many colleges. At Ashworth College where I currently teach, with your first assignment that has plagiarized material in it, you will receive an Academic Warning. If there is a second one, you will go on Academic Probation. And if there’s a third, it’s likely you will be dismissed from the college. Check your college catalog for specifics.
If you’d like to learn about the different types of plagiarism, see the Turnitin article The Plagiarism Spectrum.
What questions do you still have?
Do you still have questions? Your best bet is to contact your own professor. But if you have a general question, I am happy to assist. Just comment here.
