Using Sources Ethically

Plagiarism

UIS Academic Integrity Policy – Part I• “Academic integrity is at the heart of the University's

commitment to academic excellence. The UIS community strives to communicate and support clear standards of integrity, so that undergraduate and graduate students can internalize those standards and carry them forward in their personal and professional lives. Living a life with integrity prepares students to assume leadership roles in their communities as well as in their chosen profession. Alumni can be proud of their education and the larger society will benefit from the University's contribution to the development of ethical leaders.”

• “Violations of academic integrity demean the violator, degrade the learning process, deflate the meaning of grades, discredit the accomplishments of past and present students, and tarnish the reputation of the University for all its members.”

UIS Academic Integrity Policy – Part II• Plagiarism

Submitted work should be one's own work and it should properly acknowledge ideas, facts, the progression of thought or reasoning and words from others. Plagiarism is intellectual theft: the plagiarist presents work done by others as his or her own, in writing or orally. Plagiarism is the failure to properly and appropriately reference and acknowledge the ideas and words of others. This includes website material used in written, oral, or multi-media presentations.

• Examples of plagiarism include: – Using direct quotation without the quotation marks or citation – – Paraphrasing without proper citation– Making only minor changes to an author's words or style – Insufficient acknowledgment of sources (partial citation) – – Using the pattern, structure or organization of an author's argument or ideas without proper

citation – – Failing to cite sources for uncommon facts or knowledge– Working with another student on a project but failing to put both names on the final product– Having someone else re-write or heavily edit a paper

UIS Academic Integrity Policy – Part III

• Sanctions permitted under informal resolution procedures include one or more of the following:– Formal warning– A reduction in grade for the assignment and/or reduction in the grade for the

course– A failing grade for the assignment and/or reduction in the grade for the course– A failing grade in the course– A failing grade in the course with a transcript notation of academic dishonesty– Rescinding or changing a grade for a past course in which a violation occurred– Successfully completing a university sponsored non-credit seminar on

academic integrity– Other sanction(s) as appropriate and agreed to in writing

UIS Academic Integrity Policy – Part IV• Sanctions permitted under formal resolution procedures include one

or more of the following:

– Removal of the privilege of representing the university in any official function or leadership position. Sanctions that suspend a student's privileges shall have a set time of duration indicating when and under what conditions the student may regain the privilege. Examples include but are not limited to intercollegiate athletics, peer mentors, student organization leadership positions, student ambassadors, cheerleaders, committee membership or officer position, and residence assistants.

– Disciplinary suspension from the University for one or two semesters, excluding summer terms. Students suspended for academic dishonesty must apply for readmission according to the Board of Academic Standards guidelines. Students suspended for academic dishonesty cannot transfer into UIS any credits earned during the suspension. Readmission applications by students suspended for academic dishonesty must be approved by the Academic Integrity Council.

– Dismissal from the university.

Benefits of Academic Integrity• Provides credibility to your

work when you “name drop”

• Puts your work in context• Shows when/who put an

idea forth• Allows reader to access

your sources for further study

Plagiarism – Part I

• Plagiarism- writer’s deliberate misrepresentation of another’s writing or ideas as his/her own.

• Reproducing another’s work as your own

• Allowing another to alter substantially one’s written work

• Failing to acknowledge someone else’s ideas in your work

• Using other material without indicating where the material is found

Plagiarism – Part II

Common Knowledge• Dates of events in History

– Independence Day: July 4, 1776

• Well-known phrases– “To be or not to be” by Shakespeare

• Geographical information– Washington D.C. is the capitol of

The United States of America

• Names of famous people– Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn

• Information gathered through the senses– Snow is cold.

Plagiarism• Specific dates of events in History

– The liberation of Mauthausen Concentration Camp was on May 5, 1945 by the US 11th Infantry Division.

• Uncommon phrases– “The day is coming when a single carrot,

freshly observed, will set of a revolution.” by Paul Cézanne

• Unique geographical information– The Amazon River starts in the Andes

Mountains in Peru.

• Names of less known people– The name of bank robber and outlaw Jesse

James’ wife was Zee.

Ways to Avoid Plagiarism

• Cite all quotations• Include all source information in your notes• Cite all summaries/instances of paraphrase• Include a page number with all quotations before

sentence ends• Don’t place citation too early

– Signals the end of another person’s point• Cite experts, not friends• Do not submit one work to multiple classes

– Rethink/modify the work to fit each particular discipline

Summary

Summary- Part I

• Summary- concise restatement of main ideas of a source, written in your own words.

• When to Summarize:• Quotation or paraphrase would give unneeded or

distracting detail• Several different kinds of information from same

source/author are provided over several pages• Two types of Summary:• Descriptive: explains source from a reader’s perspective-

“blow by blow” description• Informative: provides content of source in highly

condensed manner

Summary- Part II• How to write a summary:– Read original for understanding– Identify major ideas– Write one sentence that captures main idea; add

supporting sentences as needed– Check summary against source to ensure usage of your

own words– DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR OPINION– Document summary with author’s name, title of work,

publishing information (including page numbers of source)– MAIN GOAL: WRITE A SUMMARY THAT SOMEONE

UNFAMILIAR WITH THE MATERIAL WILL UNDERSTAND!

Paraphrase

Paraphrase – Part I

• Paraphrase- detailed restatement of source, written in your words.

• Unlike summary– Restates ideas in their entirety and reflects source’s order of

ideas, emphasis, and tone• When to paraphrase:– Need to discuss details from source– Author’s ideas/facts are more important than language used

to describe them OR quotation might be distracting– When original text uses language that differs greatly in style,

tone, or voice from your own writing

Paraphrase- Part II

• How to paraphrase:– Read source until you understand its

ideas/tone/emphasis– Write ideas in own words– Compare your paraphrase with original– DO NOT USE YOUR OWN IDEAS– Cite the paraphrase

Quotations

Quotation – Part I• Quotation- direct use of a source’s words and

punctuation, exactly as they appear in source• Act as witness- testify precisely to validity of your

writing• When to quote:– Exact language will support your ideas better than

summary/paraphrase– Language- striking/nuanced– Plan to spend time analyzing quotation– Demonstrate thoughts/feelings of others– Highly respected authorities support your view point

Quotation- Part II

• How to quote:– Read source carefully– Copy quotation exactly• If already quoted, quote using single quotation marks• Enclose entire quote in double quotation marks

– Do not insert any words unless in brackets– Cite quotation

Quotation – Part III• Explain every quote:– Explain what quote means to you and why is it

important for your argument• Provide at least one sentence of explanation

for every sentence of quoted material• Make relationships clear:– Introduce• Relevance is clear• Tone consistent with yours

• DON’T OVER QUOTE!

Ways to Avoid Plagiarism – A Reiteration

• DO NOT LET FRIENDS COPY YOUR WORK

• Protect your documents• Encourage friends to discuss

problems with instructors• Cite ANY outside source

material (summaries, paraphrases, & quotations)

• Refer friends to writing center– CTL – BROOKENS 460: M-Th

8:30am-7pm; F 8:30am-4:30 pm

Works Cited

• “Academic Integrity Policy.” Uis.edu.

University of Illinois at Springfield, 2012. Web.

24 Sept. 2012. • Blakesley, David, and Jeffrey L. Hoogeveen.

“Using Sources Ethically.” Writing: A

Manual for the Digital Age. 2012 ed. Print.