Writing Papers for Me
Avoiding Accidental Plagiarism
DOCUMENTING SOURCES : AVOID ACCIDENTAL PLAGIARISM.
In general, cite all sources that are not common knowledge to the person on the street. What does that mean in practice? The average person in Lancaster Pennsylvania knows that the Atlantic Ocean is east of here. No citation of sources is necessary. But, if you want to talk about cubic fluid volume of that ocean, then you'd either have to look it up or measure it. If the former, then you need to cite the source. If the latter, then you need to explain your methodology.
Now, presume that you looked up the cubic fluid volume of the Atlantic Ocean and discuss that in a paper. Then, you'd need to cite the source of that data in to places, and that does not change whether you directly quote somebody else or you discuss it in your own words. What matters is that you got the information from someplace, and you need to credit that source.
Take a look at the following chart:
Two step process. As you can see, you could quote, paraphrase, or summarize the information about the volume of the Atlantic Ocean. It doesn't matter which. In any case, you need to cite it one of three ways within the body of your paper. You could use parenthetical citation, a footnote, or an endnote. Having picked one and done that, you still aren't finished. You also need to cite the source again in the Work Cited section at the end of the paper.
Accidental plagiarism is still theft and may, like any form of plagiarism, be punishable in a variety of ways ranging from failure on a paper or in a course to fines, job loss or imprisonment depending on the circumstances in which you plagiarize. At the very least, accidental plagiarism will make you look like a sloppy and incompetent writer -- blowing your chance at building reader confidence in your ability to handle the material you're covering. At worst, it can get you expelled, sued, jailed.
When researching a paper, students generally read several sources. It's easy to confuse who says what. Keeping good note cards of sources consulted can help eliminate accidental plagiarism. Note cards generally include bibliographic information (title, author, journal volume and number if applicable, dates, publishers, URL's for online materials, etc.). In addition a brief summary of the source, notation of any key information you plan to use, and page numbers for the particular information will remind you of material "borrowed." Keep track of page numbers, for you will ultimately need to give the precise location of the information when you use it in your paper.
When do I have to acknowledge my sources?
When writing a paper using sources, you must make it absolutely clear which ideas and word choices are yours and which come from the source. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers states that "you must document everything that you borrow -- not only direct quotations and paraphrases but also information and ideas" (Gibaldi 33).
Information which can be identified as belonging to a particular person, group or document must be acknowledged in the text and through an alphabetically ordered Works Cited page that provides the full bibliographic information of the sources used. The operative word is particular, meaning that the information is not generally known and commonly repeated.
Consistency in documentation is essential, for readers will become familiar with the system you begin using and will be confused if you switch styles.
Common Knowledge: There are times when you do not have to document sources. For instance, you do not generally have to document familiar proverbs such as "To kill to birds with one stone" or "common Knowledge." Common Knowledge is information generally known and commonly accepted in a given field. A general rule of thumb is that common knowledge information is repeated in and can be easily accessed through at least three sources. The information is also commonly accepted as correct in a given field of study. For example, you don't have to acknowledge statements like "Nathaniel Hawthorne was a nineteenth-century writer" or "James Baldwin wrote Go Tell it on the Mountain." The words "familiar," "common" and "commonly accepted" are bolded, for they are the operative words defining these types of information.
When in doubt, document the source.
When you use sources, it's generally a good idea to paraphrase or summarize information rather than quote it. Summarizing and paraphrasing demonstrate your understanding of the material used; and, in doing so, also allows you to build your credibility as a writer.
A paraphrase restates a passage in your own words and in your own sentence style. A paraphrase is roughly the same length as the original and does not significantly alter the information in the passage.
A summary condenses the main points (thesis and key reasons in support of the thesis) made in a source. It is roughly 10 to 15 percent of the original source's length and captures the "gist" of a the original without altering the key ideas. Like a paraphrase, a summary must be in your own words and in your own sentence style.
It is a good idea to close the original from view before summarizing and paraphrasing to avoid incorporating the author's words and/or sentence structure into your version.
To paraphrase or summarize, you must know the information well. Reread it. Otherwise you might lean on the original author's phrasing to make the point. Rephrasing a passage too closely to the original (for instance changing the words but using the original writer's sentence patterns is a form of plagiarism, even when you cite the source). Summaries and paraphrases, like all writing, often require revision. Once you complete your summary or paraphrase, go back and check the original to ensure you have captured the key ideas and avoided restating too close to the original.
So when do you quote? Quote when
- the phrasing of the original is truly exceptional. There is absolutely no way to say it better. The original shines.
- you need to analyze or comment on the phrasing of the original.
- you want to call attention to a powerful, key word choice.
If you quote frequently, readers might conclude that you really don't know the material and that you are not a skillful writer.
Quote sparingly.
Maintain transparency: Remember you must cite your sources with paraphrases, summaries, as well as direct quotations. In other words, cite everything that isn't common knowledge (Cuba is south of Pennsylvania, snow is frozen moisture). If the average person on the street would have to look it up, you need to cite the source within your paper.
Rule of thumb when writing for me: Most things can be effectively paraphrased or summed up in your own words. When you do that, more of your own thinking is involved in the pape, and your grade tends to be higher. Nobody is impressed by a long string of quotations from somebody else's work. . Do you need an actual number? Fine. Directly quote no more than three brief times at most in a paper.
General advice for using evidence/sources
- Quote sparingly; paraphrase or summarize when possible.
- Remember to discuss the evidence (analyze it, explain what it shows and how it is connected to your thesis/topic sentence.
- Introduce authorities the first time and, if possible, qualifications (For instance, "According to David Smith, professor of law at ____." ) After introducing, you may then refer to the authority by last name.
- Introduce study (if possible method/what studied), source of statistics. For instance, "in a study of 50 children, Smith finds that . . . "
- Work quotations into the grammatical structure of your sentence. Ellipses (. . . ) allow you to leave out nonessential information. Brackets [] allow you to add information to a quotation such as a necessary verb or pronoun.
- Avoid drop quoting by introducing the quotation in your sentence: Corrin Smith and Nancy Jones find assert that "Blah, blah, blah." Quotes generally should not stand alone without being part of a sentence.
- When referring to authors findings and what they state, MLA generally asks you to use PRESENT TENSE.
Dangers:
- If you do not make each utilized source clear within each paragraph, you leave yourself open to plagiarism or cheating charges.
- In Microsoft Word, the Endnotes really try to go at the end of the document, which would put them after the Works Cited page. Sometimes, it's easier to use footnotes so as not to have to fuss with this nonsense at the very last minute.
In general, use BOTH a Works Cited page and a Bibliography if you have some materials you want your reader to know about that you did not actively use in the paper itself. In MLA format, both are listed in alphabetical order, not the order in which the materials were cited in the paper.
When incorporating sources in a paper, you must use a standard citation format to identify the sources and credit their author. There are a number of documentation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, to name a few). This page illustrates basics of MLA style, a system used for documentation in humanities related fields. It includes information on documenting traditional and internet sources as well as offers a sample works cited page for a variety of source types. This is not a comprehensive source for the MLA documentation system. Consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th. ed. (2003) for more detailed information about citing your sources.
Many linguistics papers use APA style, and that's fine with me so long as you are consistent. MLA underlines titles where I italicize to avoid confusion on the web. Note that earlier formats used < > around web addresses, and the -03 version eliminates that because it caused web problems. See The Writing Center for a good quick site when you have questions.
For Further Research
"Academic Dishonesty." (PDF) Millersville University. Date found: July 14, 2008 at http://www.millersville.edu/~campus/Academic_Honesty_Report_of_Violation.PDF
"Academic Integrity At Millersville." Millersville University. Date found: July 14, 2008 at http://www.millersville.edu/english/community/acadint/
Duke Univeristy Libraries provides this information (you need both)
- "Citing Sources Within the Body of Your Paper." http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/within/index.html
- "Assembling a List of Works Cited in your Paper." http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/workscited/index.html
Laflen, Angela. “Getting Started With Your Report.” Online Writing Lab (OWL) Purdue University. August-September 2001 Date found: July 14, 2008 at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/reportW/
2002; Last revised August 13, 2007
Dr. Bonnie Duncan
bduncan@millersville.edu
1-717-871-2080
English Department
Millersville University
Millersville, PA 17551
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