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| Honesty in a Vase, Vincent van Gogh (1885) |
© 2013 James Mulhern
“Plagiarize,” according to The American Heritage Dictionary, means
1. To use and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or writings of another).
2. To appropriate for use as one’s own passages or ideas from another. To put forth as original to oneself the ideas or words of another.
Examples of Plagiarism
1. Copying a peer’s work and presenting that work as if it is your own.
2. Cutting and pasting writing from the Internet, a book, or a magazine into your own paper without proper citation.
3. Paraphrasing the words of another without citing your source.
Questions about Plagiarism
What if I take sections from someone else’s paper but also add a lot of my own ideas?
You are still plagiarizing. Any time you use the writing or ideas of another without proper citation you are plagiarizing. Adding your original ideas in one section of the paper does not negate stealing the ideas of another in a different section of the paper.
How can I avoid plagiarism?
First, ask your teacher questions any time you have doubts. Second, do not go to outside sources unless your teacher tells you the assignment requires you to do so. Usually, the only time you should be consulting outside sources is when you are working on a research project. In this instance, you would be sure to use proper MLA citation format (see website addresses at the end of this document) in your paper. Third, be original. Have confidence in your own ideas and opinions. You have wonderful ideas; trust yourself, take risks in your writing and thinking. Your teacher will respect you for your effort, even if the writing seems less polished to you. Remember that the purpose of all writing is to learn to think critically and to communicate effectively.
How can I tell if my paper has plagiarism within it?
Read your paper through carefully. Ask yourself if the words sound like your own. In other words, is your unique voice present in the paper? Ask yourself if all of the ideas are your own. If an idea is not your own, have you cited the source? If you have any doubts, leave it out. If you find yourself struggling to reword someone else’s sentences in order to make them sound like your own sentences, then you are plagiarizing.
Is it ever okay to use someone else’s ideas?
Of course! The key is proper citation. Always be honest when you are using someone else’s work.
Okay, I have cited everything. My paper has a citation after practically every sentence or paragraph. Have I plagiarized?
Probably not, but you most likely have not written a good paper either. The most important parts of any writing assignment are a strong voice and original ideas. If your paper strings together the ideas of others without presenting any of your own ideas, it is most likely a boring paper. Sure, you may not have plagiarized, but you will probably not get a good grade on the assignment. Teachers expect that the paper will demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills, as well as a strong voice and original ideas.
I can’t do this paper. I have nothing to say.
Talk with your teacher. Suggest to your teacher ways that might make the assignment or topic more interesting to you. Teachers understand that sometimes it’s difficult to get hooked on an idea. You might just need to adapt the assignment slightly. Sometimes just talking with your teacher helps to clarify the assignment and generate ideas.
I hate writing, period.
All of us have hated writing at one time or another. It does get easier though. Like most things, writing improves the more you practice it. Someday you may even enjoy it. But until then, writing may seem like work. Well, it is. All good writers understand that writing is a process—brainstorming, outlining, writing, revising, and rewriting. You can be sure that the stories or articles you read in books, newspapers, magazines, or websites have been edited and revised at each stage in the publishing process. The polished prose you read in a published work creates the illusion of ease. That “polished” prose has been rewritten several times before your eyes ever see it.
“True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
As those move easiest who have learned to dance.”
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), English poet, from An Essay on Criticism
For more information about plagiarism and how to avoid it, refer to the following websites:
For more information about proper citation format within your paper, refer to the MLA Handbook, which is available in the school library, or check out the following excellent website: