You cheat yourself if you plagiarize. You don’t learn to write out your thoughts in your own words. Plagiarism does not help improve your critical thinking or writing skills, both of which are valued in the workplace.

Plagiarism violates the University of Dayton Student Handbook, and can result in an F for the course. Imagine missing graduation because you plagiarized a paper in your final semester and failed the class.

Plagiarism devalues others’ original work. Claiming credit for someone else’s work is taking an unfair advantage over students who do their own work.

UD’s reputation affects the value of your degree. Student dishonesty hurts UD’s standing and can make your diploma worth less.

Ignorance is no excuse for plagiarism. It is your responsibility to know how to footnote and cite your information correctly, whatever the sources are.

Information can come from a variety of sources, not just books and articles. 

• Information may include art, graphics, computer programs, music, and other creative expression. The work may consist of writing, charts, pictures, graphs, diagrams, data, websites, or other communication or recording media.

• Sources may include books, magazines, newspapers, websites, plays, movies, photographs, paintings, and textbooks, class lectures or notes, handouts, speeches, other students’ papers, or material from a research service.

Within the paper: The most common citation format is to identify the source in the text, putting the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses, with the page number of the cited material (Hacker, 1995, p. 261).

And in the bibliography: The author’s last name links the reader to a list of sources at the end of the paper where the full publishing information is given:

References:
Hacker, Diana, A Writer's Reference (St. Martin's Press, 1995)

A bibliography or works cited list without proper footnotes or references in the body of a research paper proves little, if nothing. Although it demonstrates you consulted sources while writing a paper, no one can tell which ideas are yours and which ideas belong to someone else.

Cite your sources within the paper and in a formal bibliography at the end. Your paper needs both.

Even when you paraphrase to restate the information, ideas or meaning of another person in your own words you need to give credit to the original author.

Just because you used your own words does not mean the idea is original to you. If the idea is not your own, cite the source of the idea.

• USE YOUR OWN WORDS AND IDEAS: Practice is essential to learning. Each time you choose your own words and convey your own ideas, you can improve your writing.

• GIVE CREDIT FOR COPIED, ADAPTED, OR PARAPHRASED MATERIAL: If you repeat another’s exact words, you MUST use quotation marks AND cite the source.

• AVOID USING OTHERS’ WORK WITH MINOR COSMETIC CHANGES. If the work is essentially the same, give credit.

• WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE. It is better to be safe than risk a charge of plagiarism.

• Ask your instructor about citing sources properly.

• Get a book on writing and citing research papers. Roesch Library has several citation manuals, including
  • Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed (Reference Z 253 .U69 1993)
  • MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th ed (Reference LB2369 .G53 1999)
  • A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed (Reference LB2369 .T8 1996)
  • Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 4th ed (Reference BF76.7 .P83 1994)

• Get help at the Write Place located in Roesch Library room 502
  
  

	The original quote The real cost of cheating, of course, transcends penalties and ruined reputations. At its core, academic dishonesty undermines the spirit of a liberal education, where--in theory at least--the act of learning is more important than marks.	Source Joe Chidley, TALES OUT OF SCHOOL: Cheating has long been a great temptation, and the Internet makes it easier than ever, Maclean's, 11-24-1997, pp 76.
Plagiarism: same words, no quotation marks	The real cost of cheating transcends penalties and ruined reputations. At its core, academic dishonesty undermines the spirit of a liberal education, where the act of learning is more important than marks.	The student uses the author's exact words, removing only 2 phrases, without quotation marks or a citation
Appropriate solution: quotation with cite	In his article, Tales out of school, Joe Chidley notes, "The real cost of cheating, of course, transcends penalties and ruined reputations. At its core, academic dishonesty undermines the spirit of a liberal education, where--in theory at least--the act of learning is more important than marks." (Maclean’s, 11-24-1997, p. 76)	By noting the source first, the student shows that the following material is from an outside source. All verbatim words are in quotation marks, and the source of the quote is cited with a page number.
Also plagiarism: incorrect paraphrasing	The real cost of plagiarism goes beyond penalties and tainted reputations. Academic dishonesty demoralizes the true meaning of a liberal education, where theoretically the act of learning is more important than grades.	This student has paraphrased in her own words. Although the passage accurately reflects the author’s ideas, the student fails to cite the source.
Another solution: appropriate paraphrase	Cheating is about more than penalties and tainted reputations. In a liberal arts education, learning is supposed to be more important than grades. Academic dishonesty soils that spirit. (Chidley, Maclean’s, 11-24-1997, p. 76)	This student has paraphrased in her own words, while accurately reflecting and citing the author’s ideas.

Website adapted from: "Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship," Student Judicial Affairs, University of California, Davis. October 1999
(http://sja.ucdavis.edu/SJA/plagiarism.html)

If you need assistance, ask at the Reference Desk or call 229-4270 or contact us electronically.