Students need the skills of interpretation and analysis in order to process the wealth of information
available. How information is interpreted and analyzed is important, not finding and regurgitating it. The
processing of information leads to insight and understanding on the part of the student, also develops
voice and style to bring a unique perspective to the material. Deliberately claiming to have authored
something that has been copied from an outside source is regarded as plagiarism of information. It is
academically dishonest.
What is Plagiarism?
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means to steal and pass off the
ideas or words of another as one's own
l to use another's production without crediting the source
l to commit literary theft
l to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
Plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
l turning in someone else's work as your own
l copying words, homework or ideas from someone else without giving credit
l failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
l giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
l changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
l copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether
you give credit or not
How can it be avoided?
l Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain
material has been borrowed, and providing an audience with the information necessary to find that
source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. Students must follow the subject teacher’s direction
on how to cite. Also consult Write for College or Write Source for information on citing. A good rule
of thumb is: when in doubt, cite.
l Students should start working on assignments well in advance of the submission date as plagiarism
can be seen as a way out when feeling overwhelmed. Good time management is a worthy skill to
acquire.
l All research papers and essays should include a Bibliography if any outside sources of information are
used.
Procedure for Teachers:
l Subject teachers should teach research skills and practice, note-taking techniques, paraphrasing,
appropriate use of text and the compilation of a bibliography specific to their subject area.
l Explain what is acceptable use of simple factual information in the context of particular assignments.
l Where appropriate, explain and use turnitin.comsoftware, a web based tool that detects plagiarism.
www.issh.ac.jp [email protected] Revised on March 18, 2019
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