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Plagiarism

What is It and How to Avoid It

Am I Plagiarizing?

It is quite acceptable (and encouraged!) to discuss your studies with other students and to ask other people for certain kinds of help. However, it isn’t acceptable to ask other people to do your work for you. It is important to avoid any form of plagiarism.

Still not sure if you are doing the right thing? Here are some scenarios that may help you decide.

Examples of Acceptable Student Conducta green checkmark.

Scenario Rationale
My roommate and I are doing the same subjects and so we talk about what we’re reading and learning about in class. Discussing your subject is a good way of consolidating your learning.
I’m not always sure if I’ve structured my assignment in the way required, so I sometimes make an appointment to see a tutor to get some guidance. If you’re unsure about how to structure an assignment, it’s a good idea to get some advice.
Sometimes I make careless spelling mistakes when I type my assignments. I can’t always find them when I read my assignments because I’m usually concentrating on the meaning. It’s OK to ask someone to proofread my assignment for typing mistakes, isn’t it? Asking a friend to proofread is not plagiarism or cheating. In fact, it’s a good idea to ask someone else to check your writing for typing mistakes.

Examples of Unacceptable Student Conducta red x.

Scenario Rationale
My roommate and I write our assignments together and since we’re in different sections of the same course, we can just hand in the same assignment and change the name on the cover sheet. If it’s an individual assignment, it should be your own individual work. If not, this is considered plagiarism.
I’ve seen notices around the campus advertising help with assignment writing. If I pay what they ask, that’s not plagiarism, is it? It’s not like I’m stealing. It’s passing someone else’s work off as your own. This is an example of plagiarism.
I have a really good memory. I remember most of what I read although I can’t always remember where I read it. My essays are usually full of memorized passages. That’s not plagiarism, is it? If you are using someone else’s words, you should put those words in quotation marks and provide reference details. If not, this is plagiarism.
This is my first year at Taft College. My friend took this class last year. I read his final paper for the class, and it was really good. I copied a few paragraphs because he explained the problem and solution so well. That’s not really plagiarism, is it? Copying from a friend’s assignment is considered to be plagiarism.
I always do the research for my assignments and make notes on what should be in the answer, but I get my sister to write the final report because her English is much better than mine. That’s acceptable, isn’t it? If someone else writes an assignment for you, it is their work not yours. You are passing off someone else’s words as your own. This is considered plagiarism.
My boyfriend has had some family problems this semester and has had to make several trips home. Because of that, he’s had to work more hours in his part-time job. To help him out, I wrote part of his assignment for him. I won’t be in trouble, will I? A student who assists another student beyond the boundaries of legitimate co-operation can also be penalized. This is a form of collusion and is considered plagiarism.