Dr. K.’s statement on plagiarism

Plagiary occurs whenever you present another writer’s work in such a way as to give your reader reason to think it to be your own. Plagiarism is a form of academic fraud, and it usually leads to a failing grade for the plagiarized work, but may, depending on Honor Council decisions, also result in a loss of credit for the course, temporary suspension from the College, even permanent expulsion.

The most common types of plagiarism are:

1. “Let Mikey Do it!” This is the grossest form of plagiarism since it includes the use of a paper purchased from a paper mill, or a work prepared by any person other than the individual claiming to be the author such as a paper stolen from another student or acquired from the fraternity or eating house archives.

2. “The Double-Dip.” Self-plagiarism occurs when you submit work which is the same or substantially the same as work for which you have already received academic credit here or elsewhere.

3. “Gee, I wish I had said that. Wait a minute; I just did!” Incorporating into your own sentences the happily phrased words written by another but failing to put the quotation marks around those “happy” words and thus avoiding having to credit your source. (I usually fail the paper, but will fail the student for the class if I receive no cooperation. The Honors Council may and usually does add its own penalties.)

The College values and rewards original thought, but it also values and rewards proper research which requires the correct crediting of authorities from whom you derive your phrasing, facts, and opinions.

Correct method of attribution varies from discipline to discipline. I require the latest MLA style for which you have already been supplied a URL on your syllabus.

If you are ever in any doubt about what to document, please ask me, or see http://www.writing.nwu.edu/tips/plag.html, but until you do, err on the side of safety and document everything.