Google it and cut and paste – really!

 

Miss Information says, “Google your essay topic! Cut and paste some text from the results pages and you’re on you’re way to rolling off another essay from the printer. Easy!”

“Why bother doing anything more?  Really, you don’t have the time do you?  Nobody’s going to find you out.   Isn’t copying the sincerest form of flattery anyway?”

“The websites you’ll find will be so great too!  In fact, my really opinionated right wing activist third cousin twice removed has a really good site on political tolerance.  There’s so much quality stuff out there – written by balanced experts just like him - and its so easy to find! So – go on, go on , go on.

“Why waste you’re time doing anything else?  What IS the point?”   Trust me – I’m Miss Information.

Photo by Mrs. Maze www.flickr.com

Miss Dewey says,  ”If you want to be hauled up for plagiarism –  go ahead!  And what’s a few marks lost for using unreliable sources? Fair enough, Miss Information’s third cousin twice removed is published on the web – but that doesn’t make him an authorative or reliable source. 

You evaluate things all the time – like people. You weigh up whether they are telling the truth or whether you can rely on them. You ask yourself whether other people back-up what they say.  And what about food?  You weigh up whether it looks safe to eat.  You question where the ingredients might have come from – a salmonella free fridge or the sole of the chef’s shoe?  

If you’re using a website, do the same.  Ask questions.  Who wrote it? Are they reliable and authoritative?  Where did they get their information from? Are those sources reliable?  Why has it been published and who is backing the publication?  For example, should you believe findings on a new drug published on the drug company’s website from research funded by the company? Mmmh.  A vested interest there perhaps?

If you Google for your course work - always evaluate what you find.  Get some tips from the Internet Detective or the Virtual Training Suite.  Oh, and stealing ideas is not good – even if you are in a hurry. If you use other people’s work - attribute it.  Get some tips on this by watching a video or two.

Think about your academic integrity!   Where would you be without it?  Trust me – I’m Miss Dewey. 

Miss Information &
Miss Dewey

Plagiarism – whose idea was that anyway?

Photo by ryancr on www.flickr.com

Don’t do it!  Don’t be accused of dishonesty or fraud – or worse, lack of academic integrity!  Avoid plagiarism. Don’t steal someone else’s ideas – or cheese.

According to one source (1), plagiarism comes from the Latin plagiarius meaning kidnapper, seducer or plunderer. While some of us might aspire to seduction, none of us want to plunder or kidnap. But – that’s exactly what you do if you plagiarise. You steal what’s not yours.

Try these tips to help avoid plagiairsm -

Plan your essay or paper.  If you’re using other people’s work, think about how you’re going to include them in your text and how you can get a balance between your own ideas and those of others.

Take detailed notes while reading. Be systematic with taking notes. If you want to use a quote, get it down word for word. If you want to cite a paper (i.e. mention it in your text) - get all the details (authors, title, journal, volume, issue, page number and page for quote).  Misquoting and inaccurate references for the papers you have cited are forms of plagiarism. 

Cite your sources. OK – you want to get credit for the ideas in your paper.  Make it easy for the marker to know which ideas are yours.  Citing your sources can help.  It attributes the idea or quote to the person who orginated it.  This shows you have read the work of others (this is good) and have used it to support or highlight your own views (this is also good).  Citing your sources can strengthen your work.   The references at the end of your work allow the reader to find and read the sources you have used – for their own work or to verify what you are saying is correct.  Get some more tips from this animated guide to referencing

Know how to paraphrase. This is not just changing a few words in a piece of text. It is putting the concepts you have read about into your own words.  This gives your work more coherence.  It also shows you have some understanding of the underlying concepts. 

(1) Harper, D. Online Etymology Dictionary. Available online http://www.etymonline.com/index.php? Accessed 28.4.08.

Marion Kennedy
Subject Librarian

Creative Commons licence for photo on this post