Recognizing Plagiarism
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Plagiarism is the crime of presenting someone else’s words, ideas, or intellectual property as your own, intentionally or unintentionally. It is a growing problem and is not limited to the written word—or to students (Park, 2003). In March 2011, German defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg resigned after it was revealed that he had plagiarized large portions of his doctoral thesis (McGroarty, 2011). Most universities and colleges have clear definitions of plagiarism and enforce strict penalties regarding the issue—your school’s plagiarism policy may even be included on your classroom syllabus. If so, read this document carefully. The syllabus is like your contract with your professor; by enrolling in the course, you have agreed to follow it.
Ethics and You
How do you feel about the fact that even unintentionally using someone else’s words, ideas, or intellectual property is still plagiarism? Is it unfair that you might suffer severe consequences even if you do something without intent? Why or why not?
Despite the problems associated with plagiarism, many students, writers, and speakers remain unsure of how, when, or why they must credit their sources. In fact, many people are shocked to find that they can be guilty of plagiarism with a seemingly unimportant error, like simply failing to include quotation marks or mistakenly deleting one little footnote when completing a paper or speech. To avoid making the same mistake, keep careful track of where all your material comes from and document it properly. In chapter 12, we explain how to document your sources in your speech; for now, we will focus on the important role of taking accurate and thorough notes during the research phase.