Plagiarism

WHAT IS A DIRECT QUOTATION:  

" A quotation is someone else's words transcribed exactly, with quotation marks or block indentation to signal that it is from a source" (Howard, 2010, p. 276).

USE IT:

• If summarizing or paraphrasing cannot capture the essence or meaning of the text 
• To retain a specific or unique phrasing used by the source's author
• If you are analyzing the text itself (often in English or language classes)

BE ADVISED:

Most of the time when you cite a source, you want to summarize or paraphrase. Direct quotations should be used sparingly when the situation meets the criteria above. When you do use direct quotations:

• Do not take the quote out of context. The author's meaning should not change.
• Be sure to integrate multiple sources within your text. You don't want to have a paper or a passage that seems to have come only from one source, with little original text from you.
• Use transitions to make sure your quote adds to your paper without interrupting its flow.

HOW TO CITE A DIRECT QUOTATION:  

• Place quotation marks around the entire word-for-word passage, whether it's a phrase or a sentence.
• Attribute with an in-text citation; most citation styles request that you provide a page or paragraph number when directly citing.  
• If your quotation is longer, check with your citation style guide to see if additional formatting is necessary (block quotations, for example).  

References:

Howard, R. M. (2010). Writing matters: A handbook for writing and research. McGraw-Hill

WHAT IS A SUMMARY:  

"An effective summary captures the main ideas and supporting points of a source while omitting the details... In general, a summary should be at least 50 percent shorter than the original, but it can be as little as 10 percent of the originals' length. It should only be as long as needed to capture the main point and main supporting pints accurately (Howard, 2010, p. 269).

USE IT:

• To provide necessary background information for your audience
• When broad, concise information will suffice 

HOW TO CITE A SUMMARY:  

• Attribute with an in-text citation; some citation styles request that you provide a page or paragragh number whenever available.
• You should not be using any word-for-word quotations or language unique to the source, so you do NOT need quotation marks around your summary.

References:

Howard, R. M. (2010). Writing matters: A handbook for writing and research. McGraw-Hill.

WHAT IS A PARAPHRASE:  

"A paraphrase restates someone else's ideas in fresh words and sentences...Because you are including all of the writer's main ideas, a paraphrase is often as long as, and sometimes even longer than, the original. Like a summary, a paraphrase must not use the same language of the original (except for keywords), and the order of ideas and the sentence structures must be fresh as well" (Howard, 2010, p. 271).

USE IT:

• If a summary would not provide enough specific details

HOW TO CITE A PARAPHRASE:  

• Attribute with an in-text citation; some citation styles request that you provide a page or paragragh number whenever available.
• When paraphrasing, you must change both the sentence structure and language of the original text.  Therefore, since you will be changing the text, you do NOT need quotation marks around your paraphrase.

References:

Howard, R. M. (2010). Writing matters: A handbook for writing and research. McGraw-Hill.

Here are some examples based on a newspaper article entitled "One Ride in a Horseless Carriage" from The San Francisco Call published May 31, 1896. These examples are done in APA, but MLA is similar. Be sure to know which style you're expected to use, and familiarize yourself with the specific rules of that citation style.

EXAMPLES OF QUOTATIONS:

SHORT QUOTE from the 1st paragraph - if you're using the exact wording and the number of words you're using is less than 40 (for APA) or less than 4 lines or prose or 3 lines of poetry (for MLA), you'll do a short quote. 

While true horsemen may not be sold on the idea, the fact is that the invention, development, and further refinement of the automobile mean "the era of the horseless carriage is coming as sure as the era of good country roads"  ("One Ride," 1896, p. 27). 

LONG QUOTE from the 2nd paragraph - if you're using the exact wording and the number of words you're using is 40 or more (for APA) or more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry (for MLA), you'll do a long quote or "block" quote. 

People may be wary of the automobile. However, people are often wary of new things. Look at the use of steam power and now electricity as examples.   

Not a hundred years has gone by since steam was first harnessed to the paddle-wheels of boats and the flywheels of trains, and yet steam is being replaced here and there by electricity and doubting Thomases are soon made firm believers in the beneficial results of new discoveries. ("One Ride," 1896, p. 27) 

EXAMPLE OF SUMMARY:  

Notice that the summary is much shorter than the original but still captures the main ideas. 

Original text of 3rd paragraph:

Men in general didn’t think that Edison’s electric light would set the world of night afire; but it did, and it was not very long in doing it. A short time ago the telephone was a curious thing. Now everybody uses the telephone. And it will be the same old story with the horseless carriage. The subject of good roads is being agitated from one end of the State to the other. Down in Los Angeles County it is proposed to make the roads question a local campaign issue, and other counties may follow the example. With the dawning of the day of good roads in the West will come the rising of the sun of the horseless carriage. Manufacturers will cut down the prices as the demand grows, and ultimately we shall be able to buy an electric-moto buggy for about the cost of an ordinary roadhorse. 

Summary of 3rd paragraph: 

Like many new inventions, the automobile will see an increase in popularity. The increase in demand will have an effect on politics regarding the development of roads as well as on economics with respect to the pricing of new automobiles ("One Ride," 1896, p. 27). 

EXAMPLE OF PARAPHRASE:  

Notice this is longer than the summary. Also, it is similar to the original source in meaning, but is different in word choice and sentence structure. 

Original text of 3rd paragraph:

Men in general didn’t think that Edison’s electric light would set the world of night afire; but it did, and it was not very long in doing it. A short time ago the telephone was a curious thing. Now everybody uses the telephone. And it will be the same old story with the horseless carriage. The subject of good roads is being agitated from one end of the State to the other. Down in Los Angeles County it is proposed to make the roads question a local campaign issue, and other counties may follow the example. With the dawning of the day of good roads in the West will come the rising of the sun of the horseless carriage. Manufacturers will cut down the prices as the demand grows, and ultimately we shall be able to buy an electric-motor buggy for about the cost of an ordinary roadhorse. 

Paraphrase of 3rd paragraph: 

New inventions often have those who doubt their usefulness or longevity, but some really take off in popularity and become a necessity in short order. Gaining popularity is something the horseless carriage is set to do. An increase in demand for the horseless carriage will create the need for proper roads, with the building of roads becoming a political conversation across the state. As good roads are developed and demand continues to increase, we will witness the cost of owning a horseless carriage decrease to a readily attainable level. The horseless carriage is set to become an essential mode of transportation ("One Ride," 1896, p. 27). 

References:

One ride in a horseless carriage. (1896, May 31). The San Francisco Call.
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1896-05-31/ed-1/seq-27/

References:

Bainbridge State College. (2010, January 5). Plagiarism: How to avoid it [Video]. YouTube.
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q0NlWcTq1Y

Palni. (2016, February 25). Avoiding plagiarism [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/156766635

READ THE SOURCE IN ITS ENTIRETY

• It's easy to take something out of context if you only read a portion of it! If you read the entire source, you should have a better feel of the author's meaning.

TAKE DETAILED NOTES AS YOU READ

• Anytime you note something word-for-word, immediately place it in quotation marks. Also note what page or section you found it on.
• On each page, make sure you note the original source and the date you accessed the source. This will make citation much easier, especially if you are working with multiple sources or doing research over a long stretch of time.
• Try not to mix your own thoughts and commentary with excerpts from your source. Keep them on separate pages, draw two columns on your page, or switch your pen color.
• If you find it difficult to take notes with electronic sources - or if you find yourself drawn to the copy-paste method - print out your sources and deal with them in print form.

RETURN TO YOUR NOTES LATER

• In order to do this, you must not procrastinate on your projects. If you don't have sufficient time, you won't do your best work, and it may lead you to make poor decisions when including your sources. Remember, if you get caught plagiarizing, the situation or your intentions won't be an excuse. Build in time to synthesize and properly work in your sources.
• Identify which sources are best for inclusion. Understand when you have to cite. Then decide whether you should directly quote, summarize, or paraphrase. If you are directly quoting, double-check your notes against the source for accuracy. If you are summarizing or paraphrasing:
  • Make sure the source is fresh in your mind, but not right in front of you. If you see the original text, you are more likely to want to use their terms and sentence structure.
  • Check your writing against the original. Remember, you should have changed the sentence structure and the language but the meaning of the source should still be the same. Any language that is unique to the source should be placed in quotation marks or removed. You may find it necessary to do several edits.

CONSULT WITH THE EXPERTS

• If you need a second opinion, ask!  Ask a librarian, your professor, or a classmate.