LibGuides: Research Process: 4a. Plagiarism

Avoid Plagiarism

4a. Plagiarism is a serious offense, with sanctions ranging from failing an assignment to expulsion from the university. Plagiarism is committed when you use ideas or words of another person without proper citation or acknowledgement. This may happen intentionally or unintentionally.

Academic Integrity (from Viterbo University Undergraduate Catalog, 2015-2016)

"All members of the Viterbo University community are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical manner and adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. Furthermore, Viterbo University students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic honesty befitting their enrollment in this Catholic Franciscan university. They will not engage in plagiarism, cheating, lying, or stealing, nor will they tolerate those who do so. Fundamental to the principle of independent learning and professional growth is the requirement of honesty and integrity in the conduct of one’s academic life. Academic dishonesty in any form is a serious offense against the academic community. Each academic program will review the standards of academic integrity and have students acknowledge their acceptance of the standards."

Please read Viterbo University's policy on plagiarism. The academic integrity section begins on page 10.
Educate yourself by completing this tutorial from Indiana University.

To avoid plagiarizing someone else words or ideas, make sure you:

Paraphrase the original text into your own words. Be sure you are not just rearranging phrases or replacing a couple of words.
Use quotation marks around text that has been taken directly from the original source.
Cite every source of information you use to write your paper unless it is common knowledge or the results of your own research. This includes facts, figures, and statistics as well as opinions and arguments.

Plagiarism: Don't Do It

Posted with permission from Washburn University.

Plagiarism Tutorials

Plagiarism Court: You Be the Judge
Created by the University of Southern Mississippi, this tutorial will explain what plagiarism is, and will briefly discuss its legal and ethical consequences. Most importantly, it will suggest note taking, documentation, and writing strategies to help you avoid accidental plagiarism.
You Quote It, You Note It
Created by the Vaughan Memorial Library at Acadia University, this tutorial suggests that researching ethically is also researching efficiently. You will not only learn how to avoid plagiarism, but you’ll also pick up some good research tips too.