Academic Integrity

To represent oneself as the author of some work that is in fact the work of someone else is to plagiarize. Plagiarism may include the “passing off” of the form of the work—for example, the exact words of a piece of writing—or the intellectual content, or both (Pickering, 2008).

Plagiarism is when you take someone else's words, ideas, or work and present them as your own without giving them proper credit. In college, this is a serious issue because it’s considered dishonest and can lead to severe consequences, such as failing an assignment, failing a course, or even facing disciplinary action.

Dishonesty: Plagiarism is a form of lying. It misrepresents someone else's work as your own, which is dishonest.      Unfair Advantage: It gives the plagiarist an unfair advantage over others who are doing their own work honestly.      Lack of Learning: When you plagiarize, you miss out on the learning process. You don't develop your own understanding, critical thinking, and writing skills.

• Academic Consequences: Most educational institutions have strict policies against plagiarism. If you're caught, you could face serious consequences, such as failing the assignment, failing the course, or even being expelled.     
• Damage to Reputation: Being caught plagiarizing can damage your academic and professional reputation. It can make it difficult to gain trust from teachers, peers, and future employers.     
• Legal Issues: In some cases, plagiarism can lead to legal consequences if you're infringing on copyright laws.

• Dishonesty: Plagiarism is a form of lying. It misrepresents someone else's work as your own, which is dishonest.     
• Unfair Advantage: It gives the plagiarist an unfair advantage over others who are doing their own work honestly.     
• Lack of Learning: When you plagiarize, you miss out on the learning process. You don't develop your own understanding, critical thinking, and writing skills.
• Academic Consequences: Most educational institutions have strict policies against plagiarism. If you're caught, you could face serious consequences, such as failing the assignment, failing the course, or even being expelled.     
• Damage to Reputation: Being caught plagiarizing can damage your academic and professional reputation. It can make it difficult to gain trust from teachers, peers, and future employers.     
• Legal Issues: In some cases, plagiarism can lead to legal consequences if you're infringing on copyright laws.

Overall, plagiarism undermines the values of honesty, fairness, and integrity that are crucial in both academic and professional settings.

Plagiarism can take many forms, including both intentional and unintentional types, as well as self-plagiarism. Here are a few of the most common forms:

Intentional Plagiarism

Direct Plagiarism: Copying someone else's work word-for-word without quotation marks or proper citation. Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting someone else's ideas or text in your own words without giving credit to the original source. Mosaic Plagiarism: Piecing together parts of different sources and presenting them as your own without proper citation. Self-Plagiarism: Submitting your own previously submitted work, or parts of it, for a new assignment without permission from all relevant instructors.

 

Unintentional Plagiarism

Accidental Plagiarism: Failing to cite sources correctly because of a lack of knowledge about citation rules or incorrect note-taking. Misunderstanding: Misunderstanding what constitutes plagiarism, such as thinking that paraphrased material doesn't need citation. Incorrect Citation: Using improper or inconsistent citation methods that do not accurately reference the original source.

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying someone else's work word-for-word without quotation marks or proper citation.
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting someone else's ideas or text in your own words without giving credit to the original source.
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Piecing together parts of different sources and presenting them as your own without proper citation.
• Self-Plagiarism: Submitting your own previously submitted work, or parts of it, for a new assignment without permission from all relevant instructors.

 

Unintentional Plagiarism

• Accidental Plagiarism: Failing to cite sources correctly because of a lack of knowledge about citation rules or incorrect note-taking.
• Misunderstanding: Misunderstanding what constitutes plagiarism, such as thinking that paraphrased material doesn't need citation.
• Incorrect Citation: Using improper or inconsistent citation methods that do not accurately reference the original source.

 

Understanding these forms of plagiarism and learning how to properly cite and reference sources can help you maintain academic integrity and avoid plagiarism.

As a college student, identifying and avoiding plagiarism can be simplified by using a combination of tools and techniques. Here are some practical steps:

1. Use Plagiarism Detection Software

• Free Tools: Utilize free online tools such as Grammarly (free version) or DupliChecker.
• Institutional Access: LaSalle College provide access to the plagiarism detection software Turnitin. Check with your instructor to access this resource if not already provided.

2. Check Your References

• Verify Sources: Ensure all references and citations are properly formatted and that the sources actually exist.
• Inconsistent Citations: Be wary of mismatched or incomplete citations and check if the referenced works are relevant and correctly cited.

3. Collaborate with Peers

• Peer Review: Engage in peer reviews where you and your classmates review each other’s work. A fresh pair of eyes might catch inconsistencies you missed.
• Study Groups: Form study groups to discuss assignments and identify any suspicious similarities across submissions.

4. Use Institutional Resources

• Writing Centers: LaSalle College has a Writing Center that offer services to help students with writing and citation practices.
• Library Services: Use library resources, like the Citation Guide, to learn proper citation methods.

5. Stay Educated

• Learn About Plagiarism: Educate yourself on what constitutes plagiarism and the importance of academic integrity.
• Citation Guides: Use citation guides (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) to ensure you understand how to properly cite sources. The library has some guides available at all times and some you can borrow.

By employing these strategies, you can effectively identify and avoid plagiarism in your work and others', ensuring adherence to academic standards.