1. How to Avoid Plagiarism
Aurora Tsai

2. What is Plagiarism?
A simple definition:
• presenting someone else’s words or ideas as
if they were your own.

3. What are some examples of
Plagiarism?
Is it plagiarism to hire someone to write your
paper for you? O
Is it plagiarism to copy someone’s words from a
website while giving credit to the source? X
Is it plagiarism to write your opinion about
someone else’s comments? X
Is it plagiarism to summarize someone else’s
ideas from a written or spoken source?
O
Is it plagiarism to do these things by mistake? O
All avoidable by citing the author!!

4. Consequences of
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a violation of the Student
Conduct Code that may result in suspension
or expulsion from the University.
(Source: 2003-2004 University of Hawaii Catalog)
These days, it’s very easy for instructors to use the
Internet to catch plagiarists.

5. Generally, you need to give credit
when you . . .
• use or refer to somebody else‟s words or ideas from a
book, magazine, newspaper, web page, computer
program, letter, or any other media
• use information gained through interviewing another
person
• copy the exact words or a „unique phrase‟ from
somewhere
• reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts, and pictures
• use ideas that others have given you in conversations or
emails

6. How to Present Information
in Writing
Step One:
Use an “in text” citation

7. How to Present Information
in Writing
• Quotes
1. According to Jones (1998), "Students often had
difficulty avoiding plagiarism, especially when it
was their first time learning about citations" (p.
199).
• Paraphrasing and Summaries:
1. According to Jones (1998), avoiding plagiarism is a
difficult concept for first-time learners (p. 199).
2. Avoiding plagiarism can be difficult for first-time
learners (Jones, 1998, p. 199).

8. Try using “in text” Citations
Paragraph Topic:
TS: We need to drive more fuel efficient cars
in order to protect our environment.
SS1: First of all, car exhaust leads to global
warming, which has caused global
temperatures to rise drastically.
 This SS1 is a Fact that Needs Proof, so let’s add a
specific supporting detail (SSD)

9. 2009: SECOND WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD
SS1: Car exhaust leads to
global warming, which
has caused global
temperatures to rise
drastically.
Except for a leveling off between the 1940s and
1970s, Earth's surface temperatures have
increased since 1880. The last decade has brought
the temperatures to the highest levels ever
recorded. The graph shows global annual surface
temperatures relative to 1951-1980 mean
temperatures.
Source: NASA, 2009 Annual Report

10. Quotation
According to NASA, “The last decade has brought
the temperatures to the highest levels ever
recorded” (NASA, 2009 Annual Report).
Paraphrase
The 2009 Annual Report by NASA (2009) reveals
that the last decade has had the highest
temperatures ever recorded.

11. Topic 2
TS: The cost of college education is
becoming a societal problem in America.
SS1: Tuition prices are rising faster than
family income levels.
 Fact that Needs Proof or Opinion?

12. College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
The rising cost of tuition
threatens to put college
education out of reach for most
Paraphrase
Americans.
or Summary
Over all, college tuition
and fees increased 439% from
Quotation 1982 to 2007, while family
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
income only rose 147 percent.
Student borrowing has more
than doubled in the last decade,
and students from lower-
income families, on average, get
smaller scholarships from the
colleges they attend than
SS1: Tuition prices are students from more wealthy
rising faster than family families.
income levels. Source: The New York Times

13. When a source has no known author, use a shortened title of the work instead of an author
name. Place the title in quotation marks if it's a short work (e.g. articles) or italicize it if it's a
longer work (U of Purdue Website).
Quotation
An article by The New York Times reveals that, “over
all, college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982
to 2007, while family income only rose 147 percent. ”
(“College May Become Unaffordable”).
Paraphrase
An article about increasing tuition costs in The New
York Times discusses how students are borrowing
twice as much money to pay for college. However,
even this may not be enough since tuition has risen
over 400% in the last 30 years. (“College May Become
Unaffordable”).

14. How to Present Information
in Writing
Step Two:
Write the name of the source (book, article,
etc.) in your “Works Cited” list at the end of
your paper.

15. Works Cited
"How to Make Vegetarian Chili." eHow. Demand
Media, Inc., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2009.
<http://www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-
vegetarian-chili.html>.
How do we know how to write/format this list?
Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living
Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites.
A List Apart Mag., 16 Aug. 2002. Web. 4 May 2009.
<http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving/>.

16. How to Cite sources:
Format
• Resource: Purdue University Online Writing Lab:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
(write this URL down!!)
• Different disciplines require different citation
styles
– MLA (Modern Language Association), APA
(American Psychological Association)
– You can use either for this class, but all examples
are MLA format

17. Try it: Write up a Works
Cited Entry for your article
A Page on a Web Site
“Name of Article.” Name of Website. Organization
Name, Date of last update (if available). Date you
accessed the site: website address.
An Article in a Web Magazine
Author Last name, first name. “Article Name.” Website
Name. Organization Name, Date of last website update
(if available). Date you accessed the site: website
address.