1. COSC 111 : Plagiarism and
Proper Citation
Laksamee Putnam – Research & Instruction
Librarian

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
◦ 410.704.2462.
◦ IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Albert S. Cook facebook profile

3. On the side…

4. Agenda
 Define plagiarism
 Real world examples and discussion
 Towson Policy – Academic Integrity
 APA citation style

5. How do you define
plagiarism?
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/09/12/copy-cat/

6. How do you define
plagiarism?

7. How do you define
plagiarism?
◦ Using someone’s ideas or expression of
those ideas (words, pictures, music, etc)
◦ Without giving proper credit

8. An interesting side story
 A quote attributed to Martin Luther
King Jr. went viral after the death of
Osama bin Laden
 But part of it was never said or written
by him
 http://www.theatlantic.com/national/arc
hive/2011/05/anatomy-of-a-fake-
quotation/238257/
 What’s the big deal?

9. It’s out there, why not reuse
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32657885
it?
Gabriel, Trip. “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in the
Image by Duane Hoffmann
Digital Age.” nytimes.com. The New York Times, 1
Aug 2010. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/education
/02cheat.html>
―If you are not so worried about presenting yourself as absolutely unique,
then it’s O.K.
…if you say other people’s words, it’s O.K. if you say things you don’t
believe,
…it’s O.K. if you write papers you couldn’t care less about because they
accomplish the task, which is turning something in and getting a grade
… and it’s O.K. if you put words out there without getting any credit.‖
~Susan D. Blum anthropologist at The University of Notre Dame,
author of ―My Word!: Plagiarism and College Culture‖ on student attitudes
toward plagiarism

10. It’s out there, why not reuse
it?
 Discussion on the article:
• Your thoughts on plagiarism
• Why don’t some people seem to think it’s bad
to copy?
• Why do people who know it’s wrong still do it?
• Does downloading music count?
• Is their plagiarism in business?

11. Why does it matter?
 Discussion on the article
• Why is it important to attribute information to a
source?
• Why is anecdotal information so compelling?
• What does this have to do with you? In real life?
In school?

12. Common Knowledge
Quandary
 ―I’ve heard that common knowledge
doesn’t have to be cited. What is
common knowledge?‖
 Some examples:
◦ Waste not, want not.
◦ George Washington was the first president of
the US
◦ College students like pizza…
 When in doubt, cite it.

13. The point is…
 No matter where you are, you will
constantly need to assess the
information around you
 In order to be an informed consumer you
should know how to evaluate the
information you acquire
 In order to support your own arguments
you should know how to research your
question and cite your sources

14. A more serious example
 The German Defense Minister
resigned and his PhD was taken away
because it was found that his thesis
was plagiarized
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
europe-12608083

15. What is the policy at Towson?
 Policy for Academic Integrity:
◦ http://www.towson.edu/studentaffairs/polic
ies/academicintegrity.asp
 Two Strike System
 100 reported cases a year
 One suspension a year

16. Why is it important to cite your
sources?

17. Why is it important to cite your
sources?
 Allows your readers to verify and identify
your information
◦ Support your argument
 Gives credit to the owners of the ideas
◦ Not plagiarizing
 Get credit for your ideas!
 Required for your assignment!

18. What needs to be cited?

19. What needs to be cited?
 Books Examples:
images from Web,
 Web Pages statistical tables
 Magazine articles
 Graphics
 VHS,DVD, audio, etc.
 Government reports
 Statistics
 Encyclopedia articles
 Any source of information!

20. Example A
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  Google's approach may win out
heavyweights to knock out the over the long term. In the early
other. Yet if history is any guide, 1980s Apple lost its lead in the
Google's approach may win out PC market as Microsoft enlisted
over the long term. Recall that in the aid of hordes of software
the early 1980s Apple lost its developers and dozens of PC
lead in the PC market when manufacturers.
Microsoft enlisted the aid of
hordes of software developers
and dozens of PC manufacturers.
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

21. Example A
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  Google's approach may win out
heavyweights to knock out the over the long term. In the early
other. Yet if history is any guide, 1980s Apple lost its lead in the
Google's approach may win out PC market as Microsoft enlisted
over the long term. Recall that in the aid of hordes of software
the early 1980s Apple lost its developers and dozens of PC
lead in the PC market when manufacturers.
Microsoft enlisted the aid of
hordes of software developers
and dozens of PC manufacturers.
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

22. Example B
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  History tells us that Google's
heavyweights to knock out the approach may be successful over
other. Yet if history is any guide, the long term. In the early 1980s
Google's approach may win out Apple lagged in the PC market as
over the long term. Recall that in Microsoft collaborated with
the early 1980s Apple lost its software developers and dozens
lead in the PC market when of PC manufacturers. Now, if
Microsoft enlisted the aid of Google would only summon a
hordes of software developers united front, Apple could again
and dozens of PC manufacturers. be swamped by the collective
Now, if Google can marshal such innovations (Burrows, 2009).
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

23. Example B
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  History tells us that Google's
heavyweights to knock out the approach may be successful over
other. Yet if history is any guide, the long term. In the early 1980s
Google's approach may win out Apple lagged in the PC market as
over the long term. Recall that in Microsoft collaborated with
the early 1980s Apple lost its software developers and dozens
lead in the PC market when of PC manufacturers. Now, if
Microsoft enlisted the aid of Google would only summon a
hordes of software developers united front, Apple could again
and dozens of PC manufacturers. be swamped by the collective
Now, if Google can marshal such innovations (Burrows, 2009).
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

24. Example C
 Student:
 Original:
 Google stands a chance of beating
 Don't look for one of these tech
Apple if it can benefit from the
heavyweights to knock out the
pooled ideas of software developers
other. Yet if history is any guide,
and device manufacturers, following
Google's approach may win out
the strategy that Microsoft employed
over the long term. Recall that in
to Apple’s detriment in the early
the early 1980s Apple lost its
‘80s.
lead in the PC market when
Microsoft enlisted the aid of
hordes of software developers
and dozens of PC manufacturers.
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

25. Example C
 Student:
 Original:
 Google stands a chance of beating
 Don't look for one of these tech
Apple if it can benefit from the
heavyweights to knock out the
pooled ideas of software developers
other. Yet if history is any guide,
and device manufacturers, following
Google's approach may win out
the strategy that Microsoft employed
over the long term. Recall that in
to Apple’s detriment in the early
the early 1980s Apple lost its
‘80s.
lead in the PC market when
Microsoft enlisted the aid of
hordes of software developers
and dozens of PC manufacturers.
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

26. Example D
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  Burrows suggests that in the
heavyweights to knock out the battle of the “tech
other. Yet if history is any guide, heavyweights” Google might
Google's approach may win out eventually prevail over Apple if it
over the long term. Recall that in follows the strategy that
the early 1980s Apple lost its Microsoft employed to Apple’s
lead in the PC market when detriment during the early ‘80s:
Microsoft enlisted the aid of collaborating, and innovating,
hordes of software developers with software developers and
and dozens of PC manufacturers. manufacturers (2009, p. 25).
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

27. Example D
 Original:  Student:
 Don't look for one of these tech  Burrows suggests that in the
heavyweights to knock out the battle of the “tech
other. Yet if history is any guide, heavyweights” Google might
Google's approach may win out eventually prevail over Apple if it
over the long term. Recall that in follows the strategy that
the early 1980s Apple lost its Microsoft employed to Apple’s
lead in the PC market when detriment during the early ‘80s:
Microsoft enlisted the aid of collaborating, and innovating,
hordes of software developers with software developers and
and dozens of PC manufacturers. manufacturers (2009, p. 25).
Now, if Google can marshal such
a united front, Apple could again
be swamped by the collective
innovations.

28. Tips to avoid plagiarism
 Documentation
- keep track of
materials used for your
working bibliography
 Quote carefully – color
code or use quotes
when taking notes.
Beware cutting &
pasting.
 Note key ideas then
―Shut the book‖
 Try to boil down the
info—summarize
 Proofread!

29. Style Manuals
 Different disciplines use
different style manuals
◦ Social Sciences = American
Psychological Association
(APA)
◦ Humanities = MLA Handbook
for Writers of Research
Papers (MLA)

30. Library Resources for APA

31. Citing correctly in APA – Exact
Quote
Every in-text
 1. “x” citation should
have a match
in the
 2. In-text citation bibliography
(Smith, 2004, p. 35)
 3. An entry in the References list (the
bibliography) at the end of the paper

32. Citing correctly in APA -
Paraphrase
 1. Legitimate paraphrase
 2. In-text citation
(Smith, 2004)
 3. An entry in the References list at the
end of the paper
Again, every in-text citation should have a match in
the bibliography!

33. In-text Citation for an Article (HTML)
from a Database (Business Source Complete)
 In-text:
◦ Mobile devices increase access to sensitive
corporate data (Swartz, 2006, p. 25).
 In-text with signal phrase:
◦ Swartz points out that mobile devices increase
access to sensitive corporate data (2006, p.25).

34. References Entry for an Article (HTML)
from a Database (Business Source Premier)
Swartz, N. (2006). Safeguarding corporate
secrets. Information Management
Journal, 40 (5), 24-30. Retrieved from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journa
ldescription.cws_home/505553/descripti
on#description

35. Some ―for fun‖ citations
 Here is an interesting fact (Wolfensohn,
2011, p. 25)
 You may be surprised to learn this startling
statistic (Association of Associations, 2009)
 Here is the way that researcher Beverly
Santana frames the issue (2011, p. 110)

36. References
Association of Associations. (2009, December).
Surprising Statistics: A Study. Retrieved from:
http://www.theassociation.org/stats
Santana, B. (2011). Why is research so
challenging? Journal of Puzzling Questions 22(4),
110-145. doi: 01.2345/jourquest.2011.22.4
Wolfensohn, H.D. (2011). You will enjoy this book.
Towson, MD: Towson Press.

37. Sample Paper in APA style
 Would you like to see how a sample
paper in APA Style looks, headings, in-
text citations, Works Cited list and all?
 If you need more than the resource
guides on the library website
◦ Diane Hacker
◦ OWL

38. Questions?
 Feel free to contact me:
◦ Laksamee Putnam
◦ lputnam@towson.edu
◦ 410.704.3746.
◦ Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Or any reference librarian:
◦ Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
◦ 410.704.2462.
◦ IM – tucookchat