To plagiarize is to present another person's words, information, or ideas as if they were your own. Plagiarism is stealing. The word "plagiarize" comes from the Latin word for "kidnapper" and "thief." Plagiarism is a serious offense that will be grounds for failure of a course and could even lead to suspension from the university.  As an academic institution committed to Christian ethics, including integrity, honesty, and fairness, Harding University abhors all forms of plagiarism. The following statements from the Student Handbook underscore this point: "Harding University considers the following to be in conflict with her mission, and therefore prohibited - participation in these will result in disciplinary action: 1. Dishonesty in any form, including academic misconduct; plagiarism; falsification of excuses, tests and assignments; forgery; . . . and lying to University officials." (p. 8)

Plagiarism can be intentional and deliberate, as when one has another write an assignment for him/her, buys a research paper from any source, uses a paper written for another class without permission of the teacher, or copies from a print source, media broadcast, recording, the internet or other electronic media, thereby deliberately incorporating the words of another without using quotation marks to identify their source.  All of these types of plagiarism may be referred to as "flagrant."  In such cases of  flagrant plagiarism, students can expect not only to fail the assignment in which plagiarism has occurred, but the course as well.  A report of any course failure resulting from plagiarism will be filed with the Student Personnel Office and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  As a result, the student could face additional disciplinary action, including suspension from the university.. 

Plagiarism can also be "unintentional"or "inadvertent"--but no less serious an offense.  This form of plagiarism typically occurs because students are unaware of what must be acknowledged.  Many students believe that all one has to do to avoid plagiarizing and at the same  time avoid the use of footnotes is to paraphrase, or even merely change a word here or there in a source.  Paraphrasing may relieve you of the necessity of using quotation marks; but it by no means eliminates the need for documenting the source of your information.   Undocumented information constitutes a more "subtle" form of plagiarism, but it is plagiarism nonetheless since one is passing off information or ideas as one's own.  Now that you have been informed of the necessity of documenting even paraphrased information, instances of this "subtle" form of plagiarism will result in at least a 0 on the assignment in which it occurs and the filing of a "plagiarism report" with the departmental chair.  A student who engages in additional plagiarism, either in the same course or another course in this department may expect the same penalty as described above for cases of "flagrant" plagiarism.  All college students are expected to recognize plagiarism of either type and know how to avoid it. Take time now to learn the rules so that you never engage in it.  From this point onward, we will presume your familiarity with the rules governing plagiarism; all cases will thus be prima facie evidence of guilt.

In order to avoid plagiarism, you must know what must be documented.  First, let's consider what you do NOT have to document. You are not expected to acknowledge information that is considered common knowledge--for example, that Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America or that Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence or that the Versailles Treaty was imposed on Germany at the end of World War I.  You might have to look up the date of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand or the names of the beaches at Normandy, but such material is still regarded as common historical knowledge readily available in any standard reference work of the sort that most people would have easy access to; this type of information does not require documentation.  However, if there is any doubt in your mind as to whether information qualifies as "common knowledge" or not, document it.  It is better to err on the side of over-documenting than under-documenting.

What SHOULD you document? Obviously, you must acknowledge the source of any WORDS you quote. Along with your footnote citing the source of the quote, you must always use quotation marks or, if the material is more than eight lines, a double indention format. As noted above, you must also acknowledge your source when you paraphrase or summarize someone else's words, especially when you use certain key words or phrases, even if you do not quote entire clauses or sentences.  But the most subtle form of plagiarism occurs when you borrow someone's IDEAS without giving credit. Writing the words or ideas of others in your own words does not release you from the obligation to credit the material to its originator. When you write a paper or book review, you are expected to formulate your thesis, organize the materials, and reach your conclusions primarily in your own words. Of course, you may use other persons' words, thoughts, and information to assist in this process, but you must acknowledge them as such.

Here are two examples of plagiarism that are more subtle than merely using a verbatim or closely paraphrased version of another's words without attribution, the form of plagiarism we can all easily recognize and admit is wrong. The following passage appears in John Keegan's The Mask of Command, N.Y. Penguin Books, 1988, p. 259.

"Blitzkrieg was not a concept directly of Hitler's making nor, strictly, was his Polish victory an exercise in its form. The Polish army, surrounded on three sides by one enormously superior in men and equipment, was doomed to rapid defeat in any case . . . "

The following uses of that passage, IF PRESENTED WITHOUT PROPER DOCUMENTATION, constitute plagiarism:

1. Hitler did not directly develop the concept of blitzkrieg nor, strictly, was his Polish victory an exercise in its form. (Keegan, p. 259)

Comment: The problem with this effort is that although a citation is provided, an entire phrase is borrowed directly without the use of quotation marks.

2. Although widely regarded as the first demonstration of blitzkrieg, the Polish campaign was not really an example of that style of war. The Polish army was already virtually surrounded by German units before the campaign even began and was inferior in both troops and material, making its defeat as inevitable as it was quick.

Comment: Note that very few words of the original passage have been used in the plagiarized version; the point is that the originality of Keegan's concept and his insight is what has been appropriated, not his language. When you use another's analytical insights and constructs, you must acknowledge their source, regardless of how thoroughly you re-word them.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLAGIARISM AND SCHOLARSHIP IS QUOTATION MARKS AND/OR A FOOTNOTE.

This policy guide was adapted from the sources listed below by Dr. Fred Jewell and approved by the department.

Sources:

Chase, Mary Jane, [MJChase@MerLIN.Mercynet.edu] "Plagiarism." In [H-TEACH-Search-request@h-net.msu.edu].

"How to Lessen the Chances of Plagiarizing." [http://quarles.unbc.edu/lsc/rpplagia.html]

Williams, Sharon. "Avoiding Plagiarism." http://www.hamilton.edu/html/academic/resource/wc/AvoidingPlagiarism.html].

The American Historical Association's Definition of Plagiarism http://historynewsnetwork.org/articles/article.html?id=514