Understand the concept of Intellectual Propety Rights
Apply strategies to avoid plagiarism
Cite sources using the MLA style guide
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarize:
“1 take and use (the thoughts, writings, inventions, etc., of another person) as one’s own. 2 pass off the thoughts, etc., of (another person) as ones’ own.”
Oklahoma City University defines plagiarism in the Academic Honesty Policy as “…the appropriation of another’s work and/or the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own.” (41).
WARNING: Oklahoma City University uses Turnitin.com to detect plagiarism. Penalties for plagiarism may include receiving an F for the assignment, receiving an F for the class, expulsion from the program, or expulsion from the university.
Sources:
Oklahoma City University. Undergraduate Catalog. Oklahoma City:
Oklahoma City University, 2009-2010. Print.
“Plagiarism.” Webster’s New World Thesaurus. 3rd ed. 1997. Print.
“Plagiarize.” Dorling Kindersley Illustrated Oxford Dictionary. Revised ed.
2003. Print.
Intellectual Property Rights
Plagiarism is wrong not just because Academia says it is, but because when someone has unique ideas or thoughts they own them much as they would any commericial product they were responsible for creating. They deserve to be credited for these ideas and thoughts in both monetary and non-monetary forms. This is referred to as intellectual property rights.
“Buying a paper, however, is the same as buying a book or magazine. You own the physical copy of the book or magazine, which you may keep in your bookcase, give to a friend, or sell. And you may use whatever you learn from reading it in your own writing. But you are never free from the obligation to let your readers know the source of the ideas, facts, words, or sentences you borrow. Publications are a special kind of property. You can own them physically but the publisher or author retains rights to the content.” (Modern Language Assn. of America 54).
Source:
Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 2009. Print.
Types of Plagiarism
Using other's work without giving credit
Using other's work word-for-word without using quotation marks, even if you give credit
Turning in other's work as your own
Using previous assignments for other classes
Strategies for Avoiding Plagiarism
Always cite your sources. The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management supports using the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, which can be found in the Dulaney-Browne Library. There are several other style manuals available at the library but you should always check with your professor to see which one to use for assignments. The style manuals will not only lay out rules for citing sources within your paper, but will also show you how to prepare a list of works cited that will be required to accompany all research papers.
The MLA Handbook recommends that you always take notes while conducting research. “Presenting an author’s exact wording without marking it as a quotation is plagiarism, even if you cite the source. For this reason, recording only quotations is the most reliable method of note-taking in substantial research projects, especially for beginning students. It is the surest way, when you work with notes, to avoid unintentional plagiarism.“ (Modern Language Assn. of America 55).
When taking notes also make sure to keep a list of each source you use. (Modern Language Assn. of America 61).
Knowing when you should cite a source. In general you should always cite a source if you incorporate someone else's knowledge or ideas into your work. A style guide can be helpful in determining how to cite the source.
Source:
Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 2009. Print.
Citing Sources
Chapter 5 of the MLA Handbook covers creating a works cited list.
"...[T]here are often several options for recording key features of a work. For this reason, software programs that generate entries are not likely to be useful. You may need to improvise when the type of scholarly project or the publication medium of a source is not anticipated by this handbook. Be consistent in your formatting throughout your work. Choose the format that is appropriate to your research paper and that will satisfy your readers’ needs.” (Modern Language Assn. of America 129).
The three most common sources you will cite in your papers will be journal articles, print books, and web pages. While taking notes you will obviously need to remember to record page numbers from all of these sources except web pages. These page numbers will be used in the parenthetical citations within the text of your paper, which is covered in chapter 6 of the MLA Handbook. In order to create your works cited list you will need to collect the following information:
Author or Editor
Title
Publisher
Publication Date (For web pages use last updated date)
Type of Publication e.g. print, web, microfiche, etc..
City of Publication (Books Only)
Edition (Books and Web Pages Only)
Journal Name (Journal Only)
Volume and Issue Number (Journal Only)
Page Numbers (Journal Only)
Web site Title (Web Page Only)
URL optional (Web Page Only)
Date of Access (Web Page Only)
(Modern Language Assn. of America 136, 148, 184-185).
The items highlighted in yellow are the main types of information you will need to collect and are common to all three types of items you will cite.
Source:
Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 2009. Print.
Shapiro, Lynn Colburn. "Going Inside the Role: How Acting can Deepen Your
Artistry." Dance Magazine 83.6 (2009): 36-40. Print.
Same Article Accessed via one of the EBSCO Databases:
Author's Name. "Article Title: Sub-Title." Journal Title Volume.Issue
(Publication Date): Page Number. Database Name. Publication Type.
Date Accessed.
Shapiro, Lynn Colburn. "Going Inside the Role: How Acting can Deepen Your
Artistry." Dance Magazine 83.6 (2009): 36-40. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 11 January 2010.
Spain, Louise. Dance on Camera: A Guide to Dance Films and Videos.
Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1998. Print.
Web Page:
Author. Title. Web site Title. Publisher or Sponser P or S, Publication Date.
Web. Date Accessed. <URL>.
Simpson, Jane and Jennifer Delaney. Ballet in 1924. Ballet.co. Bruce Marriott
P, 1999. Web. 11 January 2010. <http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/
yr_99/apr99/year_1924.htm>.
According the MLA Handbook URL's are long and can change often and they do not recommend their use in citations unless it is not likely the reader would be able to find the page without it. (Modern Language Assn. of America 182).
Always check with your professor to see if they require if for the particular assignment.
Source:
Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 2009. Print.
