A Note about Plagiarism (Hint: It's a Big Deal!)
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Every year, thousands of students are expelled from college for plagiarizing; in 2002, forty-eight University of Virginia students left school as a result of plagiarism (Hansen 775). Here at Ferrum, penalties for plagiarism are determined by the Honor Board ("2017-2018 Student Handbook"). The good news is that plagiarism can be pretty easily avoided if you know how to cite things properly.
The Student Handbook provides information about what is considered plagiarism by our faculty and how to avoid it. Put simply:
Proper scholarly procedures require that all quoted material be identified by quotation marks or indentation on the page, and the source of information and ideas, if from another, must be identified and be attributed to that source ("Avoiding Plagiarism").
So what makes a thought original versus "from another" source? That question has been a point of controversy for a very long time, which is why it's recommended that you always cite something if you can. Incorporate one quotable thought into your work that demonstrates each point. Using the citation websites below or the citations provided by the databases will help you cite sources and write better papers. If you ever have more questions about whether or not something is plagiarism in your own work, please contact me, or check out one of these resources:
- Plagiarism.org - includes a plagiarism checker that looks at your paper for places that need to be cited
- "Avoiding Plagiarism When Building Your Own Website" - because plagiarism has major financial and reputation consequences in our professional lives too
- Plagiarism Today - dedicated to helping webmasters and copyright holders protect their intellectual property, as well drawing attention to major stories of copyright violation
Please use this page to your advantage, particularly the citation guidelines, and remember that I am here to help/proofread.
Works Cited
"2017-2018 Student Handbook." Links & Information for Current Students. Ferrum College, 2012. Web. 22 Aug. 2017.
"Avoiding Plagiarism." Duke Libraries: Research and Reference. Duke University Libraries, n.d. Web 12 Jan. 2013.
