Plagiarism-What it is and how to avoid it

Dr Eoin Lettice

Plagiarism – a definition

• “Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own without appropriate attribution” (UCC Plagiarism Policy)

• It is totally unacceptable – in BEES, UCC and the wider academic (and legal) world.

• Applies to text but also: tables, figures, images, ideas, data, etc.

• May be intentional or unintentional. Either way, it is a serious form of academic misconduct and potentially career ending.

(Twitter/CNN) (Huffington Post)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/melania-trump-speech-plagiarized_us_578da752e4b0a0ae97c33675

http://theyorkerarchive.github.io/2012/www.theyorker.co.uk/news/uninews/1563.htmlhttps://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/dean-dismissed-for-plagiarism/400950.articlehttp://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/university-fires-dean-after-plagiarism-4507465

Plagiarism Policy

At BEES, we take the issue of academic integrity very seriously and we seek to uphold the highest standards in this regard.

BEES plagiarism policy is laid down in the University College Cork Plagiarism Policy (available online: https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/academic/schoolofbees/documents/UCC-Plagiarism-Policy-for-School-of-BEES-2017-and-2018.pdf ) and also in your handbooks.

Read this document today.

What plagiarism is

• Directly ‘copying’ another students work and presenting it as your own.

• Taking ideas, text, images, etc., from published material (journal articles, books, websites, etc.) and presenting it unattributed as your own work.

• Quoting directly from published material without use of “quotation marks” or paraphrasing (changing a few words).

• Plagiarism is a form of cheating – “to benefit oneself, or another, by deceit or fraud”*

* UCC Plagiarism Policy

What plagiarism is not

• “In almost any academic pursuit, one learns from the ideas and the work of others” (UCC Plagiarism Policy). It is appropriate to cite literature and ideas in the area you are writing about. As long as this is done appropriately, with proper referencing, this is not a problem.

Detecting Plagiarism

• When you submit CA in BEES you are required to sign a declaration that this work is entirely your own.

• 3rd and 4th year project theses are submitted to TURNITIN (plagiarism detection software) as a rule. Students may also be required to submit other work through TURNITIN at the discretion of the academic staff member.

• If plagiarism is suspected by TURNITIN or by an academic staff member, the Head of School will be alerted.

Penalties

• “Penalties…are based on the principle that students gain no marks whatsoever for plagiarised material” (UCC Plagiarism Policy)

• Students will be informed that plagiarism is suspected and they will be given an opportunity to respond.

• Within the School of BEES, where plagiarism is detected, the penalty will not exceed assigning a mark of zero to the full piece of work –not just the plagiarised part(s).

Full details in the UCC Plagiarism Policy on the BEES website.

Best Practice

• You come to university to think for yourself. Passing off the ideas and work of others as your own is directly opposite to that aim.

• Learn to reference material appropriately. This will come with practice and by reading peer-reviewed literature.

• Use TURNITIN on early drafts to highlight where potential problems exist.

• Write in your own voice. Take notes from the literature but avoid doing so verbatim. Reference your notes to avoid forgetting where the original ideas came from.

TURNITIN – Similarity report

Appropriate referencing style:More than 2 authors – use et al.

Abstract: No references as it should describe the work of this paper only

Each idea or statement of fact is supported by reference to the source

List your references in the bibliography

Pick a style (e.g. by following the style prescribed by a particular journal in the area) and stick to it.

Referencing a journal article

Referencing a book chapter

Before submitting any continuous assessment this year, ensure you have read the UCC Plagiarism Policy as it relates to the School of BEES.

Available online:https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/academic/schoolofbees/documents/UCC-Plagiarism-Policy-for-School-of-BEES-2017-and-2018.pdfor as a hard copy in your handbook.

If you have any queries regarding plagiarism or the plagiarism policy, consult the module coordinator for specific pieces of CA or your year coordinator for each discipline.

Plagiarism-What it is and how to avoid it

Dr Eoin Lettice