While plagiarism typically results by not putting quotation marks around the start and end of borrowed words and failing to cite a source, there are other causes. In the Composition of Everyday Life, editors John Mauk and John Mertzit state, "Most often, plagiarism occurs because writers are simply not going far enough while paraphrasing." Inaccurate paraphrasing and summarizing can result in plagiarism.
In Answers to Common Questions about Plagiarism, Turnitin.com reports that "38 percent [of students] have copied text from websites and turned it in as their own, while 60 percent have seen or heard this." Plagiarism is stealing, and being charged has serious repercussions. A student who plagiarizes may receive a zero on the assignment and fail the class. Evidence will be turned in to the Office of Judicial Affairs, and if they concur with the instructor that plagiarism has occurred, the student will have plagiarism noted on their permanent record and may have financial aid revoked.
Direct quotes
Whenever borrowing someone else's exact words, place quotation marks where the borrowed phrase begins and ends, and at the end of the sentence cite the source.
Inaccurate paraphrase
In a paraphrase, writers use their own words to restate the source's words. If three or more words match the source, use a direct quote and cite, or rewrite the paraphrase to avoid plagiarism. Always end a paraphrase by citing the source.
Inaccurate summary
A summary reduces large amounts of text into one or two succinct sentences. Summarizing in a way that misrepresents the intent of the source can also be considered plagiarism.
Missing or Inaccurate Citation
A citation is always required directly after borrowing material from another person. Whether called a parenthetical citation or an in-text citation, the information inside the parenthesis, usually the author's name and the page number the information is on, leads readers to a corresponding entry on a Works Cited page or bibliography.
Plagiarism can be intentional or accidental, but both result in serious consequences. Intentional plagiarism includes having a friend or relative write a paper, purchasing a paper online, and turning in another student's paper or an assignment completed for another class for grading. It also includes cutting and pasting parts of another writer's work into a paper and not giving crediting to the source in a citation.
Unintentional plagiarism may include inaccuracies in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It also involves not using attribution, not placing quotation marks at the beginning and end of quote, and providing inaccurate information inside a parenthetical citation.
Because it is easy to blur the line between ideas acquired after hour's worth of reading and those that were already in a writer's consciousness, writers must take precautions. Whenever using any source, take careful and accurate notes. Record the name of the source, the page numbers, and place direct quotes around the author's words. Prevent plagiarism by citing all words or ideas that are paraphrased, summarized, or quoted from source material. Allow time to verify the accuracy of all sources and how they are used.