How can colleges prevent plagiarism

This can happen to anyone but, since it can result in a potential hearing and even dismissal, one way to avoid plagiarism or any questionable issue is to use plagiarism detection software. Saint Leo University uses Turnitin for this purpose. Turnitin checks your writing against all other published works and identifies if any information is included in your document that is uncited or improperly referenced.

Other plagiarism checkers and detection software can be found online. Some of these charge a fee to use them and others are available for free. Another proven way on how to avoid plagiarism is to share your own thoughts and ideas. Admittedly, this is easier if you are writing a discussion post for one of your classes in an online degree program or if you have an assignment that asks your thoughts or opinion.

Finally, if you are ever confused about when you need to cite your sources and when you are okay to leave references or citations out, ask your course instructor. Share the specifics of the information you wish to provide and let him or her help you decide whether a citation must be used or if it is original enough to stand on its own.

In the end, you can avoid plagiarism by being cautious about what material you use and how you present it. This should also give you the motivation to spend a little more time reading and researching content and then putting it into your own words.

Skip to main content. It can also occur when an author attributes information or data to a primary source, but fails to cite a secondary source on purpose. According to Dr. There are two categories when it comes to the repercussions of plagiarism: academic and legal. For students, academic consequences are the most common.

However, if the violation is also a copyright infringement, and the rights holder decided to press charges, there will also be legal consequences. The consequences of plagiarism depend on the seriousness and persistence of the offense, on university policy, and on the discretion of faculty. The consequences of plagiarism at the university level may include the following:.

Students who plagiarize face the possibility of legal consequences when the violation also counts as copyright infringement. For copyright infringement, the legal penalties are as follows:.

There are multiple scenarios in which the issue of plagiarism may come up for you as an online student. You could get involved in a study group and a member of the group could steal your words or ideas without your knowledge. Or, you could be victim of cyber-theft. Simply save your work to a hard drive after you first finish. This will automatically put a date and time-stamp on your work. If a group sharing session turns into a plagiarism session, you can provide evidence that you wrote your piece before the group session took place.

To avoid cyber-theft, acquaint yourself with the best practices of digital citizenship and cyber security. It will be obvious to your professor if you make a good-faith effort to avoid plagiarism and simply make a mistake. Additionally, it is worthwhile to make use of plagiarism checkers to help you catch accidental plagiarism.

Skip to main content. Apply Program Guide. What Is the Definition of Plagiarism? Copyright Infringement vs. Plagiarism Copyright infringement and plagiarism overlap, but there is a fine-grained difference due to the existence of copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of the law because copyright law states that once you give tangible form to an idea — whether it takes the form of art, writing, photography, or digital code — it becomes your property.

This applies to works that are no longer under copyright law. Accidental Plagiarism Accidental plagiarism occurs when you include information from a source or paraphrase a source but forget to provide attribution.

Direct Plagiarism Direct plagiarism is cut-and-dried. Example : Original text: Whether writing about past trauma, significant life events or empty-nest syndrome, we as writers feel compelled to put our experiences eloquently into words and share our stories with the world. Self-Plagiarism Self-plagiarism is the act of using your exact words from a previous assignment and passing them off as new.

Source-based Plagiarism Source-based plagiarism occurs when an author attributes a quote, paraphrase, or other form of intellectual property to a false or nonexistent source. Consequences of Plagiarism There are two categories when it comes to the repercussions of plagiarism: academic and legal. Academic Consequences of Plagiarism for College Students The consequences of plagiarism depend on the seriousness and persistence of the offense, on university policy, and on the discretion of faculty.

The consequences of plagiarism at the university level may include the following: You could fail the assignment in question. You could receive a lower grade or a failing grade in the course. Preventing rather than punishing In the second stage of the project, the partnership aims to develop materials that will offer solutions to plagiarism.

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