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How to Guarantee You Will Fail this Class
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Put simply, plagiarism is intellectual theft. It is the use of someone else's ideas, writing or research in your own work *without* marking it as such and giving credit to the original author. As such, plagiarism is both theft (stealing someone else's work) and deceit (presenting that work as your own). Obviously, there are gradations of plagiarism. These range from the complete theft of an entire work to borrowing a few key phrases or sentences without properly attributing them to the rightful author and originator.
Even if the work has not been published (for example, is another student's paper), submitting any portion of that work as your own is still plagiarism. Also, copying a passage off a whole website without marking it as a quotation and citing the source is plagiarism. Purchasing papers is also considered plagiarism! Putting someone else's work "into your own words," without acknowledging the source is *still* plagiarism. You cannot simply change a few words and make someone else's work your own.
Assembling a paper from a variety of sources without attribution (which is sometimes called "patchwork" plagiarism) is still plagiarism. Some plagiarism is simply the result of lazy or sloppy research and scholarship in which the author forgets to adequately mark quotations and provide proper citations for them. Since it is impossible for an instructor to determine whether an incident of plagiarism is malicious or careless, it is up to you to properly document your research and writing.
What is the penalty?
If I bust you for plagiarism (and believe me, I will), I will have no mercy upon your soul and will do everything in my power to ensure the following three things:
1. You will fail the class.
2. The incident will be noted on your permanent record.
3. I will work to have you expelled from the University of Memphis (or your home institution, if different), as well as rescind any financial aid or work study funding you may be receiving.
But I'm an honest student, really! How can I be sure to avoid plagiarism and save my grade?
Research with care, documenting your process and noting the source of all quotations and ideas. Keep copies of everything you access, just in case. Organize your paper in an original way. Do not copy the format and structure of someone else's paper.
Edit your paper carefully to ensure that it contains only your own work and that all quotations are properly marked. You *MUST* put quotations inside quotation marks. (""). The source, then would be specified with a footnote or other citation, such as: (Wilson, 987). Do not assemble a paper from long quotations. You must demostrate that you understand the material, not that you can quote someone else. This skill is critical to earning a good grade in any history class.
In short --- If you're not sure, CITE IT!!!
Now that you've read my sermon, you still must do two things in order for me to grade your work for the course:
1. If you are an online student, you must email me stating your name and that you have read and understand this policy. My reply to your message is your proof that I have received your message. If you *don't* receive my acknowledgement within 48 hours, please follow up with me until you do. This is to serve both of us as a form of insurance.
-- If you are an on-site student (this includes any class with face-to-face contact with the instructor), you must print this sheet and complete the form on this page. Then you must include this in your course notebook to be submitted at the end of the semester.
2. On site students US Survey students and History of Immigration students must also register at www.turnitin.com with the respective ID and password which I will provide. This is anti-plagiarism software that will not only check your work for authenticity, it also offers tools to help you make your work even better by pointing out possible problem areas. We'll talk more about this in class soon.
3. On site students must also go to this page, print off the agreement, sign it and bring it to me so I can sign it as well.
Many thanks are due to Dr. Stephen Stein of the University of Memphis, for allowing me to reproduce portions of his original work on this topic here.