2. Respect for intellectual property
Many hours of work go towards the creation of a
document. Once you have created this document it is
yours and no one may claim that it is not. It is only right
for you to give credit to the person(s) who created the
document.
I tell students that all works, text or image, should include
a reference as a matter of respect to the creator. Respect
of another's work is the key consideration.
I explain it as giving credit where credit is due.
3. Credibility
It strengthens your claim by pointing to its support in the
work of others.
[You] need solid support from the research literature to
back up any claims [you] make.
Readers will want to know if your arguments are based on
anything more than your own words.
It strengthens your paper and shows good research
practices if you cite credible sources.
4. Integrity
Reminding people, and demonstrating, that integrity matters.
In science the whole process would totally collapse if we
didn't have a high degree of integrity.
You explain the need to cite sources as the way to maintain
your integrity . . .
Either you are maintaining your integrity, or you are not.
My plagiarism policy is "Integrity is mandatory"
5. Theft
It's lying and stealing.
I explain that it is basically intellectual theft . . .
I tell them if they don't they are stealing.
You would never think of stealing someone's money or
belongings. Why would you steal their ideas or words?
An idea I hope they understand is that when you are the
one that did the writing it is a product of your own effort.
If someone copies that from you it would feel as if they
stole something from you.
6. Deception
Citing a source acknowledges the work of other people
rather than attempts to conceal the way that you have
benefited from them.
Sometimes students actually intend to present another's
words or ideas as their own, knowing full well that they are
not. This is academic dishonesty and an egregious form of
plagiarism.
Plagiarism is using another person's ideas or words in a
way that leads others to believe they are your own ideas
or words.
7. Work Ethic
Citing demonstrates academic effort.
Laziness: Some students would rather not put more work
into a class than they have to.
A student may be unable to paraphrase or too lazy to
paraphrase. Ignorance. Laziness.
. . . laziness, starting the assignment too late and using
plagiarism to hurry up the process.
Students seem to think that the final product is all that is
important and may be gotten by any means. They do not
see individual effort as important.
8. “These are the rules”
I do not explain, I just require it.
Published materials are subject to copyright laws. If
students violate these laws by copying without citation,
they are committing a crime.
Sometimes students don't understand the rules for citing
the work of others.
It does not matter what country a student comes from, they
are here learning our way and our cultural rights and
wrongs. They need to meet American standards.
10. Avoid academic consequences
To take credit for work another person has done in order to
obtain a better grade in a course or to come off as smarter,
better informed than you are.
In some cultures, it is more shameful to turn in a bad paper
and receive a bad grade than to present someone else's
work as one's own and receive a good grade.
11. The easy way out
Time and stress: Students may be overloaded with
homework and want to get an assignment "out of the
way" as soon as possible.
Laziness: Some students would rather not put more work
into a class than they have to.
Ignorance. Laziness.
Because it is easy and fast or because you don't know
that you are
copying.
12. Lack understanding
Lack of understanding of the material (so it is difficult to
put into your own words).
If you don't have enough depth of knowledge to explain
something in your own words.
