Introduction to Plagiarism
Plagiarism, which is a form of Academic Dishonesty, is a serious issue on university campuses, including Nicholls State University. The penalties for plagiarism can be devastating to the student who is caught, ranging from the grade of “F” on an assignment, to a failing grade for the course, to expulsion from the university, depending upon the severity of the offense. Therefore, Ellender Memorial Library has created this plagiarism page, which includes a plagiarism tutorial, links to plagiarism stories in the news, and a link to the CQ Researcher’s special edition on plagiarism, in order to help students recognize what constitutes plagiarism, what the ramifications of plagiarizing can be, and how to avoid even unintentional plagiarism.
Plagiarism in the News
From college students, to university administrators, to scholars, to musicians, to reporters, no one is immune from the dangers of plagiarism. Links in this section will give students and their professors a sense of how pervasive plagiarism has become in the United States, and what the ramification are when a writer is caught plagiarizing. It underscores the seriousness of the offense, as it chronicles lost jobs, or at the very least a loss of professional standing for the guilty party: Plagiarism in the News
CQ Researcher Article (PDF)
FROM CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY, INC.: “Forty-eight University of Virginia students quit or were expelled recently for plagiarism. New York Times reporter Jayson Blair plagiarized or fabricated parts of more than three-dozen articles. Best-selling historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Stephen Ambrose were accused of stealing from other writers. Journalists and educators alike call plagiarism a growing problem, and many say the Internet is partly to blame. Studies show 90 percent of college students know plagiarism is wrong, but educators say so many do it anyway because in today’s ethical climate they consider plagiarism trivial compared to well-publicized instances of political and corporate dishonesty. Other educators say many high-school students don’t understand — or were never taught — about copyright regulations and how to properly cite sources.” “Combating Plagiarism.” CQ Researcher 13.32 (Sept. 19, 2003): 773-796.
Link to PDF full text: Combating Plagiarism
Helpful Links
The following links, which are not listed in the interactive tutorial, will also provide some helpful information about plagiarism and how to avoid its pitfalls: Helpful Plagiarism Websites
Plagiarism Resources in Ellender Memorial
The following bibliography, sorted by Dewey call number, will provide a helpful list of books and e-books about plagiarism and how to avoid its pitfalls. Each of these items is located in the Ellender Memorial Library collection: Plagiarism Bibliography