| In order to understand plagiarism, it is | | | | you to write a paper in which you analyze one |
| worthwhile to understand and respect the | | | | or more aspects of what you just read. Thus |
| process of sharing and creating new ideas in | | | | your opportunity to explore the new structure |
| the university setting. First, it should be | | | | you build. If that is too abstract, let's |
| understood that all knowledge is built from | | | | keep it simple. When instructors are asking |
| previous knowledge. Very little that we do | | | | you to site your work they really want to |
| within the world of academics or business | | | | know the following things: |
| would be possible if it were not for those | | | | |
| who went before us. As we read, study, | | | | Â- First and foremost they want to know |
| experiment, and gather perspectives, we are | | | | that you actually read the assigned work. |
| merely "standing on the shoulders of giants". | | | | |
| This is not to say that all that can be | | | | Â- Second, they want to see that you have |
| learned has been, it just simply means you | | | | a clear understanding of the material you've |
| realize the process of knowledge is less | | | | been asked to read. By the time you reach |
| about the individual and more about fields of | | | | university the instructor's job is to |
| study. However, by building on other people's | | | | challenge you as a student, not simply supply |
| ideas, we hopefully create our own original | | | | you with facts. |
| thought. | | | | |
| | | | Â- Third, professors want to see you |
| So what happens when you put your ideas down | | | | refer to your sources to support the ideas |
| on paper? When you do this your instructors | | | | you have developed. Professors will generally |
| will be able to distinguish between the | | | | only assign books or essays by authors that |
| building block ideas borrowed from other | | | | they respect. Thus citing specific pieces of |
| people and your own newly reasoned | | | | an authors work gives the professor a chance |
| perspectives or conclusions. When you write a | | | | to see whether or not you were able to pick |
| research paper or essay you make these | | | | out the key concepts. |
| distinctions by citing the sources for your | | | | |
| building block ideas. On a side note, giving | | | | Â- Fourth, and probably the most |
| clear credit for your ideas matters in the | | | | important, professors want to see that you |
| professional community as well as the | | | | can distinguish your analysis from the |
| academic community. | | | | author's analyses. Anyone can recite, but |
| | | | analysis takes more work. |
| So why are professors so strict about citing | | | | |
| sources? Think of it this way: in the vast | | | | Lastly, remember that when you cite a source |
| majority of assignments you'll be assigned | | | | you are using an expert's ideas as proof or |
| while attending university, your instructors | | | | evidence of your new idea. It is important to |
| will ask you to read something. OK, easy | | | | communicate this clearly to the reader. Do |
| enough. These assigned books, journals, | | | | not think of sources as a way of filling your |
| essays, and papers are the building blocks | | | | paper with random facts, professors want to |
| for your new thought. Upon reading you | | | | know what you think. |
| assigned work, generally the next step is for | | | | |