Plagiarism

These things ALSO count as plagiarism:

• Buying papers from the internet.
• Using papers that your friends wrote last semester.
• Using papers you wrote for other classes.

While all of this probably sounds like common sense, it is worth repeating. Simply put, don't use anything you did not create specifically for the assignment you are currently working on. The risk isn't worth it.

These examples are fairly obvious, but there are many others that can be difficult to recognize and avoid. 

All the examples below are taken from the same book. Here is the MLA citation: 

Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Crown Publishers, 2012. ​

Sometimes the author does say it best. It is perfectly acceptable to exactly copy something the author wrote - a sentence or even multiple sentences - as long as you use quotation marks around the direct quote and provide a citation.

Use quotations sparingly, though. Instructors do not want to read papers that are just a series of quotes strung together, as this does not demonstrate your own thoughts or writing. Choose your quotations wisely to enhance your paper without drowning out your own voice.

Original paragraph:

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely noticed a similar phenomenon when he conducted a study asking thirty-nine participants to solve anagram puzzles, either alone at their desks or with others watching. Ariely predicted that the participants would do better in public because they'd be more motivated. But they performed worse. An audience may be rousing, but it's also stressful. (Cain 90)

Your paragraph:

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely noticed a similar phenomenon when he conducted a study asking thirty-nine participants to solve anagram puzzles.  Some completed the tasks alone but others were being watched by an audience.  Ariely theorized that those being watched would be motivated to perform better but his study showed they performed worse due to the stress of being watched. (Cain 90)

Why is this plagiarism?

Note that the passages in red both contain the same language word for word. This is plagiarism, even with the end of the sentence being left off and with a citation provided.  This sentence would need to be rewritten or to use quotation marks around the direct quote to be acceptable.

Copying a section of text and then just switching a few words around still counts as plagiarism. You cannot just substitute a few synonyms into a sentence to avoid plagiarism, even if you do provide a citation. 

Original paragraph:

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely noticed a similar phenomenon when he conducted a study asking thirty-nine participants to solve anagram puzzles, either alone at their desks or with others watching. Ariely predicted that the participants would do better in public because they'd be more motivated. But they performed worse. An audience may be rousing, but it's also stressful. (Cain 90)

Your paragraph:

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely saw a similar phenomenon when he conducted a study asking thirty-nine people to solve anagram puzzles, either by themselves at their desks or with others observing. Ariely predicted that the participants would do better being watched because they'd be more motivated. But they actually performed worse. An audience may be motivating, but it's also stressful. (Cain 90)

Why is this plagiarism?

The words in red are either added in or a synonym for the word it replaced.  While the  rewritten paragraph is not an exact copy, it is so close that it might as well be. To use the original properly, either add quotations around the original text as written, or rewrite the main idea into your own words and provide a citation in both cases.

Copying the style of an author's work by following the order or structure of the author's work is plagiarising.  When you use an author's ideas with credit, you still need to include your own voice and writing style. Instructors want to see your original writing style - not someone else's.

Original passage:

Osborn's "rules" of brainstorming were meant to neutralize this anxiety, but studies show that the fear of public humiliation is a potent force. During the 1988-89 basketball season, for example, two NCAA basketball teams played eleven games without any spectators, owing to a measles outbreak that led their schools to quarantine all students. Both teams played much better (higher free-throw percentages, for example) without any fans, even adoring home-team fans, to unnerve them.

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely noticed a similar phenomenon when he conducted a study asking thirty-nine participants to solve anagram puzzles, either alone at their desks or with others watching. Ariely predicted that the participants would do better in public because they'd be more motivated. But they performed worse. An audience may be rousing, but it's also stressful.

The problem with evaluation apprehension is that there's not much we can do about it. You'd think you could overcome it with will or training or a set of group process rules like Alex Osborn's. But recent research in neuroscience suggests that the fear of judgment runs much deeper and has more far-reaching implications than we ever imagined. (Cain 90)

Your passage:

Fear of being humiliated in public is very real and powerful. This can be seen in the example of two NCAA basketball teams that played eleven home games without spectators due to an epidemic.  They performed better without anyone watching.  Behavioral economist Dan Ariely found support for this idea in a study he conducted in which thirty-nine people have to solve anagram puzzles, some by themselves and others in view of the public.  Those who were alone did better, much like the basketball players in the empty stadium.  Research suggests there is not much we can do about this fear and apprehension; it is difficult to train yourself to avoid it. (Cain 90)

Why is it plagiarism?

The information is presented in the same order, copying the style and tone of the original. The single paragraph is just a compilation of the three original paragraphs. Avoid this by including more of your own thoughts and ideas on the matter or by incorporating another source to further support your position.