STUDY AND WRITING SKILLS
124
12.5
STUDY SKILLS
PLAGIARISM – WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO AVOID IT
1
Work with a partner and discuss the questions.
1
What is plagiarism?
2
Can you give an example of plagiarism?
2
12.1
You are going to see a video of four
postgraduate students. They are taking part in a panel
discussion on plagiarism which has been organised by
the Student Union. Watch the first part of the video
and make notes on George’s definition of plagiarism.
Then compare it with your definition from Exercise 1.
8
Work in small groups and decide which of the
following are examples of plagiarism.
1
Quoting from a text without mentioning the name
of the author.
2
Cutting and pasting a paragraph from a website
without acknowledging the source.
3
Rewriting a sentence from another text in your
own words.
4
Copying material from another student for an essay
or report.
5
Taking a graph or a chart from a book, giving the source.
6
Rephrasing an idea from another source without
acknowledgment.
7
Using information that you consider to be general
knowledge.
8
Quoting from another source, but misspelling the
author’s name.
9
Discussing an essay with your colleagues and using
some of their ideas in your writing.
10
Using the results of your own research, e.g. from
questionnaires, without giving the source.
9
These examples show the difference between acceptable
paraphrasing and plagiarism. Work with a partner and
discuss whether each version is an example of plagiarism.
Should labelling of GMO foods be enforced by law?
Consumer groups argue that consumers have the right
to know what they are eating. Opposition to such laws
comes from the food industry, speciϐically GMO seed
manufacturers. Their argument is that labelling will be
inϐlationary since the costs are passwed on to customers.
However, in countries where labelling is enforced, there
has been no evidence of higher food prices.
The GMO food debate. Parsons G (2015)
3
Watch the first part again. Choose the reasons
mentioned by the panel to describe why plagiarising
is serious.
1
It is unfair and deceives people.
2
It shows a lack of respect to writers.
3
It is not a correct way of behaving.
4
Students should present their own ideas.
5
It enables students to get high grades.
4
12.2
Watch the second part of the discussion.
Match each example below with the correct speaker
(S = Sophia, L = Li, I = Ismet, G = George).
1
copying, with no quotation marks or references
2
giving in a piece of writing that someone else has
produced
3
using too many words from the original text
4
using other writers’ ideas without acknowledging
the source
5
Watch the second part again. Work with a partner
and discuss the questions.
1
Who thinks that their example of plagiarism is the
most serious?
2
How would you rank the above examples in order of
seriousness? (1 = least serious, 4 = most serious)
6
12.3
Watch the third part and make notes on
the four reasons for plagiarising that the panel give.
Compare your notes with a partner.
7
Work with a partner. Do you think that the software
available, such as Turnitin, will stop plagiarism?
Why?/Why not?
Original
Version A
There is an argument about whether or not GMO
foods should be labelled or not. The main difference
of opinion is between consumer groups, who say they
should be and GMO food producers, who claim this
would cause prices to rise, despite evidence to the
contrary.
Version B
There is a question about whether the labelling of
GMO foods should be enforced. Consumer groups say
that consumers have the right to know what is in the
food they eat. The manufacturers of GMO seeds are
opposed to the idea and say that it would make food
more expensive. In fact, food prices haven’t gone up in
countries where labelling is enforced.
Version C
Parsons (2015) looks at the argument for labelling
set out by consumer groups and the main argument
against put forward by the food industry. He then
shows that the food manufacturers’ argument that
it would cause food prices to increase is disproved by
evidence from countries where labelling is enforced.
Version D
Consumer groups think that GMO food should be
labelled. They say consumers should know what is
in their food. GMO seed manufacturers are against
labelling laws. They say that the price of food would go
up. Actually, in countries with labelling, prices aren’t
higher than before.
