Unit 2: Plagiarism

Parte Uno

                  Read over each of the following passages, and respond on your own or as a class as to  

                 whether or not it uses citations accurately. If it doesn't, what would you do to improve the

                  passage so it's properly cited?

1. Last summer, my family and I traveled to Chicago, which was quite different from the rural area I grew up in. We saw the dinosaur Sue at the Field Museum, and ate pizza at Gino's East.

Citation not needed. This was an observation of the writer his or herself.

2. Americans want to create a more perfect union; they also want to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for everybody.

Citation may be needed.  While this may indede be considered common knowledge, as it is an opinion of the writer of what Americans "want," it has the feel of a quote, or otherwise quoted ideas.

3. I find it ridiculous that 57% of high school students think their teachers assign too much homework.

Citation needed.  Where did the writer discover this specific statistic?

                  Numbers 4, 5, and 6 all refer to the following passage from Martin Luther King's "Letter  

                  from the Birmingham Jail":

You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.

4. Martin Luther King was certain that nobody would want to be contented with a surfacy type of social analysis that concerns itself only with effects and doesn't deal with root causes.

Aknowledgment needed, as this is a thinly worded paraphrase, but it is a paraphrase none the less.

5. Martin Luther King wrote that the city of Birmingham's "white power structure" left African-Americans there "no alternative" but to demonstrate ("Letter from the Birmingham Jail" para. 5). 

Cited correctly

6. In "Letter from the Birmingham Jail," King writes to fellow clergy saying that although they "deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, your statement fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations."

Citation needed.  This is a direct quote, even if partially rearranged. Merely rearranging words or substituting words is plagiarizing.

7. My friend Kara told me that she loves living so close to the ocean.

Citation not needed, as this is an observation of the writer.  Or citation needed, if this is to be considered an "Interview" of Miss Kara.

8. Americans are guaranteed the right to freely gather for peaceful meetings.

Citation not needed, as this is common knowledge in America.

Parte Dos.

For the final element of this assignment, please write a paragraph summarizing what you’ve learn and what steps you’ll be taking to make sure that you avoid plagiarism throughout your academic career.


What I've learned is that citations can be beyond belief confusing.  There are a few nuances to ensuring that you are not actually plagiarizing someone else's work, but putting forth your ideas as inspired by their work.  If you feel that direct quotes will be a much more powerful tool in your paper, by all means do use them, but give the credit where it is due. I, myself, intend to visit the writing center and have my paper peer reviewed by the tutors and professoras there to ensure I have cited properly.
Chau