Avoiding plagiarism

Your paper should be written by you, even if you are asked to explain something from
the book or to do some research. Work on putting things in your own words to
demonstrate your understanding of the material. You may want to grab a few select
quotes from any source(s) assigned, but keep it to no more than about 10% of your
essay or paper; this is a general guideline for college work. Be sure to use quotation
marks when taking more than 3 words in a row from the text or any source, even for
definitions.
I know that you can’t explain things as well as a professional philosopher, but the point
is to show how well you understand things, to learn through trying to explain things
yourself, and to gradually improve your writing skills throughout your college education.
Being able to find information in the book or on the internet is not the same as
understanding it and being able to explain and/or apply it. Resist the temptation to
barely paraphrase your source; after you get a few quotes to use, put it away when
you’re writing your own sentences. You can always check back when you’re done with a
paragraph or two, to make sure you’re on the right track. Be sure to follow assignment
instructions regarding what sources, if any, you’re supposed to use for the assignment.
All work will be run through a plagiarism checker which compares your essays and
papers to web pages, books, articles, and previous student essays for this class and
submitted by other professors for this and other classes.
In this course, any instance of academic dishonesty would typically earn an
automatic failing grade for the course. In minor instances of plagiarism, it may
earn a 0 for the assignment, or a 0 for the assignment and a whole grade
reduction of the final course grade (such as C to B). Cheating and flagrant or
repeated plagiarism can also result in academic suspension or other institutional
sanctions. Flagrant plagiarism includes using an essay for sale or free essays site,
having someone else write your essay, or turning in someone else's paper as your own.
If you have questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, see the information
on academic honesty in the syllabus, or ask me for clarification.