Technical Report Writing

Sara Anwar

Classes BSSE Semester IV

Credit Hours ( 3)
What it is and how to avoid it.
 Key Learning Objectives
After this chapter, you should be able
to know:
 What is plagiarism?
 What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words, ideas
or images as your own. 

Plagiarism is dishonest, unethical, and illegal!

“Intentionally or knowingly representing the

words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in
any academic exercise” (CSUN 2010-2012 Catalog,
Appendix E)
 Plagiarism is…
misrepresenting the ideas, expression of
ideas or work of others as one's own. It
includes reproducing or paraphrasing
portions of someone else's published or
unpublished material, regardless of the
source, and representing these as one's own
thinking by not acknowledging the
appropriate source or by the failure to use
appropriate quotation marks.
 Plagiarism is…

often unintentional. Many students

worry that they will inadvertently
commit plagiarism, by citing
improperly or by losing track of
what ideas are their own.
 Examples
◦ using direct, verbatim quotations*, paraphrased material,
algorithms, formulae, scientific or mathematical concepts, or
ideas without appropriate acknowledgment in any academic
assignment;

◦ submission of a take-home examination, essay, laboratory

report or other assignment written, in whole or in part, by
someone else;
◦ using another’s data or research findings;
◦ buying or selling term papers or assignments;
◦ submitting a computer program developed in whole or in part
by someone else

*This includes personal interviews, presentations and

online discussions
Intentional vs. Unintentional Plagiarism
Unintentional
 Using minimal or careless
paraphrasing
 Failing to document or “cite”
properly
 Quoting excessively
 Failing to use your own “voice” to
present information or ideas
Intentional
 Copying a friend’s work
 Buying or borrowing papers
 Cutting and pasting text from sources
without giving credit
 “Borrowing” media without giving
credit
 Publishing on the web without the
permission of the original creators
 The Spectrum of Offenses

Possibly Deliberate
Unintentional Plagiarism
Plagiarism

Using a Building on Copying from Hiring Buying,

source too someone’s another source someone to stealing, or
closely when ideas without without citing write your borrowing a
paraphrasing citation (on purpose or paper paper
by accident)
 Discussion Question

Why should we be concerned about

it?
 Because…
 If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself.
You don’t learn to write out your thoughts in your own words,
and you don’t get specific feedback geared to your individual
needs and skills.
Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to basketball
practice for you – you’ll never get the benefit of the practice
yourself.
 Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents
the work of another as your own.
 Plagiarism devalues others' original work.

Submitting another writer's work as yours is taking an unfair

advantage over students who do their own work.
 Because…
It is wrong to take or use property (an author's
work) without giving the owner the value or credit
due.

Copyright violations can result in fines or legal

damages.

Plagiarism can result in suspension or expulsion.

Plagiarism affects the value of your degree and can
make your degree worth less. 
 Consequences

ZERO credit for work

Could mean expulsion, depending on school
 Resources
 Kagan, Jocelyn, and Susan Victor. "Plagiarism WebQuest." www.BucciTeacher.com. Mr. Bucci, Web. 18
Feb 2010. <http://www.bucciteacher.com/IS/plagiarism/plagiarism.htm>.

 "Plagiarism." University of West Alabama. Web. 18 Feb 2010. <library.uwa.edu/Help/Plagiarism.ppt>.

 "Plagiarism - Don't Do It!." Marcos de Niza High School Learning Resources and Technology Center.
Web. 18 Feb 2010. <www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/mdn/Depts/Departments/lrc/plagiarism.ppt>.

 "Son of Citation Machine." Son of Citation Machine. David Warlick & The Landmark Project , Web. 18
Feb 2010. <http://citationmachine.net/>.

 "Student Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism." Education World. 2002. Education World, Web. 18 Feb 2010.
<http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/TM/curr390_guide.shtml>.

 "What is plagiarism? (And why you should care!)." School District of Springfield Township. Web. 18
Feb 2010. <www.sdst.org/shs/library/powerpoint/plagiarism.ppt>.
 Key Terms
Intentional Plagiarism
Unintentional Plagiarism
 Lecture Summary
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words, ideas or
images as your own. 

Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the

work of another as your own.