Plagiarism

Plagiarism Schelssinger Video Notes 

Program Summary

Taking someone else’s ideas without acknowledgment is called plagiarism, and people who participate in plagiarism are regarded as academic thieves. Plagiarism can be intentional, such as when a student downloads a research paper from a web site, or unintentional, such as when a student incorrectly documents a quote. Students can avoid plagiarism by following these key points while conducting research:

1. Organize time requirements and use good note-taking strategies Students should plan due dates for completing steps of a research process to avoid a last-minute panic. Notes should involve documenting source information on source cards, placing factual information taken from others on clearly-identified note cards, labeling print-outs and using graphic orga- nizers to organize thoughts and ideas.

2. Use quotes, paraphrases and summaries correctly A researcher needs to gather and use credible information to support a research project. Quotations give strong support to arguments and are placed within quotation marks. Paraphrases combine others’ ideas with your own, are a good way to avoid overusing quotations, and can present information in a student’s own voice. Summaries are used to gather infor- mation from one or many sources with similar ideas into a main idea and are much shorter in length than the original sources.

3. Use correct documentation and citation All source material, like quotes, paraphrases and summaries, needs to be documented using correct citation. Many schools use the MLA style of citation. All sources directly used in a research project, such as quotes and paraphrases, are cited using in-text documentation and placed on a “works cited” list. Other sources, such as summaries that have been used for back- ground knowledge, are cited on a “works consulted” list.

Students who follow these key points during the research process not only avoid plagiarism, but are regarded as having high academic integrity and are trusted in the academic world.

Vocabulary

The following words are included for teacher reference and for use with students to refresh and extend the subject matter in the show.

academic integrity — A quality or value of being honest and responsible in the educational world.

citation — A reference to the author of a given work which can include name, title, page number, publishing information and date.

common knowledge — General facts that do not have to be documented. For example, Lincoln was our 16th president.

graphic organizer — A visual way to organize information about a piece of writing. Flow-charts, outlines and concept maps are examples of graphic orga- nizers. 

in-text (in-project, parenthetical) citation — A way to reference a source by giving immediate source information and authority without interrupting the flow of the project.

MLA (Modern Language Association) — An organization that provides guidelines for documenting and citing sources during a research project. This style is used in many high schools.The APA (American Psychological Association) is an example of another organization that provides citation guidelines.

paraphrase — To re-work the ideas, words, phrases and sentence structures of others and retell them in your own words. Sources used in paraphrases need to be documented.

plagiarize — To present the words and ideas of someone else as your own, without giving credit.

research process — The steps students take in research: asking good, focused questions; searching strategically; locating, evaluating, analyzing, syn- thesizing, and documenting information; and communicating new knowl- edge.

summarize — To combine the main ideas of one or several authors, using your own words, into a significantly shorter form. Sources used in summaries need to be documented.

quote —To speak or write the exact words of others. Quotes are written within quotation marks and need to be documented.

works cited list — A compilation of all sources used within a research project. All quotes and paraphrases are included on this list. 

works consulted list — A compilation of all sources used in preparing a research project.These sources include summaries and background information.

Discussion Questions

1. What is plagiarism? What are the different kinds of plagiarism? What are some penalties for plagiarizing?

2. Discuss the use of source and note cards during the research process. How can you organize and label information on these cards to avoid plagiarism?

3. How can graphic organizers help you to avoid plagiarism?

4. What are the differences and similarities between quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing? Give examples of each.

5. Discuss the sources that would appear on a “works cited” list and a “works consulted”list.What is the difference between these lists?

Finding Experts

Finding experts on your topic:

UCLA

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/faculty-experts.aspx

USC

http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/experts/

Cal Tech

http://media.caltech.edu/experts_guide

Students should attach a resume to their mentor request letters/emails.

Resume Handout and URL

http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc/resumes

Week 3 Expo Comp 2012

Week 3 Class Work and Homework Expo Comp

Day	Class Work	Homework
Monday	Letter of Intent due at beginning of class Video on Research Basics Steps in Research Process Senior Project Survival Guide should be brought to class.	Begin Research for 20 Note cards due Thursday
Tuesday	FF Activity 23 KWL Chart Checklist and Action Plan Video	Going For The Look (GFL) Unit: Bring Magazine Ad for clothing to class
Wednesday	GFL Activity 1 Video	GFL Activity 2 and 3 Twenty Note cards due on General Project Research
Thursday	GFL Activity 4 and 5 Video	GFL Activity 6 and 7 Highlight and Annotate Text Twenty Note cards Due on Topic I.
Friday	Vacation	Vacation

Evaluating Sources

EVALUATING SOURCES SCHELSSINGER VIDEO SERIES 

Evaluating Sources Grades 7–12

Through the Internet and print sources, students now have access to billions of pieces of information.The ability to select and use the best of this information to answer a question or to support a choice is an essential life skill.This series guides students to use a variety of search techniques, evaluation strategies and organizational plans to produce high quality research products. Each episode addresses the recursive cycle of the research process as sup- ported by the American Library Association’s standards for “information literacy”:

• Identify the question or focus

 • Search and access a variety of sources 

• Select, analyze and evaluate resources 

• Analyze and synthesize information 

• Communicate and present information 

• Evaluate the product and the process

Program Summary

The Web and print sources allow students access to billions of pieces of infor- mation, but unfortunately not all of it, especially on the Web, is reliable. Evaluating these information sources is an essential research skill that is used throughout a lifetime. In Evaluating Sources, students demonstrate how to find reliable information from electronic and print sources by using the system of CARRDSS, a mnemonic device that can be a useful tool in evaluation:

.gov — A U.S. government site

 .int — An international institution

. .mil — A U.S. military site

. .museum — A museum

. .name — An individual Internet user

. .net — A network service provider; Internet administrative site

. .org — An organization, often non-profit.These sites can provide accu- rate information, but usually have bias

. .pro — A professional’s site.

~ (tilde) or % — A personal site that varies in its credibility. 

Vocabulary

The following words are included for teacher reference and for use with students to refresh and extend the subject matter in the show.

bias — A personal judgment. 

evaluation —The act of determining the value or worth of something by careful study or observation.

free Web — The part of the Web that is accessible by search engines.

hyperlink — The “hot” part of a Web page (which might be highlighted text, an image, a table, etc.) that links users to another part of a web page or another document on the Web.

link check — A technique used in web site evaluation that locates and examines the quality of sites by showing what sites are linked to a specific URL. Perform a link check by typing “link:” followed by the site address. 

subscription databases — Web-based services that offer premium content inaccessible by standard search engines. URL (Uniform Resource Locator) — The address of the web site, usually beginning with“http://...” 

web site — An organized collection of web pages. World Wide Web (WWW, the Web) — A global collection of information on the Internet that can be read and interacted with by a computer.

Discussion Questions

1.Why does the Web present special challenges to the process of evaluation? 

2.Why is it important to evaluate your own research? 

3. How can you evaluate sites by using result lists?

 4.What is bias? How can it affect your research?

Follow-Up Activities

• Select three to five sites relating to a school subject that students are currently studying. Have the students work in groups to evaluate these sites and rank them according to their quality of information for their specific purpose.

• Students can create a visual display of CARRDSS. Post the display for easy reference during research work.

• Evaluation of the students’ own research is a critical component of the research process. Divide students into pairs to discuss how they can use CARRDSS with their own product.

Credibility — The quality and capacity of belief. 

• Who is the author? What are his or her credentials?

Experience? Affiliations? 

• What evidence is offered of his or her knowledge?

Education?

Accuracy — Freedom from mistake and error. 

• Can facts, statistics or other information be verified through other

sources?

 • Do there appear to be errors on the page (i.e., spelling, grammar,

facts)? 

Reliability —The extent to which a source gives the same information as other sources.

• Does the source present a particular view or bias? • Is the information affiliated with an organization that has a particu-

lar political or social agenda? 

Relevance — The relationship to the focused topic or question.

• Does the information directly support the thesis or help to answer the question?

• Can it be eliminated or ignored because it simply does not help? Date —The time at which an information source is published or pro- duced.

• Does this project need current, up-to-date information?

• When was this Web page created? When was it last updated?

Source — A primary reference work or point of origin.

• Is the information based on primary or secondary sources? 

• Did the author document his or her sources? 

• What kind of links or further reading did the author choose?

Scope & purpose —The range of information on a given topic and the reason behind its creation.

• Does this source address the thesis in a comprehensive or periph- eral way?

• Is it material that can easily be read and understood?

These questions should be posed each time a research source is considered. If a source does not pass any element of the CARRDS test, it should not be used. 

Another strategy designed for evaluating Web content is to examine the end, or suffix of a domain name, to help gauge the validity of the information and potential bias. The suffix identifies who the source of information is and therefore what their purpose in conveying information might be.The most familiar is .com, a commercial site.The purpose of a commercial site is to sell a product or service, so there is a built-in bias that you must be aware of. Other examples include:

.ac — An educational institution (like .edu). .biz — A business that could be trying to sell a product or service. .edu — A school, university, museum, or educational site.

Organizing Research

Organizing Research by Schlesseinger Media ( Video Series) 

"Organizing Research Grades 7–12

Through the Internet and print sources, students now have access to billions of pieces of information.The ability to select and use the best of this info rmation to answer a question or to support a choice is an essential life skill.This series guides students to use a variety of search techniques, evaluation strategies and organizational plans to produce high quality research products. Each episode addresses the recursive cycle of the research process as supported by the American LibraryAssociation’s standards for“information literacy”:

• Identify the question or focus

 • Search and access a variety of sources 

• Select, analyze and evaluate resources 

• Analyze and synthesize information 

• Communicate and present information

Program Summary

Solid sources, credible facts and strong supporting details make up the back- bone of a great project. What is also needed is the ability to organize and combine this information with the researcher’s own ideas to create a unique idea.This is called synthesis, and the act of synthesizing occurs at every step of the research process. The research process begins with a basic topic or question that needs to be explored before a researcher can decide on a nar- rowed topic and focus. This exploration encourages the researcher to ask questions about the focus of his/her topic which leads to further research.

As information is collected, researchers should constantly review it, keeping the relevant information and discarding that which doesn’t directly support the focus. Different projects require different strategies for creating categories and organizational structures of information. For example, cause- and-effect relationships, weakest-to-strongest arguments and problems and solutions are all types of strategies used to sort information. Graphic organizers including time lines, concept maps, outlines and Venn diagrams are impor- tant tools for keeping collections of information organized.They are used to show connections and relationships between ideas.

As a researcher begins to refine the research, he/she will start to draw conclusions that help to form the basis for a thesis.A thesis combines the topic with specific assertions made by the researcher and usually begins as a tentative thesis. A tentative thesis can be refined as the research continues. There are several questions to ask to check if a thesis has a solid background:

• Does your thesis inspire a reader to want to learn more? 

• Does your thesis avoid generalities? 

• Can the thesis be adequately developed in the time or space available?

Using quotes is an important element to support the thesis. Quotes should be chosen for their relevance to the thesis statement and should be woven into the researcher’s own words and ideas.

Researchers should evaluate their project by asking questions that include:

 • Are your arguments and evidence strong? 

• Is your own voice heard clearly? 

• Does your thesis powerfully communicate your message?

The use of organizational tools and the process of synthesizing a researcher’s ideas with the ideas of others leads to a successful research project.

Vocabulary

The following words are included for teacher reference and for use with students to refresh and extend the subject matter in the show. concept map — A graphic organizer, also known as a web or cluster map, that is used to organize information.The main idea is written in a central circle or box and supporting details are connected to it using lines. documentation — A reference to the author of a given work which can include name, title, page number, publishing information and date. graphic organizer — A visual way to organize information. Flowcharts, out- lines and concept maps are examples of graphic organizers.

outline — A graphic organizer with a structured format using a lettering and numbering system that is useful for arranging information. Main ideas are ranked according to their significance with supporting details, or subordinate ideas, similarly ranked below the corresponding main idea.

quote — To speak or write the exact words of others. Quotes are written within quotation marks and need to be documented.

research process — The steps students take in research: asking good focused questions, searching strategically, locating, evaluating, analyzing, syn- thesizing and documenting information and communicating new knowledge.

supporting argument — Ideas, evidence and examples that defend or

advocate a thesis or main idea.

synthesize — To combine parts or elements to form a whole. In the research process, facts from credible sources are combined with a researcher’s own thoughts to make a unique statement or idea. 

tentative thesis —A beginning statement that can also be called a“working thesis,” meaning it can be revised as the focus of the research changes.

thesis —A formal statement of what a project is going to prove.A thesis combines a topic with a researcher’s specific assertion. time line — A graphic organizer that chronologically organizes information.

Venn diagram — A graphic organizer that uses two or more overlapping circles to show the similarities and differences in data.

Discussion Questions

1.What is synthesis? How is it related to the research process? 

2.Why is it important to explore a topic before you decide on a focus?

 3. Name ways that information can be grouped into categories. Discuss ways that you can use these categories with current school topics. 

4. How is a tentative thesis different from a thesis? 

5.What questions should a researcher ask when forming a thesis? 

6. How can you use quotes in a research project?

7.What questions should you ask when you are evaluating your finished project? "