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SGPS Thesis & Capstone Guide

This guide will help Graduate Students as they develop their thesis or capstone

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of passing off concepts or content that have been produced previously as new, original work. In practical terms, in academic writing, this usually means quoting or paraphrasing the work of other scholars without proper citation. See the Rosemont Student Handbook for a full definition of what is considered plagiarism by the College and a description of its consequences.

 

What Is Plagiarism? Plagiarism vs Paraphrasing Copyleaks Plagiarism Checker

Plagiarism is when you pass someone else's work off as your own. It can be intentional or unintentional.

Paraphrasing is when you use your own words to rewrite a passage written by someone else. In doing so, you cannot change the meaning of the original passage. Rosemont College uses Copyleaks Plagiarism Checker, which is integrated into Canvas Assignments. This system is not intended to be punitive, but rather help students develop the skills needed to understand what is plagiarism and what is not.

Recognizing & Avoiding Plagiarism

Can I plagiarize without meaning to? -YES
Every student has a responsibility to be attentive to citation concerns. Ignorance is no excuse, and unintentional plagiarism is still a serious academic offense.

Can I plagiarize from myself? - YES

If you reuse work that has been submitted for a previous class to satisfy a current class requirement (or republish work that has already appeared without indicating that fact), it still constitutes plagiarism and will be treated accordingly.

How do I know if I'm plagiarizing?

Plagiarism can be intentional and obvious, such as buying or copying a paper.

Plagiarism can be unintentional, such as:

  • Forgetting to use quotation marks on a quote
  • Forgetting to cite a source
  • Using too many words from other sources and not enough of your own words

What is Copyright?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, copyright "is the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work."

Types of Copyright

Copyright isn't straight forward, but is very complex. It is divided into three parts: copyright, fair use, and public domain. Copyrights are granted for the life of the author, plus 70 years. For corporations, it's 95-120 years past the creation date. However, some copyright items can be used under fair use policy. Other items might be in the public domain, meaning they are no longer copyrighted.

Copyright Fair Use Public Domain

More References

Copyright Policies

Call Number: Z649 .L53 C67 2008

ISBN: 9780838984598

Publication Date: 2008

Coaching Copyright

Call Number: EBOOK

ISBN: 9780838918791

Publication Date: 2020

How to Fix Copyright

Call Number: EBOOK

ISBN: 9780199921119

Publication Date: 2011

Regulating Content on Social Media: Copyright, Terms of Service and Technological Features

Call Number: EBOOK

ISBN: 9781787351714

Publication Date: 2018