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ic interests. If you want to use a previously
completed essay as a starting point for new research, you should receive the Instructor’s approval and
provide her or him with a copy of the original essay. If you want to use substantially similar essays to satisfy
the requirements of two related courses, you should get approval from all the instructors concerned.
3. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
It is not hard to draw the distinction between original and thoroughly plagiarized work. But the “grey areas”
between these extremes are more vexing. Students should avoid any hint of dishonesty by maintaining
good research habits and paying attention to a few basic rules of writing and documentation.
Research
Most written assignments begin with the collection of research notes — a combination of ideas or quotes
from other sources, and the student’s own ideas. Whether you keep notes on index cards, in a loose-leaf
binder, or on old envelopes in a desk drawer, it is important to record and organize them in such a way that
vital information is not lost.
? Keep careful and complete track of sources. Accurately copy the author, title, and other
information about the source publication, including the number(s) of the page(s) from which
notes or quotes were taken.
? Distinguish carefully between your ideas and the ideas of others. This is a simple question of
intellectual honesty. If you use another’s conclusions, acknowledge them. If you come to the
same conclusions as another on your own, you should still acknowledge the agreement.
? Distinguish carefully between your own words and those of others. If necessary, highlight or use
coloured index cards for directly quoted material.
Writing
As you begin to tie your ideas together in written form, consider the following:
? Begin by organizing your essay in an original manner. Avoid mimicking the pattern or order of
argument used by others. Remember: this is your humble contribution to a debate or a body of
research; it is not (in most cases) an attempt to summarize or paraphrase the work of others.
? As you weave the ideas and language of others into your work, make clear choices about the
use of quoted material. In other words, either quote directly, or state the idea(s) in your own
language. Do not mess around with close paraphrases or purely cosmetic changes. See
Example #4.
? Read the first draft carefully. Is the distinction between your work and the work of others clear
and unambiguous? You might even take an early draft and highlight all those passages that
summarize, paraphrase, or quote other sources. Is there enough of your own work left in the
essay?
Footnoting
Many cases of plagiarism occur in the documentation rather than the body of the essay. You should have a
clear idea of the variety of purposes a footnote (or endnote) may serve, and the many different ways you
can acknowledge the work of others. For specific cases See Example #5. Also note the following:
? Always record your source of the information; never use or rely on another author’s footnotes.
? The footnote should allow the reader to find or check the material being cited. Provide exact
page numbers for direct quotes, and a range of page numbers for more general points.
? If you included more than one source or reference in a footnote, the relevance or order of the
various sources should be clear to the reader.
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