Plagiarism Web Quest
HOW TO CITE ONLINE SOURCES

Mr. Bucci - Technology 8
Pomona Middle School
www.bucciteacher.com

Thou shall not plagiarize

Finger pointing. [Online image]  Available: www.psych.ucr.edu/.../Plagiarism/ plagiarismTest.html

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion

 

Introduction
Is someone stealing your work?  Are you stealing theirs?  With the ease of cutting and pasting at your fingertips, there are many questions about the acceptability of using information gathered in online research for projects and papers in school.  Below are the most common questions you may have about using information you find online.

·          What is Plagiarism and how can we avoid Plagiarism when researching online? 

·          Why cite online sources?

·          When must we cite sources and what information does not have to be cited?

·          How do we cite, and what information must be included when citing online sources?

·          What are the consequences for Plagiarism? 

This lesson will attempt to answer these important questions!

Task
I.  You will view a PowerPoint presentation that explains to you what plagiarism is.  It covers key points that will help you learn how to properly cite your sources.  Remember – when you go online, the work you see and collect is still somebody else’s!   How to Avoid Plagiarism
 

II. You will use the Citation Machine to cite your favorite Web Page.  By going to the Citation Machine, you can simply plug in the information asked about your site, and you will generate a properly formatted citation!  Citation Machine -- The Landmark Project 

III. You will also cite an image that you find online.  Images (pictures) are also the work of somebody else, you must remember to give credit to the owner when you use an image from the Internet. 

IV. Get ready to take a 10-question quiz online about what you learned about plagiarism.  Be careful – you may become an expert in no time!  See how much you’ve learned.  Plagiarism Quiz

The Process
I.  Listen and view PowerPoint presentation.  Click on How to Avoid Plagiarism

1.      What is plagiarism?  Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s ideas, words or images as though they were your own.  It applies equally to the work of other students as to published and online sources.  Read Student Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism

A.      How to avoid plagiarism

1.      Never copy directly

2.      Never print directly

3.      Never copy from other students

B.      Quoting directly is acceptable

1.      Always use quotation marks (Punctuation inside quotation marks.)

2.      Always give credit to the source

a)      In a bibliography—can include both publications and online sources

b)      Or webography—includes usually only online sources

C.      Paraphrasing

1.      Using your own words is acceptable

2.      Always give credit to the source

D.      Use Common Knowledge

1.      Facts that are known to many people and sources (George Washington was the first president.  Bush and Kerry are running for president in the 2004 Presidential Election)

2.      Common knowledge does not have to be cited.

2.      Why cite online sources? Read Why Acknowledge Sources?

1.      Find source again to check information

2.      Acknowledge your sources for ethical reasons

3.      How to cite online Sources.    Consult your school librarian for proper format or go to:  Mulry Library/Media Center, Galvin Middle School, Canton, MA

A.        Web Pages

1.      Author’s last name, first name (if available)

2.      *Web page title—in quotes

3.      *Date Retrieved: Day, Month, Year

4.      Main Page Title (If Available)

5.      *URL:  Web Site Address

6.      Date Published or Revised:  Day, Month, Year (If Available)

B.          Images (Graphic, picture, map or photo)

1.      *Description of title of image

2.      *Label [Online Image]

3.      *Available at:  URL  (copy and paste from web page)

*Required Field

4.      Easy way to cite online sources to assure proper format Use the Citation Machine

A.            Click on Citation Machine -- The Landmark Project

B.            Use MLA format; used in most high schools

5.      Penalties for Plagiarism Read What Happens When You Plagiarize Click on penalties for plagiarism

A.            Dishonest

B.            Unethical

C.            Illegal--Consequences

1.      Prosecution

2.      Usually means no credit for your work

3.      In college—could mean expulsion

II. Use citation machine to cite a Web Page of your choice.

1.      Open Microsoft Word, Click on File Save As: name your document Citations, click on the arrow next to Save In: and be sure to save the document in your computer class folder, minimize your document.

2.      Open Internet Explorer, in the Address section type in the name of your favorite Web Page.

3.      Use the Citation Machine -- The Landmark Project and cite your favorite Web Page.  Click on Web Page on the left yellow section, type in the information from your Web Page, you may not be able to find all the fields, remember *=Required Field, click Make Citations button, copy and paste into your Word document. 

1.      Author’s last name, first name (if available)

2.      *Web page title—in quotes

3.      *Date Retrieved: Day, Month, Year

4.      Main Page Title (If Available)

5.      *URL:  Web Site Address

6.      Date Published or Revised:  Day, Month, Year (If Available)

III. Cite an online image of your choice.

1.      Go back to your favorite Web Page; find an image you would like to copy and copy and paste it into your Word document.

2.      Cite the image.  Remember Images (Graphic, picture, map or photo) must include:

1.      *Description of title of image

2.      *Label [Online Image]

3.      *Available at:  URL  (copy and paste from web page)

3.      Now that you have copy and pasted your citation for a Web Page and an image, use the rubric below to check your work.  Once you have reviewed your citations, you may resave your document and print it.

IV. Take an online quiz on plagiarism! Plagiarism Quiz

Assess your own knowledge of plagiarism.  Take this 10-question quiz and see how much you’ve learned!

Resources
Here are some links for you to research while doing this project.  Remember to ask yourself the questions that are listed above to work through this project. 

www.easybib.com EasyBib is another interactive, easy-to-use tool when trying to put all your resources together!  Simply type into the correct fields and EasyBib will give you both MLA and APA citations with a few easy clicks.  EasyBib will also include annotations.

http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/defineEntryMLA.php  NoodleBib is free tool appropriate for middle school students to use when citing online sources.  The tool produces MLA or APA style citations, with correct punctuation, alphabetizing, and all!

http://dartmouth.mec.edu/dhs/services/school/lmc/OSTP.pdf This comprehensive guide produced by Dartmouth High School covers common student writing errors, basic principles for citing sources, plagiarism, examples of works cited pages and parenthetical documentation, as well as a student contract and checklist.

http://www.cantonma.org/~murphyl/ The Mulry Library/Media Center at Galvin Middle School, Canton, MA, includes a good section on citing sources.

Evaluation
Evaluation will be based on knowledge and understanding of plagiarism and citing an online source and image correctly.
 

Conclusion

Congratulations you now have learned when, why and how to cite online sources correctly, and you have learned that there are penalties for not citing your sources!!

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion

Designed by Jocelyn Kagan and Susan Victor