2. What is plagiarism?
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as…
• pla·gia·rism
the act of using another person's words or
ideas without giving credit to that person : the
act of plagiarizing something
"Plagiarism." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013. <http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism>.
3. Would you steal someone’s pencil, toy, or ice
cream money and pretend that it is yours?
Would you take their homework, erase their
name and write yours on it?
That’s STEALING and LYING…saying that it
is work that you did…that’s
PLAGIARISM!
4. It isn’t right to take someone else’s words, or
ideas and not give creditto them as
the creator.
So what can you do
to avoid plagiarizing?
5. 1. Paraphrase
Paraphrasing means putting what you have read
into your own words. You can paraphrase by
reading something, thinking about what it means,
and then restating it in your own words.
Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay. They can consume
75 pounds of food a day.
Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves
and hay everyday.
"Examples of Paraphrasing." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 September 2013.
<http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-paraphrasing.html>.
6. 2. Quote
Quoting is when you write down word for
word what someone said, and use “quotation”
marks to show which words are not your own.
Quoted Original:
“Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay. They can
consume 75 pounds of food a day.”
"Examples of Paraphrasing." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 September 2013.
<http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-paraphrasing.html>.
7. Citations or Citing
It is important to tell where you got the information
from whether your are paraphrasing or quoting
someone else. This gives the creator proper credit for
their ideas and lets others know where they can find
more information about the topic.
There are citation formats and wizards that help you
properly give credit to or cite others. Some include:
Did you notice any citations in this presentation?
8. Remember…
If you are not sure if you are plagiarizing, you
can always ask for help from your teacher or
media specialist.
9. Curated Resources for Students
Click here for lesson ideas, examples, wizards,
and more on the ethical uses of information
for grades K-5; thoughtfully curated by Mrs. H.
