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Plagiarism

What Exactly is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional use of someone else's words, language, or ideas without proper documentation.

For the purposes of English I here at Seminole Community College, "proper documentation" refers to MLA documentation. However, other subject areas may prefer different styles such as APA, Chicago, or CSE. Before you use outside sources, you should confirm the style considered "proper documentation" for that course with your instructor.

Seminole Community College's Academic Integrity Policy

As a member of the Seminole Community College community, a student is expected to be honest in all of his or her academic coursework and activities. Academic dishonesty such as cheating of any kind on examinations, course assignments or projects, plagiarism, misrepresentation and the unauthorized possession of examinations or other course-related materials, is prohibited.

Plagiarism is unacceptable to the College community. Academic work submitted by students is assumed to be the result of their own thought, research or self-expression. When students borrow ideas, wording or organization from another source, they are expected to acknowledge that fact in an appropriate manner. Plagiarism is the deliberate use and appropriation of another's work without identifying the source and trying to pass off such work as the student's own. Any student who fails to give full credit for ideas or materials taken from another has plagiarized.

Any student who shares his or her work for the purpose of cheating on class assignments or tests or who helps another to cheat or plagiarize is subject to the same penalties as the student who commits the act.

When cheating or plagiarism has occurred, the instructor may take academic action ranging from denial of credit for or assigning a grade of "F" on a specific assignment, examination or project, to assigning a grade of "F" for the course. The student may also be subject to further sanctions such as disciplinary probation, suspension, or dismissal from the College.

For a fuller discussion of avoiding plagiarism, refer to pages 95-98 in Research Strategies for a Digital Age
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