Skip to Main Content

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity at UC Merced

An overview of academic integrity, plagiarism, and proper paraphrasing.

Question #1

ORIGINAL TEXT:

The Spanish still controlled the northern part of Venezuela including Caracas as well as much of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, but Bolívar had gained territories in the eastern provinces of Venezuela and along the Orinoco. The revolution was not progressing as swiftly as he had hoped, but he believed that it was time to encourage elections in the liberated regions and to have a constitution. (Wulf 155)

Wulf, A. (2015). The invention of nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World. New York: Knopf.

 

WHICH IS THE CORRECT PARAPHRASE?
Even though Venezuela wasn't yet independent and the Spanish still controlled the northern part, Bolívar thought it was time to have a constitution.: 2 votes (11.76%)
Bolívar wanted elections and a constitution for an independent Venezuela even though the Spanish hadn't yet been defeated.: 13 votes (76.47%)
Bolívar wasn't very happy with the speed of the revolution. The Spanish still controlled Caracas and almost all of the Viceroyalty of New Granada.: 2 votes (11.76%)
Total Votes: 17

HINTS:

  • Watch out for "chunking!" That's when you take whole phrases, or "chunks," from the original text and transfer them into your paraphrase.
  • Don't introduce inaccuracies! What was Bolívar's mood? Can we really tell from the original text?

Question #2

OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS, WHICH MUST INCLUDE A CITATION?
Extremely hot water can cause severe burns, so you should be careful when boiling water for cooking or cleaning.: 0 votes (0%)
Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds. Burns will also occur with a six-second exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty second exposure to 130 degree water.: 13 votes (100%)
Total Votes: 13

HINTS:

  • Numerical, tabular, or chart data must always be cited!
  • Very general statements of fact or opinion need not be cited.

No, you're not a bad person ...

Most often, however, the plagiarist has started out with good intentions but hasn't left enough time to do the reading and thinking that the assignment requires, has become desperate, and just wants the whole thing done with. At this point, in one common scenario, the student gets careless while taking notes on a source or incorporating notes into a draft, so the source's words and ideas blur into those of the student, who has neither the time nor the inclination to resist the blurring.

Harvey, G. (2008). Writing with sources: A guide for students (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Hackett Publishing Co.