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Warning Signs & Prevention

To avoid plagiarism, it helps to understand the warning signs. The scenarios in this section illustrate some of the common situations that can lead to trouble. Stress and poor time management can result in sloppy work and perhaps even trigger a last-minute decision to cheat. A lack of information about the best way to cite sources is another source of confusion. For international students, sometimes plagiarism is the result of confusion about American conventions for documenting sources. Patchworking, or simply rearranging what someone else has written, is a form of plagiarism that might be tempting for students who are having difficulty understanding the material.

So, what do you do when you find yourself in an emergency situation with your academic work? In the following examples we relate the experiences of students and outline the choices before them. We also offer information about the organizations and people on campus who can provide support.

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Confused

Don't know whether to quote or cite?

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Stressed

The pressure to get an A is more than you can take

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Swamped

You're overwhelmed and running out of time

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Frustrated and embarrassed

You're trying to use difficult material

 

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Last modified November 20, 2009 4:30:54 PM EST