It can be difficult for students to understand that plagiarism can come in forms other than deliberately copying someone else’s work. Jack Dougherty suggests a clever technique for introducing students to the various forms of plagiarism: give them an assignment where they must plagiarize.
Give your students a paragraph or two from a published text, along with the passage’s citation details. For each of the following instructions, the students must write 1-2 sentences.
“1: Plagiarize the original text by copying portions of it word-for-word.
2: Plagiarize the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, without copying it word-for-word.
3: Plagiarize the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, and include a citation. Even though you cited it, paraphrasing too closely is still plagiarism.
4: Properly paraphrase from the original text by restating the author’s ideas in different words and phrases, and include a citation to the original source.
5: Properly paraphrase from the original text by restating the author’s ideas in different words and phrases, add a direct quote, and include a citation to the original source.” -DG
Source: Jack Dougherty. “Avoiding Plagiarism Exercise.” Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present. Trinity College. 18 February 2013. Web. 20 August 2013. http://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/assignments/avoiding-plagiarism-exercise/