Plagiarism
1. Direct quotations are not used in science writing!!
2. Use your own language on all work!!
3. Any information or ideas that are not your own must be:
4. Lab partners should not hand in assignments or reports that have the same wording. Using the same wording as your lab partner or someone else in the lab is still plagiarism!
5. There is information on plagiarism on the MCC Library Subject Guide for this class in the section on citing sources.
6. These links are also good information on plagiarism:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
http://science.widener.edu/svb/essay/plagiar.html
http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm
EXAMPLES of textbook definitions of diffusion:
Diffusion is the movement of a substance across the cell membrane from an area where it is highly concentrated to an area where it is at a lower concentration.
The net movement will be from the region of higher concentration to the region of lower concentration, until equilibrium is achieved.
EXAMPLE of Student Lab Report on diffusion NOT plagiarized:
Diffusion is the movement of dissolved particles from an area within a solution where the
concentration is high to an area where the concentration is low (Tierney 2014). The
movement of particles continues until they are evenly distributed throughout the solution
(Mader 2012).
EXAMPLES of Student Lab Report on diffusion plagiarism:
Example 1:
Diffusion is the movement of a substance across the cell membrane from an area
where it is highly concentrated to an area where it is at a lower concentration (Tierney
2014). The net movement will be from the region of higher concentration to the region of lower concentration, until equilibrium is achieved (Mader 2012).
Example 2:
Diffusion is the movement of dissolved particles from an area within a solution
where the concentration is high to an area where the concentration is low. The movement of
particles continues until they are evenly distributed throughout the solution. !
Example 3: Diffusion is the movement of a substance from an area where it is highly
concentrated to an area where it is at a lower concentration (Tierney 2014). The net
movement will continue until equilibrium is achieved (Mader 2012).
NOTE: It is ok to use a combination of the terms from the text (ex. Diffusion, movement,
equilibrium) when describing scientific concepts. It isn’t ok to use multiple terms in the same
order as they appear in the text.
The best way to avoid plagiarism is to use the following steps when writing your report:
sentences). Pictures can be helpful (for example: draw a picture of diffusion using no words).
This step should be done AWAY from your computer. Noting the source on each card, for
example (Mader 2012) can help you later.
3. After completing the note cards walk away and do something else, don’t immediately try to write
up the lab report. Sentences from the book or article will be fresh in your memory and you will be likely to plagiarize.
4. After a break go to the computer with your note cards and pictures only, NO BOOK.
5. Write a first draft. It may not sound great at first but it won’t be plagiarized and you can always
revise with additional drafts.
6. I am always happy to sit down with you and look at your lab report ahead of the due date and
provide suggestions for improvements. I will not review emailed lab reports.
My Policy on Plagiarism in Written Assignments:
If you plagiarize any part of a written assignment you will receive an F for your final course grade and be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students with the recommendation that you receive additional disciplinary action (e.g., expulsion, academic probation, etc.) as appropriate.