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Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's words, ideas, or materials without giving proper credit. It is both illegal and immoral.
As artists, you should understand more than most people the need to respect other's works and creations. Plagiarism steals a person's intellectual property.
Plagiarism is easy to avoid.
When writing a paper:
Use your own words as much as possible. This does not mean
simply rearranging another's words or changing them slightly. It does mean
coming up with your own way to present ideas.
When using another person's words, use quotation marks and cite the source
of your information.
If you make use of material without quoting it directly, note the source in a
footnote.
It is better to be too careful and offer citations that may not be needed than to not give credit when you should.
It may be tempting to submit work other than your own. You may feel that you don't have the time or you may be worried about your grades or passing the course. However, doing so will only harm you. You won't be improving your skills (which is the point of every class), and you probably will be caught. Plagiarism is easy to detect. Writing styles can be as individual as handwriting. After seeing several examples of your work, most professors can identify your style. Whenever a student submits work radically different without being able to explain how the process evolved, it becomes a matter of concern. Remember, the sources available to students are available to professors as well. For example, papers obtained from the Internet are easily found.
Plagiarism undermines the very purpose of this institution, and it will not be tolerated. It will be dealt with in accordance to the policies of N.C.S.A. and the discretion of the professor.
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