Plagiarism and You! (Please Read)

[The Dreamer]

Plagiarism and You: A Roleplayers Guide to Plagiarism

1.1 What is Plagiarism?
1.1 Examples of Plagiarism
1.3 Plagiarism and the Internet

2.1 How to avoid plagiarism

[The Dreamer]

What is Plagiarism?
You've heard the term over and over and many people believe they do know what plagiarism is, but a surprising amount of people will still plagiarize and not even be aware that they are doing it.

So what is plagiaism exactly?

Plagiarism is when you take the words and ideas of someone else and display them as your own.

Already I hope you can see how easy it is to plagiarize and how tempting it can be.

Examples of Plagiarism
Plagiarism can range from:

- Copying an essay or assignment (whether it's off the Internet, out of a book, or even writing down what the person beside you is) and using it as your own without crediting (also known as citing or referencing) where you got it from.

- Claiming an idea was yours when really it was someone else's (which is why people now patent their invetions).

- Rewording what someone else wrote down. See example below.

EXAMPLE:
There once was a brown fox who lived in a forest and had many friends. The only animal the fox did not like was the angry old owl who wanted nothing more than to sleep, but was always woken up by the forest animals during the day. The brown fox spent most of his time by the river with his friends the deer, the mouse and the porcupine.

Example of Plagiarism based on the above statement:
A brown fox lived in the forest and had lots of friends. The fox liked everyone except the old owl who always wanted to sleep except that the forest animals always woke him up. The brown fox was always at the river with his friends that included the deer, mouse and porcupine.

Plagiarism and the Internet
The world wide web is a vast and wonderful place for people to do research, including research on characters, but be warned[/u]. Though the Internet may seem like a free place to gather information, if you snatch anything from it and use the words from the page you got the information from, you are automatically plagiarizing.

Wikipedia
Wikipedia is probably the easiest place to do a quick spot of research to learn about a character, but even Wikipedia needs to cite (reference) its sources. Footnotes are used for this and are indicated by a small number next to a word, which will lead you to a marker with the same number at the bottom of the page that reveals the source where the information has been obtained. But like the rest of the Internet, if you simply copy or reword what you’ve read on wikipedia you are plagiarizing. And remember: not everything on wikipedia is correct anyway (anyone can write something down), which is why a lot of school teachers have forbidden it as a site from which their students can do research. It's generally best to treat wikipedia as a starting point and do more indepth research elsewhere.

[The Dreamer]

How to Avoid Plagiarism?
The simplest explanation for this question is to simply not do it. While that may seem easier said than done considering the multiple ways one can plagiarize, it really is quite simple and below are a few tips that can help you avoid this.

Do not copy and paste any information found on a website. Copying any written work is plagiarism in the strictest form and a definite way to condemn yourself. Even if you cite (reference) your sources, on this site, that will not be acceptable. Though you are technically no longer plagiarizing, you have not put in the required effort we ask you to include in your applications. More will be explained about this in the third tip.

2) Do not use Wikipedia when writing applications. All right, even I’ll admit that on occasion I have dipped into that wonderful and dangerous encyclopedia. It really is a good place to start looking for information. The point is to not simply take what’s there and leave it at that. If you’re doing research be sure to check out the sources listed at the bottom and visit other pages to write notes.

3) Avoid rewording and write your own application. We’ll assume you’ve seen the movie/television show/comic/etc. and enjoyed/are familiar with it if you are applying for a character. Therefore you should already have the basic background information you need for your application! There is no harm in using this information to create your own application based on these visual experiences, in fact we encourage it. If you feel that you absolutely must do research to brush up on or increase your knowledge on the character, then gather the information first and with what you’ve learned go off and then create the application on your own to avoid the traps that lead to plagiarism.

A Final Note
We ask for very little on this site. A few paragraphs here and there to explain the character’s background and personality, as well as a roleplay sample. Since you’re applying for a character you like, this should not be considered a chore and you should be proud of the fact that you know so much about the character and can prove it to the world. Penalizing people who cannot put the effort into their applications is not something that is enjoyed by any member of the staff, but is necessary to ensure that everyone has been treated fairly. Now that you all know a little more about plagiarism, I hope you’ll never have to encounter it on this site. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can pm any member of the staff and even discuss the issues among your fellow members (they might have the same question of you)!

Happy Roleplaying and Have Fun!

[/u]

[~Elisa Maza~]

Many thanks to Kris for taking the time to research and put this together! I would like to request all members to post with one of their characters so we know you've read and understood it.

[Puck]

Yubyub, read and understood.

[Eugene Fitzherbert]

Read and understood, and it shall be remembered.

Unless we get distracted!

Shut up, Eugene.

[Basil of Baker Street]

Duly noted

[Anna Stutler]

*salutes* Understood, oh powers that be.

[Eilonwy]

Read and understood.

[Judge Claude Frollo]

<3 Read ^^

[Peter Pan]

Understood!!

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

Aye, read and understood.

[Fievel Mousekewitz]

Read. O.O

[Belle]

*Salutes*

[Rapunzel]

Read & understood!