TVO ILC values academic honesty. Students must complete their own work and demonstrate their own abilities in their assessments. Please follow the guidelines on academic integrity below
What should I do if I want to use someone else’s idea?
When collecting research, ideas might be drawn from websites, books or articles. This includes sentences, phrases, charts or equations. Ideas from other sources or quotations should be properly cited both in-text and in the bibliography.
Representing someone else’s ideas as your own is considered plagiarism. When you find a sentence or chart you wish to include in your work, you must use quotation marks and/or proper citation to show the source. You can also paraphrase to carry the idea into your work, as long as you cite the source.
When should I use quotations and when should I use paraphrasing?
· Use a quote when your quotation is the topic of discussion. For example: A quotation from a play or novel is a good idea when you are discussing what a character said or how the writer writes.
· Quoting from a science or history textbook is unnecessary because you are likely just sharing the facts and not focused on the actual wording. In those cases, paraphrasing is preferable because it demonstrates that you understand the facts and can communicate them in your own words.
· Remember that whether you are quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s work, appropriate in-text and bibliographic citations must be included
How can I avoid unintentional plagiarism?
Unintentional plagiarism is often a product of having your sources in front of you while you write. This makes it very easy to copy a sentence or phrase by mistake. Try making notes in your own words while doing research, while recording quotations and citing sources as you go.
Can I work with other students?
It is okay to ask questions of your peers and seek help. However, it is the responsibility of each student to fully understand the concepts in the course and produce authentic work that reflects their understanding. That means each student’s submission should be different than any other and written in their own words. Anything written entirely or in part by another student (past or present) is not permissible and considered plagiarism.