Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

APA style is a set of editorial rules and guidelines that ensure a clear, consistent presentation of the printed word.  The style was created by the American Psychological Association (APA), a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States.  APA style is presently in its sixth edition.

APA style is usually required when writing for the social and behavioral sciences and is the required style at Cummings Graduate Institute.  The use of APA style is effective in avoiding plagiarism when scholars follow its set of rules and guidelines for integrating source material into a paper.

According to Plagiarism.org, the following are the top 10 most common kinds of plagiarism, ranked according to severity:

Source: Plagiarism.org. (n.d.). Types of plagiarism. Retrieved from http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/types-of-plagiarism/

CITATIONS

Always use a citation to indicate any ideas that are not your own. Citations include both an in-text citation such as a parenthetic reference, a footnote or end note (or a caption if in a presentation) as well as a listing in the Bibliography or Reference List. Remember that anything copied directly needs to be in quotation marks and have a citation. Citations are not just for written papers; you should cite your sources when creating a PowerPoint presentation, or other multimedia presentation.   Citations are also not just for written and/or published works.  Images require citations, as do interviews and many other sources of information.

CHEATING

If you didn't do the work, don't claim the work. This is applicable to papers, presentations, and using your own answers on tests and quizzes. It also applies to purchasing or "borrowing" another person's assignment. It applies to images and software code as well; cite it or do your own work. Cheating applies to the sharer as well as the borrower. Don't share work with someone (either a test or an assignment) that you know they are planning to pass off as their own.

GROUP WORK

Group work can be confusing: Whose ideas are whose?  What can everyone use in their individual reports versus what should I write on my own? If you work on a project with others and don’t have individual responsibilities to report on, you should write up the group’s conclusions in your own words based on your ideas about what you found. You might also be asked to give your opinion in support of or against  the group discussion. All collaboration should be authorized by the terms of the assignment and your instructor.  Be sure to ask if you are unclear about the parameters.

Source:  Academic Honesty - Academic Honesty & Plagiarism - LibGuides at Kent State University. (n.d.). Retrieved May 27, 2015, from http://libguides.library.kent.edu/content.php?pid=426805&sid=3490984