Comments on: How can I help my child properly cite the source of information he or she is using in order to avoid plagiarism? http://reach.vantagelearning.com/2008/07/08/how-can-i-help-my-child-properly-cite-the-source-of-information-he-or-she-is-using-in-order-to-avoid-plagiarism/ Because Writing Matters Thu, 17 May 2012 13:18:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: dstern http://reach.vantagelearning.com/2008/07/08/how-can-i-help-my-child-properly-cite-the-source-of-information-he-or-she-is-using-in-order-to-avoid-plagiarism/#comment-254 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:23:10 +0000 http://reach.vantagelearning.com/2008/07/08/how-can-i-help-my-child-properly-cite-the-source-of-information-he-or-she-is-using-in-order-to-avoid-plagiarism/#comment-254 A very timely article. As an English teacher, I am too often faced with situations that require passing judgment on a student's credibility when they publish something that is not their own work. It is usually an awkward and unpleasant situation for everyone involved, and the key is to try and also turn it into a learning experience. It is too easy for students today to get on the computer and use the vast wealth of knowledge that's out there in a cut and paste framework, only without the proper citation. I think you keyed in on some essential points and that is start early and repeat the mantra often so that they get it. I have found that the skill of citation is a tedious one for many students, and one that they do not seem to internalize as important since they usually forget the skill from year to year. Students need to understand that while the step of citing sources may be a tedious one, it is an essential one. Using and crediting good sources in research writing only lends credibility and validity to your own writing. Without it, at best the writing lacks substance, at worst it has become a plagiarized piece. I have found some useful tools that reinforce what you have said about students being organized early on in their research, and it seems to be helping some. There is a resource that our school subscribes to called Noodle Tools. It allows a student to keep notecards electronically online and to generate properly formatted works cited/bibliography pages by walking through a series of steps online with the source you have used. A very timely article. As an English teacher, I am too often faced with situations that require passing judgment on a student’s credibility when they publish something that is not their own work. It is usually an awkward and unpleasant situation for everyone involved, and the key is to try and also turn it into a learning experience.

It is too easy for students today to get on the computer and use the vast wealth of knowledge that’s out there in a cut and paste framework, only without the proper citation. I think you keyed in on some essential points and that is start early and repeat the mantra often so that they get it. I have found that the skill of citation is a tedious one for many students, and one that they do not seem to internalize as important since they usually forget the skill from year to year. Students need to understand that while the step of citing sources may be a tedious one, it is an essential one. Using and crediting good sources in research writing only lends credibility and validity to your own writing. Without it, at best the writing lacks substance, at worst it has become a plagiarized piece.

I have found some useful tools that reinforce what you have said about students being organized early on in their research, and it seems to be helping some. There is a resource that our school subscribes to called Noodle Tools. It allows a student to keep notecards electronically online and to generate properly formatted works cited/bibliography pages by walking through a series of steps online with the source you have used.

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