Peer Review

Avoiding Plagiarism - The OWL at Purdue

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Reviewed:: Nov 29, 2016 by Library and Information Services

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This sequential presentation provides basic information on plagiarism and how to avoid it. It begins with a clear definition of plagiarism with examples, then provides a list of when to give credit and how to identify common knowledge. Tips for avoiding plagiarism include things student can do during the research process along with how to properly paraphrase and direct quote sources. This resource also provides exercises for identifying plagiarism that can be done individually or in groups and can be assigned by an instructor or voluntarily done by the student. The very last section provides best practices for communicating and teaching students about plagiarism.
Type of Material:: Presentation
Recommended Uses:: This presentation can be used in multiple scenarios. It can be used in class, with homework, both individually and in a team and it can be self-paced. It is usable by anyone that is writing papers or doing research at multiple education levels.
Technical Requirements:: None
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The learning goals for this resource include understanding what plagiarism is, identifying the various types of plagiarism, along with knowing when to give credit and how to avoid plagiarism. There is also a section for teachers that provides best practices for communicating and teaching students about plagiarism.
Target Student Population:: This material is designed for those users who may be new to research, which includes high school students and lower level undergraduate students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: No prerequisite skills are needed. It can be used by people starting out in research and those who have questions about how or if they need to cite.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This presentation is very clear, concise and easily understood by multiple levels of users. It is part of the OWL of Purdue which is well known for its scholarship and high standards. This presentation is self-contained and can be used in a class or as a writing exercise.
Concerns:: More practical examples could be given.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: This presentation starts with the basic definition of plagiarism and builds upon how to take notes and further demonstrates how to quote readings and people in various scenarios. For example, interviewing someone, emails, speeches, etc. It provides examples on what a professor should include in a syllabus about the consequences of plagiarism.
Concerns:: The learning objectives could be more clearly stated for each section. The exercises provided can only be effective if they are assigned as part of a course, it would be challenging for a student to complete on their own without receiving any feedback.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: This presentation is very easy to use and does not require instructions or the user to click numerous times to gain access to the material. The sections are well defined and if a user needs to find a specific section it is easy to locate. The colors are neutral and easy to see and understand.

Other Issues and Comments:: This is a wonderful presentation on avoiding plagiarism. It can be used by different levels of users for various reasons. It covers multiple questions or problems the users my encounter in writing papers or articles.
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