Avoiding Plagiarism
WCCS Writing Center
Original text:
“In the first week of April, before Lavender died, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross received a good-luck charm from Martha. It was a simple pebble, an ounce at most.”
Correct direct quote:
The author states, “In the first week of April, before Lavender died, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross received a good-luck charm from Martha” (O’Brien 1303).
Plagiarism rewrite (not adequately in own words, not cited):
In April, before Lavender died, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross received a good-luck charm from Martha. It was really small like a pebble.
Correct indirect quote:
While Jimmy Cross was serving as a lieutenant in Vietnam, Martha gave him a good-luck charm (O’Brien 1303).
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Original text:
“If a mission seemed especially hazardous, or if it involved a place they knew to be bad, they carried everything they could. In certain heavily mined AOs, where the land was dense with Toe Poppers and Bouncing Betties, they took turns humping a twenty-eight-pound mine detector.”
Correct direct quote (with signal phrase):
As noted in the story, “If a mission seemed especially hazardous, or if it involved a place they knew to be bad, they carried everything they could” (1303). This demonstrated their commitment and unified spirit to best complete the mission.
Plagiarism rewrite (student ex.):
If a mission was dangerous, or the soldiers were going to a bad place, they carried everything possible.
Correct indirect quote (no signal phrase):
During Vietnam, when a squad went on a mission that might be dangerous, or if it was in an area that the squad knew to be hostile, all members would work together to carry as many supplies as possible (O’Brien 1303).
Work Cited
O’Brien, Tim. “The Things They Carried.” Literature for Life. Ed. X, J Kennedy, Dana Gioia, Nina Revoy, New York: Pearson, 2013. 1300. Print.