To avoid plagiarism:

• Enclose all direct quotations in quotation marks and cite your source in a footnote or through internal documentation.
• Avoid direct paraphrasing.  Instead redevelop whole paragraphs and arguments in your own words.  And even then, cite your source in a footnote or through internal documentation.
• Work hard to place facts within your own personally developed framework.  Have something to say.  Then you won't find yourself repeating what someone else has said.
• As insurance, in case you are questioned about plagiarism, save all notes, outlines, and drafts used in the writing of each paper.

    Students found to have plagiarized a major paper or project shall receive a failing grade for the assignment and may receive a failing grade for the course for which the plagiarized paper or project was submitted.  A major paper or project means one which carries the weight of at least one full-period test.

Plagiarism: Copying or paraphrasing another's work with the intent of passing that work off as one's own.

    Example: Copying into one's paper a portion of material without giving credit to the author.

    Example: Submitting someone else's research as one's own.

Penalty: The severity of the penalty will be determined by the degree of the offense and may range from a zero on the assignment to notification of parents, guidance counselor, and/or assistant principle for a first offense to OSS for repeated offenses.

-Ridge High School 1999-2000 Student and Parent Handbook.

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