How to Recognize Plagiarism:
Tutorials and Tests

Original Source Material:

According to cognitive load theory, engaging in complex activities such as these that impose a heavy cognitive load and are irrelevant to schema acquisition will interfere with learning.

A goal-free strategy is not the only way to reduce extraneous cognitive load and direct attention to those aspects of a problem that should assist in schema acquisition…

Reference

Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4(4), 295-312.

Student Version:

Sweller (1994) suggests that "engaging in complex activities such as these that impose a heavy cognitive load and are irrelevant to schema acquisition will interfere with learning" (p. 301).  Considering the effect of cognitive load, a goal-free strategy reducing extraneous cognitive load during problem solving can be effective to acquire schema (Sweller, 1994).  

Explanation:

The student version is both word-for-word and paraphrasing plagiarism. Even though the student provided quotation marks around the ideas of the author, and full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator in the body of the paper, he or she did not use the full bibliographic reference.

Although the student has paraphrased the ideas of the author and included full in-text citation with the author and date, no reference is provided.

Note: If the student version contains BOTH word-for-word and paraphrasing plagiarism, you should select word-for-word.

Correct Version:

Sweller (1994) suggests that "engaging in complex activities such as these that impose a heavy cognitive load and are irrelevant to schema acquisition will interfere with learning" (p. 301).  Considering the effect of cognitive load, a goal-free strategy reducing extraneous cognitive load during problem solving can be effective to acquire schema (Sweller, 1994).   

Reference

Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4(4), 295-312.

Original Source Material:

We define a lone wolf as a psychological state in which one prefers to work alone when making decisions and setting/accomplishing priorities and goals. 

… lone wolves’ motivation comes, in part, from their lack of trust in the competence of others.

Reference

Dixon, A. L., Gassenheimer, J. B., & Feldman Barr, T. (2003). Identifying the lone wolf: A team perspective. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 23(3), 205-219.

Student Version:

According to Dixon, Gassenheimer, and Feldman Barr, a lone wolf can be identified as "a psychological state in which one prefers to work alone when making decisions and setting/accomplishing priorities and goals".  When a student does not trust other students’ competence, he or she may prefer to work alone (Dixon et al., 2003).

Reference

Dixon, A. L., Gassenheimer, J. B., & Feldman Barr, T. (2003). Identifying the lone wolf: A team perspective. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 23(3), 205-219.

Explanation:

The student version is word-for-word plagiarism. The student failed to provide the date and locator where seven or more words were copied from the original source directly even though the original source is credited by the author, date, and the full bibliographic reference for the second sentence.

The idea of the author has been paraphrased properly by the author, date, and the full bibliographic reference for the second sentence.

Correct Version:

According to Dixon, Gassenheimer, and Feldman Barr (2003), a lone wolf can be identified as "a psychological state in which one prefers to work alone when making decisions and setting/accomplishing priorities and goals" (p. 205).  When a student does not trust other students’ competence, he or she may prefer to work alone (Dixon et al., 2003).

Reference

Dixon, A. L., Gassenheimer, J. B., & Feldman Barr, T. (2003). Identifying the lone wolf: A team perspective. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 23(3), 205-219.

Original Source Material:

Mutuality can be defined as the extent to which there is reciprocity and balance in interaction such that there is potential for all members to contribute and to be heard.
…
Whether group members shared a common focus of attention was importantly related to the notion of mutuality.

Reference

Barron, B. (2000). Achieving coordination in collaborative problem-solving groups. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9(4), 403-436.

Student Version:

Barron (2000) examined interactive processes between peer partners and evaluated their effectiveness based on mutuality representing “the extent to which there is reciprocity and balance in interaction” (p. 430). The mutuality represented how the peer partners focused on a same task while they solve a problem collaboratively (Barron, 2000).

Reference

Barron, B. (2000). Achieving coordination in collaborative problem-solving groups. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9(4), 403-436.

Explanation:

The student version is not plagiarism. The original source is credited by use of quotation marks around the words, full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator, and by the full bibliographic reference for the first sentence.

The ideas of the author has been paraphrased properly by use of the author, date, and the full bibliographic reference for the second sentence.

Correct Version:

Barron (2000) examined interactive processes between peer partners and evaluated their effectiveness based on mutuality representing “the extent to which there is reciprocity and balance in interaction” (p. 430). The mutuality represented how the peer partners focused on a same task while they solve a problem collaboratively (Barron, 2000).

Reference

Barron, B. (2000). Achieving coordination in collaborative problem-solving groups. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9(4), 403-436.

Original Source Material:

The concept of systems is really quite simple. The basic idea is that a system has parts that fit together to make a whole; but where it gets complicated -- and interesting -- is how those parts are connected or related to each other.

Reference

Frick, T. W. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Student Version:

The concept of systems is explained based on the relation between parts and a whole. Frick said that "... a system has parts that fit together to make a whole ..." but the important aspect of systems is "... how those parts are connected or related to each other" (1991, p. 17).

Reference

Frick, T. W. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Explanation:

The student version is paraphrasing plagiarism. Although the student has paraphrased the original material in the first sentence and included reference, no full in-text citation with the author and date is provided.

However, the student successfully used quotation marks around the words, full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator, and by the full bibliographic reference for the second sentence.

Correct Version:

The concept of systems is explained based on the relation between parts and a whole (Frick, 1991). Frick said that "... a system has parts that fit together to make a whole ..." but the important aspect of systems is "... how those parts are connected or related to each other"(1991, p. 17).

Reference

Frick, T. W. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Original Source Material:

There is a desperate need for theorists and researchers to generate and refine a new breed of learning-focused instructional design theories that help educators and trainers to meet those needs, (i.e., that focus on learning and that foster development of initiative, teamwork, thinking skills, and diversity).

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Student Version:

Reigeluth (1999) maintains that instructional design theories focusing on learning need to be generated and refined. Such theories will help educators and trainers to meet those needs (i.e., that focus on learning and that foster development of initiative, teamwork, thinking skills, and diversity).

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Explanation:

The student version is word-for-word plagiarism. Although the idea of the author has been paraphrased properly by the author, date, and the full bibliographic reference for the first sentence, the student failed to provide the quotation marks around the words, full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator for the second sentence.

Correct Version:

Reigeluth (1999) maintains that instructional design theories focusing on learning need to be generated and refined. Such theories will "help educators and trainers to meet those needs (i.e., that focus on learning and that foster development of initiative, teamwork, thinking skills, and diversity)" (Reigeluth, 1999, p. 27).

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Original Source Material:

Instructional designers typically employ models to guide their day-to-day work. Due to the increased practice of the systematic design of instruction in a growing number of settings, available models become more and more proliferated, focusing on particular types and contexts of learning, particular groups of learners or designers, or particular instructional units (either whole curricula or individual modules or lessons.)

The main goal of any instructional design process is to construct a learning environment in order to provide learners with the conditions that support desired learning processes.

Reference

Van Merriënboer, J. J. (1997). Training complex cognitive skills: A four-component instructional design model for technical training. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

Student Version:

The main goal of any instructional design process is to construct a learning environment in order to provide learners with the conditions that support desired learning processes. Process models proliferate because more and more designers generate models that focus on specific contexts, learners, or even units of instruction.

Reference

Van Merriënboer, J. J. (1997). Training complex cognitive skills: A four-component instructional design model for technical training. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

Explanation:

The student version is both word-for-word and paraphrasing plagiarism. Although the full bibliographic reference is provided, the student failed to provide the quotation marks around seven or more words copied from the original source directly, and full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator. Also, the student has paraphrased the original material in the second sentence and included reference, no full in-text citation with the author and date is provided.

Note: If the student version contains BOTH word-for-word and paraphrasing plagiarism, you should select word-for-word.

Correct Version:

"The main goal of any instructional design process is to construct a learning environment in order to provide learners with the conditions that support desired learning processes" ( van Merriënboer, 1997, p. 2). Process models proliferate because more and more designers generate models that focus on specific contexts, learners, or even units of instruction, according to van Merriënboer (1997).

Reference

Van Merriënboer, J. J. (1997). Training complex cognitive skills: A four-component instructional design model for technical training. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

Original Source Material:

A principle (basic method) is a relationship that is always true under appropriate conditions regardless of program or practice (variable method). (page 43)

Many current instructional models suggest that the most effective learning products or environments are those that are problem-centered and involve the student in four distinct phases of learning…  (page 44)

Principle 1—Problem-centered: Learning is promoted when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems.  (page 45)

Reference

Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 43 - 59.

Student Version:

Merrill (2002) notes that the learning task should represent the task that the learner will encounter in the real world following instruction (the task should be authentic). He identified the First Principles of Instruction by analyzing a variety of design theories and models and defined a principle as “a relationship that is always true under appropriate conditions regardless of program or practice“ (Merrill, 2002, p. 43). The first of Merrill’s five principles states, “Learning is promoted when learners are engaged in solving real-world [authentic] problems“ (Merrill, 2002, p. 45).

Reference

Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 43 - 59.

Explanation:

The student version is not plagiarism. The original source is credited by use of quotation marks around his words, full in-text citation with the author, date, and locator, and by the full bibliographic reference.

Correct Version:

Merrill (2002) notes that the learning task should represent the task that the learner will encounter in the real world following instruction (the task should be authentic). He identified the First Principles of Instruction by analyzing a variety of design theories and models and defined a principle as “a relationship that is always true under appropriate conditions regardless of program or practice“ (Merrill, 2002, p. 43). The first of Merrill’s five principles states, “Learning is promoted when learners are engaged in solving real-world [authentic] problems“ (Merrill, 2002, p. 45).

Reference

Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 43 - 59.

Original Source Material:

It is helpful to think in terms of two basic kinds of change: piecemeal and systemic. Piecemeal change leaves the structure of a system unchanged. It often involves finding better ways to meet the same needs, such as using an analogy to help your students learn the science concepts you taught in an otherwise similar manner last year. In contrast, systemic change entails modifying the structure of a system, usually in response to new needs.

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Student Version:

There are two different kinds of change: Piecemeal and Systemic change. According to Reigeluth, “systemic change entails modifying the structure of a system” (1999, p. 16).

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Explanation:

The student version is paraphrasing plagiarism. Although the student has paraphrased the original material and included the reference, no in-text citation with the author and the date is provided.

Correct Version:

There are two different kinds of change: Piecemeal and Systemic change (Reigeluth, 1999). According to Reigeluth, “systemic change entails modifying the structure of a system” (1999, p. 16).

Reference

Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models volume II: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.