Syllabus Language & Plagiarism
Syllabus Language
Information for Students About the Writing Center:
Feel free to paste this paragraph into your syllabus to inform students about the resource we provide to students.
To support you in your writing this semester, you have the option of meeting with a tutor at the MSU Writing Center. The MSU Writing Center is available free of charge to all student writers at any stage in their writing – from figuring out the assignment to editing and helping you proofread. At the MSU Writing Center, we think of writing as a form of conversation: someone writes, and another responds by reading. Because writers and readers are separated by time and space, writers may not know how a reader will respond. When you work with a tutor, you get the benefit of an “immediate audience.” To make an appointment or for more information about the Writing Center, visit the MSU Writing Center webpage at www.montana.edu/writingcenter.
Syllabus Language About Student Responsibility in Academic Writing (or Avoiding/ Consequences of Plagiarism):
The following syllabus language was developed with the Dean of Students Office. Please feel free to copy and paste into your syllabus.
Statement on Academic Writing and Student Responsibilities:
Students writing in an academic setting are responsible for approaching all assignments with rigor, integrity, and in compliance with the University Code of Student Conduct. This responsibility includes:
- consulting and analyzing sources that are relevant to the topic of inquiry;
- clearly acknowledging when they draw from the ideas or the phrasing of those sources in their own writing;
- learning and using appropriate citation conventions within the field in which they are studying; and
- asking their instructor for guidance when they are uncertain of how to acknowledge the contributions of others in their thinking and writing.
When students fail to adhere to these responsibilities, they may intentionally or unintentionally “usesomeone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without properly acknowledging its source”(http://www.wpacouncil.org/aws/CWPA/pt/sd/news_article/272555/_self/layout_details/false. When the act is intentional, the student has engaged in plagiarism.
Plagiarism is an act of academic misconduct, which carries with it consequences including but not limited to receiving a course grade of “F” and a report to the Office of the Dean of Students. Unfortunately, it is not always clear if the misuse of sources is intentional or unintentional, which means that you may be accused of plagiarism even if you do not intentionally plagiarize. If you have any questions regarding use and citation of sources in your academic writing, you are responsible for consulting with your instructor before the assignment due date. In addition, you can work with an MSU Writing Center tutor at any point in your writing process, including when you are integrating or citing sources. You can make an appointment and find citation resources at www.montana.edu/writingcenter.
Faculty Responsibility in Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism
For more information regarding the definition of plagiarism and your responsibilities for helping students learn how to appropriately use and cite sources, please see “Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices,” http://www.wpacouncil.org/aws/CWPA/pt/sd/news_article/272555/_self/layout_details/false