Examples of Plagiarism

Examples of Proper and Improper Use of a Source

The following passage, relating to the plight of Sioux Indians after 1876, is taken from a book by Helen Hunt Jackson¹:

"Contrast the condition into which all these friendly Indians are suddenly plunged now, with their condition only two years previous: martial law now in force on all their reservations; themselves in danger of starvation, and constantly exposed to the influence of emissaries from their friends and relations, urging them to join in fighting this treacherous government that had kept faith with nobody-neither with friend nor with foe...."

Below are four examples of how the above passage might be used in a term paper. Of these examples, only writers C and D have used the source correctly.

Writer A  Blatant Plagiarism:  no acknowledgement of the source.

Only two years later, all these friendly Sioux were suddenly plunged into new conditions, including starvation, martial law on all their reservations, and constant urging by their friends and relations to join in warfare against a treacherous government that had kept faith with neither friend nor foe.

Writer B  Plagiarism: some direct language that is quoted goes unacknowledged, and there is no indication of paraphrasing. The footnote is misleading and inadequate because it only seems to pertain to the final quoted phrase.

The Sioux were now on the verge of starvation. Martial law was now in force on all their reservations. Emissaries from their friends and relations urged them to join in the fighting against the Federal Government - "a treacherous government that had kept faith with neither friend nor foe."¹

Writer C  Proper use of source material.

The conditions on Sioux reservations were far worse than they had been before. Jackson writes that "martial law [was] now in force on all their reservations", that the Indians were "in danger of starvation", and that "emissaries from their friends and relations" constantly goaded them "to join in fighting this treacherous government that had kept faith...neither with friend nor with foe."¹

Writer D  Proper use of source material.

Conditions on the Sioux reservations had deteriorated seriously within that two year period. Food shortages were severe; the reservations were under martial law; and there was constant pressure to join friends and relations in armed rebellion against the government.¹

¹Helen Hunt Jackson, A Century of Dishonor, a Sketch of the United States Government's Dealings with Some of the Indian Tribes (New York: Harper & Bros., 1881), p. 178.