EAP Avoiding Plagiarism 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student copies a paragraph from a source and changes only a few words without citing it. This is an example of:
- Proper paraphrasing
- Mosaic plagiarism (Correct answer)
- Common knowledge use
- Self-plagiarism
Correct answer: Mosaic plagiarism
Mosaic plagiarism (also called patchwork plagiarism) involves copying text and replacing only some words while keeping the original structure without citation.
Question 2: Which of the following does NOT need to be cited in an academic paper?
- A statistic from a government report
- The date of a historical battle that is universally known (Correct answer)
- A quotation from a published author
- A researcher's specific theoretical framework
Correct answer: The date of a historical battle that is universally known
Widely known historical facts (like common dates) are considered common knowledge and do not require citation.
Question 3: When is it acceptable to submit the same paper for two different courses?
- Always, since you wrote it yourself
- Never under any circumstances
- Only with explicit permission from both instructors (Correct answer)
- Only if the paper is about the same topic
Correct answer: Only with explicit permission from both instructors
Submitting the same work for two courses (self-plagiarism) is only acceptable if both instructors explicitly grant permission.
Question 4: A student uses an idea from a source, restates it entirely in their own words, and adds a citation. This practice is called:
- Quoting
- Fabricating
- Paraphrasing (Correct answer)
- Summarizing a block quote
Correct answer: Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means expressing someone else's idea in your own words and sentence structure while still providing a citation.
Question 5: Which scenario best describes 'accidental plagiarism'?
- Deliberately buying a paper online
- Forgetting to add a citation for a paraphrased idea (Correct answer)
- Copying a classmate's assignment word for word
- Inventing data to support an argument
Correct answer: Forgetting to add a citation for a paraphrased idea
Accidental plagiarism typically results from careless note-taking or forgetting to add a citation, rather than intentional deception.
Question 6: In APA style, what must a direct quotation include that a paraphrase does not require?
- Author's last name
- Publication year
- Page or paragraph number (Correct answer)
- Title of the work
Correct answer: Page or paragraph number
APA style requires a page or paragraph number for direct quotations to pinpoint the exact location of the quoted text.
Question 7: Which strategy is most effective for avoiding plagiarism during the note-taking stage?
- Copy text directly and decide later whether to cite it
- Use a highlighter on printed sources only
- Clearly label notes as direct quotes or paraphrases at the time of writing (Correct answer)
- Avoid taking notes and rely on memory
Correct answer: Clearly label notes as direct quotes or paraphrases at the time of writing
Labeling notes immediately as quotes or paraphrases prevents confusion later and ensures proper attribution when writing the paper.
EAP Avoiding Plagiarism 2
A student copies a paragraph from a source and changes only a few words without citing it.
This is an example of: