Three capacities, above all, are essential to the cultivation of humanity in today's world. First is the capacity for critical examination of oneself and one's traditions-for living what, following Socrates, we may call the examined life. This means a life that accepts no belief as authoritative simply because it has been handed down by tradition or become familiar through habit, a life that questions all beliefs and accepts only those that survive reason's demand for consistency and for justification. Training this capacity requires developing the capacity to reason logically, to test what one reads or says for consistency of reasoning, correctness of fact, and accuracy of judgment…We need Socratic teaching to fulfill the promise of democratic citizenship.

Martha Nussbaum, Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University press, 1997. pp. 9-10

EXAMPLE 1

Several characteristics define the modern sense of humanity. Primary among them is Socrates' ideal of the examined life. This means a life that accepts no belief as authoritative simply because it has been handed down by tradition or become familiar through habit. This idea of life questions all beliefs and accepts only those that survive reason's demand for consistency and for justification. Training this capacity requires developing the capacity to reason logically, to test what one reads or says for consistency of reasoning, correctness of fact, and accuracy of judgment. Socratic teaching is necessary to fulfill the promise of democratic citizenship.

The development of several traits is critical to the cultivation of humanity. Critical examination is one of the most important capacities necessary to fulfill Socrates' ideal of the examined life. In this, individuals reject any viewpoint that has merely been handed down by tradition. This leads to a questioning of all beliefs and values; acknowledging only those that are justified and demand consistency. In order to develop this ability mandates the ability to reason logically, testing for consistency of reasoning, and accuracy of facts and judgment. By developing these abilities, we realize the potential of democratic citizenship.

More than any other aptitude, the ability to think critically about our beliefs stands out as a defining characteristic of modern society. Thinking critically entails examining every ideal and value based on one's individual reasoning, not on the reasoning of some “other” respected figure. Nor can individuals allow themselves the luxury of habit: adopting behaviors or ideals through routine rather than critical reflection. In order to fully participate in, and engage with, society, the individual must learn to seek out factual information and render personal judgments based on a sound understanding of the situation.

Explanation

(The red text is copied from the book.)

This example should be quite obvious as plagiarism. The text in the example is taken verbatim from the book. In this case, the information was either copied word for word from a hard copy or cut & pasted from an electronic source. Slight alterations made to the introductory sentence and insignificant word changes through the text are insufficient to avoid a charge of plagiarism.

Despite any initial differences you might perceive, this example still constitutes plagiarism. Although the sentence structure is altered and some of the text may seem to be paraphrased, all the key concepts and ideas are lifted directly from the previous source. The author of the example makes no effort to provide his/her own ideas on the topic. The author of this example retained all the central ideas and themes of the original author while only making superficial changes. The example and the original vary only on the surface, the content remains identical; and plagiarized.

This example is probably the most difficult to discern plagiarism from paraphrasing. Here, the author of the example clearly wrote their piece in their own words. The two articles read very differently and do not look very much alike. However, even in this case there is cause for concern. While the author of the example clearly wrote this in his/her own words, the central theme of the example exactly mirrors that of the original author. While certainly less blatant than the previous examples, this too can be considered plagiarism.

The following quick fixes should not be considered the only way (or even the best way) to write a paper. When confronted with these examples, you should attempt to re-write the paper with the assistance of someone knowledgeable with the topic. utilize the Writing Center and Professor's office hours to get more feedback on your writing.

Quick Fix

Sometimes, we encounter an author whose explanation of a given situation resonates very strongly with our own understanding. In academic work, citing the theories and opinions of others provides valuable background for evaluating our own ideas. When writing, you must use quotations marks in every instance where another author's words are used. In this example, virtually the entire paragraph should be in quotation marks. The end quotation should be followed by parentheses that include the author's name and the original year of publication. Your bibliography should include a listing for the author and the book used. Citation can be done using a number of formats. Please use the links on the main page for more information on systems of citation or visit the Writing Center.

Use of quotation marks around this entire paragraph would help you avoid a charge of plagiarism. However, if your entire paper merely includes quotations from various other authors, it is very unlikely you would do well on the assignment. Your instructor is looking for your original opinions and ideas.

Quick Fix

Once again, when using another author's words, you should use quotation marks. In this case, even though the format of the example is altered from the original, each time specific language or ideas are copied verbatim, quotations must be used.

Here the example is completely re-written using virtually none of the original authors own words. However, because the ideas and central theme are taken from the original, the original author must be given credit. Quotation marks are not necessary, as the author's words are not directly copied. Here, it may only be necessary to reference the author in the introduction to the paragraph.

Referencing the example, the author could have said:

“Nussbaum (1997) believes that, more than any other aptitude,…etc.”

Once again, your bibliography should include a listing for the entire book.

** Section was adapted from the Princeton University website. http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/plagiarism.html