Undergraduate Studies
Department of History Statement on Plagiarism
Preamble
In order to preserve the integrity of our courses and insure that honest efforts by students are not cheapened by the cheating of others, the Department of History sets out its definition of plagiarism and it policies and procedures concerning this abuse. The definition, policies, and procedures are in accord with University of Illinois standards as stated in the Student Code, Article 1, Part 4, which can be found at http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/policy/code/article_1/a1_1-401.html. All faculty and students should read this key document.
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own. Submitting papers not written by the student is only the most blatant form of plagiarism. Plagiarism also includes, but is not limited to: copying another student’s work in exams, papers, or other exercises; inappropriate collaboration with another student; and verbatim copying, close paraphrasing, pasting in, or recombining published materials, including materials from the internet, without appropriate citation.
For examples of plagiarism, see Article 1, Part 4.
Recommended Penalty for Plagiarism
Faculty should refer to Article 1, Part 4, 1-403, for the range of penalties considered appropriate in cases of plagiarism. The penalty to be exacted is at the discretion of the instructor. However, it is recommended that in serious cases without mitigating circumstances, the student receive a failing grade for the course. In the light of an increased level of plagiarism due to the ease of copying from the internet, it is hoped that the severity of the penalty will act as a deterrent. Whatever course of action an instructor chooses, that instructor must follow the procedures prescribed in 1-404. The Department of History also requires that whenever a penalty is enforced, instructors are to document the case with a formal letter to be inserted in the student’s file. This will alert future instructors that the student has a track record of plagiarism. If you have questions, contact the Department Chair directly.
Required Notification on All Syllabi
Instructors in the Department of History must include the definition of plagiarism, the penalty recommendation, and the web address of Article 1, Part 4 on course syllabi.
Recommend Practices for Alerting Students Concerning Plagiarism
This definition and notice of penalties should be posted on the Department of History website.
Instructors may choose to require their students to sign an agreement that they understand what plagiarism is and the penalties for committing it.