is it plagerizing if you copy the thesis statement off google?

1. 61

   whispers of faithposted 15 years ago

   is it plagerizing if you copy the thesis statement off google?
   
   i suck at the thesis statement and i didnt know how to come up with one for history. so i saw a thesis statement i liked translated it in my own words and passed it off as mine. its not like its the whole paper just the thesis statement is it wrong

   report
2. 60

   selkefamposted 15 years ago

   I believe that at least 75% of your writings must be in your own words and ANYTHING you copy and paste MUST be credited to the original author.  If these rules are not followed, it is plagerizing.  It does not sound like you plagerized.  Using a statement is similar to using a writing prompt.

   report
3. 59

   mcleodgiposted 15 years ago

   They emphasize the boundaries of plagerism at my college. Mostly they tell us that if we credit someone else's ORIGINAL work as our own, then yes, it's plagerizing. In your case, I don't think it was plagerizing, either since you did put it in completely in your own words and didn't just change one or two words.  Another thing you could do the next time you run into that problem, is take that title, maybe write it down but let it sit with you for a little while and see if you any other ideas "bounce" or "light up" in your mind from it. Or maybe make a little exercise for yourself like noting every word that comes to mind while writing that paper.

   report
4. 59

   Dark knight ridesposted 15 years ago

   Paraphrasing is considered acceptable, as long as you give credit to the original source. Of course, there are only so many words available, and so many ways to put them together. Duplication happens. But it is a slippery slope, and if you can justify it to yourself once, you'll do it again.

   report
5. 89

   Rebecca E.posted 15 years ago

   this is a slippery slope, as you have in fact PALGERIZED, as you said so yourself, you passed it off as your own.  That and your justifying, which means that you know it wasn't exactly correct to dothis.
   
   However given that I do deal with things like this, and i am not getting to much from this simple explanation,  I'll say it is iffy, you are right at the limits of bad taste/plagarism.  If you had in fact said you got it off of google and wrote it into your own words and made it clear int eh rest of teh paper than that is somewhat acceptable.  Basically in a history thesis statement you either argue for or against something.

   report