Welcome to our plagiarism prevention page. The WaLC takes research and documentation very seriously, and we want to help students be ethical investigators and communicators.
Our recommendation for instructors:
If you are concerned about students plagiarizing, we recommend you use ALL the resources on this page together. Read through our instructor guide, then plan a discussion or activity about ethical research in your class. Ask your students to download and read our Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism and take the Plagiarism Self Test. (Have them bring their certificates of completion to class.) These take-home assignments should generate some good questions for your planned research discussion.
FOR STUDENTS: The WaLC Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism
This short tutorial for students outlines different types of plagiarism, gives some
basics on how and when to document sources, and provides instructions for summarizing,
paraphrasing, and quoting your sources. Also remember that the WaLC's research and documentation page provides mini-guides and tips for all major citation styles.
FOR INSTRUCTORS: The WaLC's Guide to Helping Your Students Stop Plagiarizing
Strategic advice on assignment design to help your students avoid accidentally plagiarizing.
The Plagiarism Self Test
Do YOU know plagiarism when you see it? This test takes students through a series
of passages in which outside sources are used--some appropriately, others not so much.
Users cannot advance to the next question until they find each correct answer! Instructors
may ask students to print and fill out the Understanding Plagiarism Certificate (PDF)
that appears at the end of the test as an acknowledgement of their understanding.
(NOTE: some Mac browsers may give an error message in place of the final certificate.
If you have any problems, call 227-7197.)
WCU Academic Integrity Policy
All students and faculty should read and be familiar with WCU's official policy on plagiarism.