12.2 Avoiding plagiarism and properly citing sources
4 min read•august 15, 2024
Avoiding plagiarism and properly citing sources are crucial skills in public speaking. These practices ensure your speech is original, credible, and respectful of others' work. They also protect you from potential ethical and legal consequences.
Proper citation methods vary for different types of sources. Oral citations should be brief but informative, while personal communications require context and permission. Understanding these techniques helps you create compelling, ethical speeches that resonate with your audience.
Plagiarism in Public Speaking
Definition and Forms of Plagiarism
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- Plagiarism involves using someone else's words, ideas, or creative work without properly crediting the original source, whether intentional or unintentional
- Verbatim plagiarism copies text word-for-word from a source without using quotation marks or providing proper attribution
- plagiarism rephrases ideas from a source without significantly altering the original meaning or structure and fails to cite the source
- Insufficient citation plagiarism mentions a source but does not provide enough information for the audience to locate the original material
- reuses one's own previously published or submitted work without disclosing that the material has been used before
Consequences and Implications
- Plagiarism undermines the speaker's credibility and trustworthiness by presenting someone else's work as one's own
- Engaging in plagiarism can lead to disciplinary action in academic and professional settings
- Failing an assignment
- Being expelled from school
- Losing one's job
- Plagiarism may have legal consequences as a form of copyright infringement or theft
- Speakers have a responsibility to provide accurate, honest, and original content to their audience, and plagiarism violates this obligation
Proper vs Improper Source Use
Proper Use of Sources
- Accurately represent the original material, provide context for the information, and give credit to the original author or creator
- Use sources to support arguments, provide evidence, and enhance credibility, rather than relying on them to construct the entire speech
- Carefully evaluate the credibility, relevance, and timeliness of the information to ensure it strengthens the message
- Proper citation and attribution demonstrate respect for the original creators and allow the audience to further explore the sources used
Improper Use of Sources
- Misrepresent the original content, take information out of context, or fail to acknowledge the source
- Over-reliance on sources without adding original insights or analysis
- Using outdated, irrelevant, or unreliable sources that weaken the argument or mislead the audience
- Failing to provide sufficient context for the information, leading to misinterpretation or confusion
Citation Methods for Speeches
Oral Citations
- Keep oral citations brief and include the author's name, the title of the work, and the date of publication or creation
- For print sources (books or articles), mention the author's name, the title of the work, and the publication date
- When citing online sources, provide the author's name (if available), the title of the webpage or article, the name of the website, and the date of publication or last update
- If using audiovisual materials (videos or podcasts), credit the creator, the title of the work, and the date of publication or release
Citing Personal Communications
- Personal interviews or communications should be cited by mentioning the name of the person interviewed and the date of the interview or communication
- Provide context for the relationship between the speaker and the person being cited (expert in the field, eyewitness, etc.)
- If the communication was private or confidential, obtain permission from the individual before sharing the information in a speech
- Keep detailed records of personal communications, including dates, times, and any relevant notes or recordings
Ethical and Legal Implications of Plagiarism
Ethical Considerations
- Plagiarism is an ethical violation that undermines the speaker's credibility and trustworthiness
- It involves presenting someone else's work as one's own, deceiving the audience and disrespecting the original creator
- Proper citation and attribution demonstrate respect for the original creators and contribute to the integrity of the public speaking process
- Speakers have an ethical obligation to provide accurate, honest, and original content to their audience
Legal Ramifications
- Plagiarism can be considered a form of copyright infringement or intellectual property theft
- Copyright laws protect original works of authorship, including speeches, and unauthorized use may result in legal action
- The consequences of copyright infringement may include monetary damages, injunctions, and reputational harm
- Speakers should familiarize themselves with the principles of fair use and obtain permission when necessary to use copyrighted material in their speeches
Key Terms to Review (18)
Academic integrity: Academic integrity refers to the ethical code and moral principles that govern how students, educators, and researchers should conduct themselves in an academic setting. It encompasses values such as honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility, which are crucial for fostering a positive learning environment and maintaining the credibility of academic work. Upholding academic integrity is essential to avoid issues like plagiarism and to ensure that proper credit is given to original sources.
Apa citation: APA citation is a referencing style created by the American Psychological Association used for writing and formatting academic papers, specifically in the social sciences. It provides a standardized method for citing sources, which helps readers locate original works and avoids plagiarism. This structured approach ensures clarity and consistency in scholarly writing, making it easier for readers to verify and follow the source material.
Citation generator: A citation generator is an online tool that automatically creates citations in various formats, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago, based on the information provided about a source. This tool helps ensure accuracy and consistency in citing sources, which is essential for avoiding plagiarism and maintaining academic integrity.
Crediting sources: Crediting sources refers to the practice of acknowledging the original creators of ideas, information, or works used in one’s own presentations or written materials. This process not only enhances the credibility of the speaker or writer but also helps to prevent plagiarism by giving proper attribution to the original source. Effectively crediting sources demonstrates respect for intellectual property and allows the audience to trace the information back to its origin for further exploration.
Direct plagiarism: Direct plagiarism occurs when a person copies another individual's work word-for-word without proper attribution, presenting it as their own. This unethical practice not only violates academic integrity but also undermines the value of original thought and creativity. Understanding direct plagiarism is essential for maintaining credibility in communication and scholarship, ensuring that sources are credited accurately.
Evidence-based speaking: Evidence-based speaking refers to the practice of using credible and reliable evidence to support claims made during a speech or presentation. This approach emphasizes the importance of backing up statements with factual information, expert opinions, statistics, and other forms of evidence to enhance the speaker's credibility and persuade the audience. It also encompasses proper citation of sources to avoid plagiarism and uphold ethical standards in communication.
Intellectual Property: Intellectual property refers to the legal rights that arise from the creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names, and images used in commerce. These rights protect the interests of creators by granting them exclusive control over the use and distribution of their creations, making it crucial to understand these concepts to avoid unauthorized use and ensure proper attribution.
Mla citation: MLA citation is a standardized method for documenting sources used in academic writing, specifically developed by the Modern Language Association. This format ensures that creators receive proper credit for their work, helps readers locate the original sources, and maintains academic integrity by avoiding plagiarism.
Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing is the process of rewording or rephrasing someone else's ideas or statements in your own words while retaining the original meaning. This technique is crucial for effectively responding to questions and objections, as it demonstrates understanding and clarity. Additionally, paraphrasing is vital in academic settings to avoid plagiarism and ensure proper citation, allowing speakers to incorporate others' ideas while giving appropriate credit.
Primary sources: Primary sources are original, firsthand accounts or evidence created during the time under study. They provide direct insight into a historical event, period, or phenomenon and include materials such as documents, artifacts, recordings, and other forms of evidence that have not been altered or interpreted by others.
Quoting: Quoting is the practice of directly citing someone else's words or ideas in your own work, typically enclosed in quotation marks. This technique is crucial in academic and public speaking contexts as it allows speakers and writers to support their arguments with credible sources, thereby enhancing the authority of their message. Proper quoting also plays a significant role in acknowledging the original author's contributions and maintaining ethical standards in communication.
Reference page: A reference page is a list of all the sources that were cited or consulted in the preparation of a speech or written work, typically formatted according to a specific citation style. This page serves to give credit to the original authors and helps the audience or readers locate the sources for further information, reinforcing the credibility and academic integrity of the work.
Secondary sources: Secondary sources are documents or recordings that analyze, interpret, or summarize primary sources. They provide context and insight about the information found in primary sources, making them valuable for research and understanding complex subjects.
Self-plagiarism: Self-plagiarism occurs when an individual reuses their own previously submitted work in a new context without proper citation or acknowledgment. This practice raises ethical concerns similar to those associated with traditional plagiarism, as it can mislead readers about the originality of the work and violate academic integrity standards.
Source attribution: Source attribution is the practice of acknowledging and crediting the original creators of information, ideas, or content that are used in a presentation or speech. This process is essential for maintaining intellectual honesty and integrity, as it ensures that audiences can differentiate between the speaker's own ideas and those derived from others. Proper source attribution helps prevent plagiarism and fosters a culture of respect for the original work of others.
Supporting materials: Supporting materials are the various resources used to bolster and validate a speaker's claims and arguments during a presentation. These can include facts, statistics, examples, testimonies, and narratives that provide credibility and depth to the speaker's message. Using appropriate supporting materials is essential not only for engaging the audience but also for avoiding issues like plagiarism by ensuring that all sources are properly acknowledged.
Turnitin: Turnitin is an online plagiarism detection tool that helps educators and students ensure academic integrity by checking submitted papers against a vast database of student papers, publications, and web content. By identifying similarities and potential instances of plagiarism, Turnitin encourages proper citation practices and promotes original writing in academic settings.
Works cited: Works cited is a list of sources that were referenced or consulted in the preparation of a piece of writing, typically found at the end of a document. This list serves to give credit to the original authors and allows readers to locate the sources for further information, thus playing a critical role in avoiding plagiarism and maintaining academic integrity.