APA Examples to Examine
Directions: For each exercise below, determine whether or not plagiarism has occurred.
The Original Source:
"Survey respondents may have only viewed face-to-face communication as human help, while not considering email as human help because of its technological mask." (Corey Johnson, published 2003, page 58)
Exercises:
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Survey takers may have only thought of in-person communication as human help, while not considering electronic mail as human assistance because of its technological cover (Johnson, p. 58). Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- This attempt at paraphrasing the original source was unsuccessful because while some of the words from the original were changed, the sentence structure of the original was not altered
- When paraphrasing in APA, you should not have a page number, but instead the year
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Because email communication does not involve direct human contact, survey respondents may have only classified in-person communication as human help (Johnson, 2003). Answer
Answer: Not Plagiarism
- Good example of paraphrasing
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In his book, Online Chat Reference Explored, Corey Johnson (2003) notes, "Survey respondents may have only viewed face-to-face communication as human help, while not considering email as human help because of its technological mask" (p. 58). Answer
Answer: Not Plagiarism
- Good example of quoting
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Survey respondents may have only viewed face-to-face communication as human help, while not considering email as human help because of its technological mask. Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- Use of the exact words from the original source with no quotation marks and no citation
The Original Source:
"Even though the commercial companies provide lower quality service, they garner much more patronage than not-for-profits because of aggressive marketing strategies and name recognition." (James Davis, published 1986, page 236).
Exercises:
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According to James Davis (1986), commercial companies attract more business than non-profits because of saturating marketing tactics, even while offering inferior service. Answer
Answer: Not Plagiarism
- Good example of paraphrasing
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While for-profit companies provide worse service, they get more customers than non-profits because of assertive marketing tactics and customer familiarity with their names (Davis, 1986). Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- Many words were changed but the sentence structure is the same
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Although the commercial companies provide lower quality service, they get more customers because of aggressive marketing tactics (Davis, 1986). Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- The phrase "commercial companies provide lower quality service" needs quotes and consequently you'd need to add the page number
The Original Source:
"The emperor played many diverse roles for the people, he was the chief spiritual leader and contact with the gods, he also commanded the military and was the society's central legislator." (Lindsay Madens, published 1990, page 87)
Exercises:
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Among the duties of the emperor, he was chief spiritual leader and commanded the military. Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- Use of same phrases such as "chief spiritual leader" and "commanded the military" with no quotes
- No citiation
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Lindsay Madens (1990) indicates the emperor's life was full of important responsibilities. She outlines many of them including "chief spiritual leader" and "society's central legislator" (p. 87). Answer
Answer: Not Plagiarism
- Good example of combining quoting and paraphrasing
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Lindsay Madens (1990) recognizes the many roles of the emperor. He was both the central religious figure and lawmaker. Answer
Answer: Plagiarism
- Second sentence is Madens' idea, so you need to put (1990) at the end of the second sentence
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Serving as the primary authority and leader concerning religious, military, and political matters, the emperor had powerful and varied duties (Madens, 1990). Answer
Answer: Not Plagiarism
- Good example of paraphrasing