By this point in your secondary school journey, you've probably heard of plagiarism.  Plagiarism is similar to the dangers and obstacles that any hero would face - sometimes the dangers are obvious, while at other times they can be hidden.  Depending on how your teachers have described it, you might think of plagiarism as being like a monstrous villain or a villainous monster.  Fortunately, in this activity you'll learn and earn the tools necessary to not only recognize the monster, but also to slay it!

Of course, plagiarism isn't only a concern in secondary school - it matters in the "real world" as well. Beyond the serious consequences plagiarizing in university and college can have on your grades, your future career goals, or even your personal finances, being accused of plagiarism can have negative (and, thanks to social media, long-lasting) consequences on your reputation. 

There are many famous cases where academics, authors, celebrities and content-creators were found to have plagiarized. Fortunately, there are plenty of paths that lead away from plagiarism, but, like all other paths, they are easier to follow when you know the signs. And, to quote from Frank Herbert's wonderful sci-fi and bildungsroman (definition:This is a type of novel or text concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.)epic, Dune, "knowing that a trap exists is the first step in avoiding it." Given that, you will research a famous plagiarist. Hopefully, by learning from history, you will make sure that it doesn't repeat itself.

Have you ever been lost?  How did it make you feel?  Though everyone's experiences are different, it's likely you felt some or all of the following emotions: fear, nervousness, anger, worry, or even hopelessness.  Well, being accused of plagiarism, especially when you didn't mean to do it, can elicit many of the same feelings.  After all, in a basic way, the person accusing you of plagiarizing is questioning your very honour.  

Now, if you did intentionally plagiarize, the only option is to admit your wrongdoing and learn from your mistakes; no one is perfect, but owning up to your mistakes and making sure you take steps to avoid them in the future is a clear sign of maturity.

What if you didn't mean to plagiarize - or, you didn't plagiarize, at all?  Well, though your initial reaction might be to run off into the forest, you probably know that's only a short term solution, and certainly not a good one.  Instead, in this activity you will learn how to navigate the murky world of plagiarism so that you never have to worry about facing that accusation.

Reading Powers Activate!

Throughout ENG2D, you will be asked to find the main idea and supporting details in a variety of different texts.  This is an essential skill for reading effectively, but it can also result in accidental plagiarism.  Just because you wrote out the main idea and supporting details in your words doesn't mean that they were your original ideas.  As such, it's important to always give credit where credit is due; doing this is called citing.  You will learn more about citing and citations later on.

For now, let's review how to effectively identify the main idea and supporting details in a text.  

Listening Powers Activate!

Have you ever heard the saying "an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure?"  It's a truism (definition:A truism is a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting.)that means that it's better to act ahead of time than to react afterward. With that in mind, you are going to watch a video to help you prepare for your journey to best plagiarism. Watch and listen carefully as there will be questions following it that will assess your ability to actively listen. 

Now that you know more about plagiarism in general, it's time to learn some of the specific mistakes students make that result in plagiarism.  

The Writing Process

One of the best ways to avoid plagiarizing is by ensuring you follow the writing process. (definition:This is the process involved in producing a polished piece of writing. The writing process comprises several stages, each of which focuses on specific tasks. The main stages of the writing process are: planning for writing, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and publishing.) Using it will give you many opportunities to not only check your work to ensure it's effective and polished, but also honestly yours or accurately cited.

WritingProcess

Throughout this course, you'll improve your writing using three related but different processes: proofreading, editing, and revising.

ProofreadEditRevise

Subquest 1: OSSLT and Graphic Texts

Throughout this course,  you will conduct a series of mandatory subquests (definition: Subquests are a secondary quests that form part of a larger quest; they are often seen in video games) that will give you insight into what the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) asks students to do.  As stated on the Education Quality and Accountability Office's (EQAO) website, the OSSLT "measures whether or not students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. Successful completion of the literacy test is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. All students across the province write this test on the same date, usually in late March each year."  Even if you have already successfully completed the OSSLT, these subquests will help you review your reading and writing skills.

To learn more about what the OSSLT is all about, read the OSSLT Getting Ready Guide for Grade 10 Students from EQAO. (Original article)

OSSLT Reading Questions

When it comes to reading tasks, the OSSLT generally asks three types of questions. 

• Direct: This is the simplest type of question to answer since the correct answer to the question can be found in the text. You would use the reading on the lines (definition:This is a reading strategy where the reader looks at the direct, actual words and ideas being expressed to find the information needed.)strategy to answer these types of questions.
• Indirect: These questions are slightly more difficult to answer since the correct answer is not explicitly (definition:Answers which are stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.)stated in the text. In other words, you cannot put your finger on the exact answer.  However, you may find evidence in the text from which you can infer (definition:Inferring involves drawing meaning from or reaching a conclusion using reasoning and evidence from a text, based on what the author states and implies in the text. Inferring also involves using what you, the reader, bring to the text from your prior knowledge and experience.)and interpret details. This is known as reading between the lines. (definition:This is a reading strategy where the information is suggested or implied by the text, but is not directly stated.)
• Personal Connection: These questions are the most challenging to answer since the correct answer is not found in the text because there is not a single “correct” prescribed answer. Textual evidence can still be used to support your opinion but everyone's textual evidence may vary.  Answers will differ from person to person because the purpose of these types of questions is to ask you to use personal interpretations and experiences to connect with the text. When answering these types of questions, connect what you have read with what you already know, what you have experienced, and what your personal viewpoints are.

OSSLT Reading Questions

To test your understanding, picture a situation where a person puts on a big, thick, stuffed blue jacket before going outside.

Now, answer the following questions:

1. Direct: What colour is the jacket?
   Answer

   The jacket is blue.

2. Indirect: What season is it and why?
   Answer

   It is winter because the jacket has a lot of padding to keep someone warm.

3. Personal Connection: Describe a time when you didn't dress properly.
   Answer

   One time when I didn't dress properly was when I forgot to put on my gloves before going skiing.  It was so cold that it hurt my hands to touch the ski poles!  Eventually, I had to go inside.