- Incidents of plagiarism must be reported immediately by the faculty member to the Registrar.
- The most common errors in handling written sources are the following:
- failure to use quotation marks when quoting,
- failure to make a thorough paraphrase when attempting to put the idea in one’s own words,
- failure to give the source of the information.
- Students found plagiarizing in course work or examinations are subject to discipline. The standard disciplinary response is an immediate F (failing grade) for the course and the student placed on disciplinary probation. The disciplinary action may be decreased or increased for reasons such as the following:
- Possibly decreased to failure of assignment:
- if work is a minor part of the total grade of the course (such as less than 5%),
- if judged not to be premeditated.
- However, the professor may require the student to rewrite the paper, while still receiving a failing grade, in order to pass the course.
- Recommend to Student Life possible disciplinary suspension:
- if a repeated case of plagiarizing at Northwestern,
- if a flagrant action of plagiarizing, such as intentional lifting of large sections of text without documentation or fabrication of sources,
- if the student is proved to have been dishonest or uncooperative at any time during the investigation.
- Appeals for cause on plagiarizing will be in writing and directed to the Registrar, chair of ad hoc Appeals Committee.
- See Cheating for other related policy information.
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