Remember that the goal of this course is to learn valuable skills. No matter how difficult the course becomes, and no matter how overwhelmed or frustrated you feel, you must always turn in original work. If you're struggling, don't be afraid to reach out to a tutor or via email to the tutor network.
Plagiarism is not tolerated. If the grading team determines that you've plagiarized work, they'll decide the appropriate course of action. Such actions might include, but are not limited to, a documented plagiarism discussion, an incomplete grade assignment, or ineligibility for graduation.
Plagiarism is the presentation of material, concepts, or products from another person, group, or entity as your own work without citation or reference. Acts of plagiarism might include but are not limited to the following:
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Copying the direct words or images of another person without using quotation marks or citing the original source.
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Presenting another's ideas in your own words without acknowledging the original source.
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Failing to acknowledge collaborators on Challenge and project assignments. Submitting work that you previously wrote for an assignment in another class without identifying it as such (self-plagiarism).
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Using, paraphrasing, or copying content, statistics, images, and other materials directly from blogs, websites, or online publications without citing the original source.
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Submitting downloaded papers, slide decks, or other documents without citing the original source.
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Taking code written by another person and presenting it as your own work.
The following definition from the University of Birmingham School of Computer Science provides additional details about avoiding plagiarism as it relates to code:
"Almost all computer programs contain many ideas borrowed from elsewhere. Many also contain short sections of actual code copied from elsewhere. For example, writing a section of program to create a new window on screen with a menu at the top of the window is often done by simply copying a few lines of code from an example in a programming manual or textbook, either with or without a few minor changes. This is normally regarded as fair use and typically requires no acknowledgement.
Any more significant copying of code from elsewhere should be acknowledged, however. The acknowledgement can be put in comments within the program itself. Reference to the source of the original material should be made in the same way as in essays or other documents (except that it may not be possible to use italics or other font variations). Obviously, it isn't possible to put sections of code in quotation marks to indicate that they have been taken directly from elsewhere. Instead, the comments should make it clear which sections of code have been copied from elsewhere. Equally, the comments should make it clear when the basic method has been copied from elsewhere, but changes made to the details."
You may share ideas among peers as long as you cite all sources accordingly.
Follow these tips to help ensure that you meet boot camp standards for submitting original work while avoiding plagiarism:
When using a portion of someone else's content, be sure to either put the material in quotation marks, use an in-text citation, or cite the source in your notes. Where possible, include a link to the original source, the name of the author, and the name of the publication from which you derived the content, and the date of publication in your citation.
Try to follow general APA citation style guides when citing your sources. For more information, refer to the Purdue Online Writing Lab webpage on citing electronic resources
During this course, you might refer to other people's work for design inspiration. While you may use some of the same color palettes, typefaces, or assets, it is unacceptable to copy the entire visual composition of someone else's work. Make it your own.
Whenever you use a portion of someone else's code, be sure to provide a web link and the source of the material as a comment.
Think of writing code like writing an essay: it's totally acceptable to quote a few sentences from someone else's work, but copying an entire work and passing it off as your own is unacceptable.
Use comments to break down how your code functions. Thoughtfully commenting on code will benefit you in a variety of ways. Most industries that involve coding expect developers to use easy-to-read code with comments that detail functionality. This best practice enables collaborators to engage more easily with the work.
When you complete a step or fix a bug, commit your code to GitHub. Doing so enables you and your peers in your group to track the evolution of your code, bit by bit, just like on a software team. Frequently committing to GitHub—an industry standard—helps prevent collaboration obstacles.
Remember, copying someone else's work and passing it off as your own violates an ethical code between you, your fellow students, and the original creator of the work. The following additional resources can help you understand best practices for avoiding plagiarism and offer guidelines and tools to help you create proper citations.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: When Is It Plagiarism?
- University of Birmingham School of Computer Science: Guidance on Plagiarism for Students
- Google Support: Add Citations to Your Google Document
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