Introduction
This lesson covers the topics of plagiarism and referencing. In a subject like software development, this has a different, but no less important meaning. As software developers we rely on free open-source software that has been created with an open license such that anyone may view or edit it. This is a cornerstone of the internet and without it, our industry would be very different. Part of this philosophy includes using other’s work respectfully, and in the way that they intended.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of copying another’s work without reference to the author’s original license. This includes the work of colleagues, teachers and external resources. If you are unsure of the license for a piece of work, you should ask the author or the author’s representative. If this fails, you should consider the work to be under a All Rights Reserved license.
Plagiarism is a serious offence. Copying and pasting someone else’s work might be easy, but it won’t be accepted at any tertiary institution including Noroff. If you are caught for plagiarism you could be referred to the national reporting system and could be banned from studying at any tertiary institution in Norway for 2 years.
Avoiding plagiarism is very easy. All you need to do is ensure that all the work you submit is your own and nobody else’s. In second year, when we begin using external libraries, we use standardised mechanisms to ensure this is done correctly. Until then we prefer that you submit your own original code, and only that.
Here are some reasons why plagiarism is so serious:
• It’s insincere. A good developer is honest and willing to accept their limitations. By taking another’s work without correct attribution you are claiming an ability that you do not have. In another professional setting, this act could cost a life - and while things aren’t so serious in our industry, the ethic remains the same.
• You won’t learn anything. If you copy someone else’s work you won’t improve yourself. Work at the assignment and try and solve it yourself. If you are struggling to understand, speak to your tutor and they will assist you. Noroff is a vocational school and the aim is to make you fit for the workplace. When you’re working for a company you won’t be able to just copy someone else’s work, you’ll need to be able to do it yourself.
• You can’t be assessed. If you copy someone else’s work, then your tutor can’t assess whether you understand the work. The marks should actually then go to whoever wrote, designed, or coded that work. We are here to help you learn, and this actively defeats our goal.
Referencing
You should reference when you have been influenced by someone else’s work or ideas. This does not mean you can copy what they have done. Your references can only be used as inspiration, and acknowledges that you didn’t know that information without that source or didn’t originate that style.
If you have taken ideas from someone and not referenced them, this is also plagiarism and therefore it is important to credit your sources.
In development, it is sometimes challenging to determine which resources need a citation and which resources don’t. The general rule is to cite code that you did not create by yourself so as to give credit to the creator. Some code - whether it is the ideas or programs - can be stated as “common knowledge”. This is an exception that does not require a citation. The same applies to cases where there is only one commonly used way to program a specific problem.
If you are unsure of where or how to reference, leave the URL of where you found the code in a comment section.
When in doubt about references, the safest option is to ask for advice from your tutor.
Citing computer code in report
To cite either a computer program or piece of source code you will need the following information:
• Author(s) name (Individual or corporation)
• Date
• Title of program/source code
• Code version
• Type (e.g. computer program, source code)
• Web address or publisher (e.g. program publisher, URL) When writing a report and citing within the text, the following method (based on common IEEE and ACM citation rules for other types of references) can be used:
For a website
Author(s). “Title of page being referenced”, Year published. Internet: URL. [Date it was accessed]. For example:
If you were influenced by code from css-tricks.com about Flex Box you would reference them like so:
R. Rendle, “Does CSS Grid Replace Flexbox?”, 2017. Internet: https://css-tricks.com/css-grid-replace-flexbox/. [Accessed: 09- Nov- 2017].
For a book
Author(s). Title of book. City: Publisher, Year published, Pages For example:
S. Krug, “Don’t Make Me Think Re-visited”. San Francisco: New Riders, 2014, p55-p57
Frequently asked questions
Can I use someone else’s images for projects?
Unless the assignment is specifically about making images, you can use images that are in the public domain or images that you have the rights to use. If you do use images in the public domain, make sure to follow their licenses and attributions and reference where the images originated from.
Try looking for images from the following free stock sites: pexels.com, pixabay.com, and unsplash.com.
Can I use Lorem Ipsum or another placeholder text?
Again, as long as that isn’t what is being assessed and you have the rights to use the text, you can.
Can I copy someone else’s words as long as I say whose words I used?
No, because then you are submitting words that aren’t your own. You can quote a sentence from another source, but the bulk of the work must be your own.
Can I use someone else’s work if I have permission?
If it is part of the submission that is going to be assessed for marks, then no you can’t. The elements of the project you are going to be marked on, must be your own.
For example, if you are creating a web page and are only going to be assessed on the code and you need placeholder text, you can use someone else’s text as long as you have permission. However, if someone gives you permission to use their code, you can’t use it because then you can’t be assessed on your work.
When do I use references?
You use references to say who you have been influenced by. You can’t copy from these sources, but you can be influenced by them.