Plagiarism FAQs
How does Valar define Plagiarism?
Valar defines plagiarism as: “Knowingly representing the work of others as one’s own, engaging in any acts of plagiarism, or referencing the works of others without appropriate citation.” Plagiarism can include both:
- A misuse or lack of use of proper citations for works referenced; and
- Submitting the work of someone else as your own
This means that all submitted must be in your own words, though properly-cited quotations and graphics are admissible when used to illustrate points that have been made. While the use of AI tools like ChatGPT is allowed, students are responsible for any plagiarism detected in their submitted work. If you're still unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, check out this two-minute explainer.
What are the consequences of plagiarism?
Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Valar uses a plagiarism-detection service to monitor and identify evidence of plagiarism for all student submissions.
In addition to academic consequences, plagiarism reduces a student’s opportunity to learn new content and refine important skills. Researching, evaluating and forming arguments, and writing compelling explanations are important for professionals with MBAs. Plagiarism inside and outside of an academic environment can also pose risks to Valar and to a student’s professional reputation, which is why Valar takes it seriously and asks Valar students to do the same.
Any student caught plagiarizing will be notified of their transgression via email. For minor violations, the student may be asked to revise and resubmit their project. For major violations, the student may be asked to completely rewrite their project or complete an alternative assignment. In extreme cases, further disciplinary action may be pursued, including suspension or expulsion. More details on the Code of Conduct disciplinary process, including appeals, can be found here.
All students who either commit a major plagiarism violation or violate the policy more than once (whether a major or minor infraction) will be ineligible to receive Honors.
What if I did not intentionally plagiarize?
All plagiarism, even unintentional, is considered a violation of our plagiarism policy. It is important to be conscientious when citing your sources. When in doubt, cite!
How do I know if I am citing my sources properly?
Check our Citation FAQs about when and how to cite your sources here.
You can also review Purdue University’s Avoiding Plagiarism or Ohio University’s Plagiarism FAQs articles for information on what does and does not need to be cited and best practices. Finally, always double-check your references to make sure that the spelling, page numbers, and other key information is correct.
I have more questions!
You can find a list of helpful sites below. If more questions arise, please reach out to support@valar.quantic.edu for assistance.
Helpful Sites
Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide
Chicago Manual of Style-For Students
Ohio University's Plagiarism FAQs