Assignment task:
Katrina, in her essay on Canadian identity, mentions the following:
In Canada, we don't really have the concept of the average or typical Canadian. South of the border, they have the idea of the "all-American" boy or girl but that seems ridiculous to us. We see the idea of uniformity as a concept that leads to racism and other kinds of intolerance. If a society only cares about creating average citizens, it will always create mediocre ones. In Canada, we don't try to make everyone think the same and be the same; instead, we try to nurture positive values such as love and empathy.
Situation:
Katrina's teacher has told her that this passage is an example of plagiarism. Katrina argues that this idea about Canadian identity has become common knowledge and therefore does not need to be cited in her essay. To what extent is this passage plagiarized? With your classmates, explain whether or not you think Katrina is guilty of plagiarism. What would you say to Katrina if you were her teacher?