introduction essay about plagiarism

Plagiarism and Academic Honesty

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Plagiarism @ Jefferson College
• 3. Examples of Plagiarism
• Citing Sources Guide This link opens in a new window
• Academic Success Center- OWL This link opens in a new window

Why Students Plagiarize

• Why Do Students Plagiarize? This infographic covers five of the most common reasons that students commit plagiarism.

Test Yourself!

Introduction to plagiarism.

At Jefferson College, academic dishonesty encompasses two things: cheating and plagiarism.  

This guide is to introduce you to the concept of plagiarism : what it is and why it’s something worth caring about. The resources and information provided here are meant to help you avoid plagiarizing (and, therefore, the potentially severe consequences), or if you’ve intentionally or accidentally plagiarized, help give you knowledge and tools to avoid plagiarizing again in the future. 

If you’ve been referred to this course due to intentionally or accidentally plagiarizing, please follow the guide based on the numbered pages on the left. Be sure to read each page thoroughly.

As you work your way through this course, test your understanding by taking the poll on each page. At the end of the guide, you will find the link to take your formal quiz and answers to the polls. 

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is taking the words or ideas of someone else and passing them off as if they are your own. This can include:

• Turning in someone else's work with your name on it
• Copying large pieces of text from a source without proper, or any, citation
• Piecing together text from multiple sources and turning it in as your own
• Copying from a source but changing some words or phrases
• Paraphrasing (rewriting something in your own words) from a number of different sources without citing them
• Buying a paper and turning it in as your own work
• Turning in some of your previous work that you did for another course -- this is self-plagiarism! 

Plagiarism can happen even if you've attempted to cite things properly, too. This can happen if you:

• Mentioned an author or source but didn't provide a bibliographic citation
• Cited a source incorrectly so it's impossible for others to find or verify
• Used a direct quote and cited it, but didn't put quotation marks around the text
• Paraphrased from multiple cited sources, but didn't include any of your own work

Basically, if you’re incorporating anyone else’s words into your own work, you must give them credit and offer your audience a way of finding the original source of the information . The source should be indicated within the content of your work (in-text citations) and also at the end (bibliography, references, notes, etc.)

Why You Want to Avoid Plagiarizing

Getting caught plagiarizing is actually a pretty serious problem. The consequences of plagiarism can be personal, professional, ethical, and even legal. 

Students that commit plagiarism may face:  

• Failure of an assignment or class
• Disciplinary actions like suspension or expulsion
• Being barred from attending other colleges or universities

Professionals that commit plagiarism may face:

• Ruined reputations
• Loss of a job/career
• Legal action
• Financial losses

No one is above getting caught plagiarizing -- not students, academics, journalists, or other successful creators. Consider these famous examples of people whose reputations suffered as a result of being caught plagiarizing:

• Marks Chabedi -- Former academic who plagiarized an entire dissertation by Dr. Kim Lanegran ( read her side of the story here ). He was fired from his professorship at a university in South Africa and his Ph.D. was revoked.
• Alex Haley, author of  Roots: The Saga of an American Family  -- Acclaimed author accused of copying passages from Harold Courlander's book,  The African.  He was sued, settled out of court for $650,000, and released a statement acknowledging that he plagiarized. Read more about that here . 
• Jonah Lehrer -- A (now disgraced) journalist forced to resign from the New Yorker after he was found to have fabricated quotes for a book and self-plagiarized multiple times. Read more here . 

More Resources

• Plagiarism FAQ - University of Oxford
• Plagiarism in One Page - Purdue OWL
• Plagiarism Overview - Purdue OWL
• Next: 2. Plagiarism @ Jefferson College >>
• Last Updated: Sep 12, 2024 8:44 AM
• URL: https://libguides.jeffco.edu/plagiarismguide

What Is Plagiarism and Why Is It Wrong? Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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Introduction

There are so many ways of defining what plagiarism means. The commonly accepted definition of plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s words in order to convey a meaning without crediting the person who originally said it. However, there are also a number of other definitions for plagiarism and this paper aims to present those other definitions as well as explain why such practices should not be accepted by the academe.

Self plagiarism is something that is fast becoming a common practice for students these days. It is like that grade school volcano project that you used every single year only now, the students do it with their research work for say, a science experiment in physics that was originally used in chemistry. All he does is he changes the look and presentation but nothing else. This is still plagiarism because he had previously used the exact same work without telling his new teacher about it. Hence, self plagiarism. Now using the same paper but adding information to it and revising the content of the paper would not be considered self plagiarism because the paper will change in content in focus.

Buying term papers off the internet is also considered to be an act of plagiarism because you would still be using someone else’s words when you submit that paper to your teacher. It is just like listening to a story and then having it told all over again. Telling the person listening to you who the source of the story is an act of properly giving credit where it is due. Just remember, if someone else said it, did it, wrote it, or even thought about it, you have to say so in the paper you are writing because the essence of what you are saying was still said by somebody else. Failure to do so is plagiarism.

So now that we know why plagiarizing is bad, I need to tell you why we should never commit plagiarism either.

I believe that anybody who is really taking the time to study and understand his lessons will be able to write a totally original paper filled with his own understanding of the subject matter. Any quotes that are used within the page should be properly cited in order to let the person reading the paper that actual research was done in order to complete the work, aside from providing extra information for the reader.

By plagiarizing a paper, the student is practically announcing to the world that he is too lazy to study and would rather not put any effort into his grades. The temptation to plagiarize is strong specially for the hard to research and write topics. It seems easier to simply paraphrase and get things over with. However, that puts your knowledge of the subject matter into question because once you are asked to explain what it is you mean, you will get caught with a plagiarized paper.

Most importantly, the penalty for plagiarism on any educational level is too severe. Various colleges have different rules regarding how to deal with a plagiarizing student but the final punishment is always the same. These punishments range from suspension to expulsion, Neither of which would look good on a future resume or student application for higher studies.

So do the right thing, learn how to research and write term papers. Learn how to properly cite your sources within a paper. Your future educational ambitions depend on it.

Sauer. 2004. Research Help! What Is Plagiarism?. Web.

• The Rules of Writing Process: Planning, Analysis, Writing
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• Lawyer Plagiarism as Ethical Violation
• The Problem of Plagiarism in the World
• Constructing Assessments for an Instructional Unit
• Teaching Writing. Process Approach to Writing
• How to Do an Effective Research
• Information on Compare and Contrast Essay
• Academic vs. Newspaper Article Writing
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Information about what plagiarism is, and how you can avoid it.

The University defines plagiarism as follows:

“Presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition, as is the use of material generated wholly or in part through use of artificial intelligence (save when use of AI for assessment has received prior authorisation e.g. as a reasonable adjustment for a student’s disability). Plagiarism can also include re-using your own work without citation. Under the regulations for examinations, intentional or reckless plagiarism is a disciplinary offence.”

The necessity to acknowledge others’ work or ideas applies not only to text, but also to other media, such as computer code, illustrations, graphs etc. It applies equally to published text and data drawn from books and journals, and to unpublished text and data, whether from lectures, theses or other students’ essays. You must also attribute text, data, or other resources downloaded from websites.

Please note that artificial intelligence (AI) can only be used within assessments where specific prior authorisation has been given, or when technology that uses AI has been agreed as reasonable adjustment for a student’s disability (such as voice recognition software for transcriptions, or spelling and grammar checkers).

The best way of avoiding plagiarism is to learn and employ the principles of good academic practice from the beginning of your university career. Avoiding plagiarism is not simply a matter of making sure your references are all correct, or changing enough words so the examiner will not notice your paraphrase; it is about deploying your academic skills to make your work as good as it can be.

Students will benefit from taking an  online course  which has been developed to provide a useful overview of the issues surrounding plagiarism and practical ways to avoid it.

Forms of plagiarism

Verbatim (word for word) quotation without clear acknowledgement Quotations must always be identified as such by the use of either quotation marks or indentation, and with full referencing of the sources cited. It must always be apparent to the reader which parts are your own independent work and where you have drawn on ideas and language from another source.

Cutting and pasting from the Internet without clear acknowledgement Information derived from the Internet must be adequately referenced and included in the bibliography. It is important to evaluate carefully all material found on the Internet, as it is less likely to have been through the same process of scholarly peer review as published sources.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing the work of others by altering a few words and changing their order, or by closely following the structure of their argument, is plagiarism if you do not give due acknowledgement to the author whose work you are using.

A passing reference to the original author in your own text may not be enough; you must ensure that you do not create the misleading impression that the paraphrased wording or the sequence of ideas are entirely your own. It is better to write a brief summary of the author’s overall argument in your own words, indicating that you are doing so, than to paraphrase particular sections of his or her writing. This will ensure you have a genuine grasp of the argument and will avoid the difficulty of paraphrasing without plagiarising. You must also properly attribute all material you derive from lectures.

Collusion This can involve unauthorised collaboration between students, failure to attribute assistance received, or failure to follow precisely regulations on group work projects. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are entirely clear about the extent of collaboration permitted, and which parts of the work must be your own.

Inaccurate citation It is important to cite correctly, according to the conventions of your discipline. As well as listing your sources (i.e. in a bibliography), you must indicate, using a footnote or an in-text reference, where a quoted passage comes from. Additionally, you should not include anything in your references or bibliography that you have not actually consulted. If you cannot gain access to a primary source you must make it clear in your citation that your knowledge of the work has been derived from a secondary text (for example, Bradshaw, D. Title of Book, discussed in Wilson, E., Title of Book (London, 2004), p. 189).

Failure to acknowledge assistance You must clearly acknowledge all assistance which has contributed to the production of your work, such as advice from fellow students, laboratory technicians, and other external sources. This need not apply to the assistance provided by your tutor or supervisor, or to ordinary proofreading, but it is necessary to acknowledge other guidance which leads to substantive changes of content or approach.

Use of material written by professional agencies or other persons You should neither make use of professional agencies in the production of your work nor submit material which has been written for you even with the consent of the person who has written it. It is vital to your intellectual training and development that you should undertake the research process unaided. Under Statute XI on University Discipline, all members of the University are prohibited from providing material that could be submitted in an examination by students at this University or elsewhere.

Auto-plagiarism You must not submit work for assessment that you have already submitted (partially or in full), either for your current course or for another qualification of this, or any other, university, unless this is specifically provided for in the special regulations for your course. Where earlier work by you is citable, i.e. it has already been published, you must reference it clearly. Identical pieces of work submitted concurrently will also be considered to be auto-plagiarism.

Why does plagiarism matter?

Plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity. It is a principle of intellectual honesty that all members of the academic community should acknowledge their debt to the originators of the ideas, words, and data which form the basis for their own work. Passing off another’s work as your own is not only poor scholarship, but also means that you have failed to complete the learning process. Plagiarism is unethical and can have serious consequences for your future career; it also undermines the standards of your institution and of the degrees it issues.

Why should you avoid plagiarism?

There are many reasons to avoid plagiarism. You have come to university to learn to know and speak your own mind, not merely to reproduce the opinions of others - at least not without attribution. At first it may seem very difficult to develop your own views, and you will probably find yourself paraphrasing the writings of others as you attempt to understand and assimilate their arguments. However it is important that you learn to develop your own voice. You are not necessarily expected to become an original thinker, but you are expected to be an independent one - by learning to assess critically the work of others, weigh up differing arguments and draw your own conclusions. Students who plagiarise undermine the ethos of academic scholarship while avoiding an essential part of the learning process.

You should avoid plagiarism because you aspire to produce work of the highest quality. Once you have grasped the principles of source use and citation, you should find it relatively straightforward to steer clear of plagiarism. Moreover, you will reap the additional benefits of improvements to both the lucidity and quality of your writing. It is important to appreciate that mastery of the techniques of academic writing is not merely a practical skill, but one that lends both credibility and authority to your work, and demonstrates your commitment to the principle of intellectual honesty in scholarship.

What happens if you are thought to have plagiarised?

The University regards plagiarism in examinations as a serious matter. Cases will be investigated and penalties may range from deduction of marks to expulsion from the University, depending on the seriousness of the occurrence. Even if plagiarism is inadvertent, it can result in a penalty. The forms of plagiarism listed above are all potentially disciplinary offences in the context of formal assessment requirements.

The regulations regarding conduct in examinations apply equally to the ‘submission and assessment of a thesis, dissertation, essay, or other coursework not undertaken in formal examination conditions but which counts towards or constitutes the work for a degree or other academic award’. Additionally, this includes the transfer and confirmation of status exercises undertaken by graduate students. Cases of suspected plagiarism in assessed work are investigated under the disciplinary regulations concerning conduct in examinations. Intentional plagiarism in this context means that you understood that you were breaching the regulations and did so intending to gain advantage in the examination. Reckless, in this context, means that you understood or could be expected to have understood (even if you did not specifically consider it) that your work might breach the regulations, but you took no action to avoid doing so. Intentional or reckless plagiarism may incur severe penalties, including failure of your degree or expulsion from the university.

If plagiarism is suspected in a piece of work submitted for assessment in an examination, the matter will be referred to the Proctors. They will thoroughly investigate the claim and call the student concerned for interview. If at this point there is no evidence of a breach of the regulations, no further disciplinary action will be taken although there may still be an academic penalty. However, if it is concluded that a breach of the regulations may have occurred, the Proctors will refer the case to the Student Disciplinary Panel.

If you are suspected of plagiarism your College Secretary/Academic Administrator and subject tutor will support you through the process and arrange for a member of Congregation to accompany you to all hearings. They will be able to advise you what to expect during the investigation and how best to make your case. The Oxford SU Student Advice Service can also provide useful information and support. 

Does this mean that I shouldn’t use the work of other authors?

On the contrary, it is vital that you situate your writing within the intellectual debates of your discipline. Academic essays almost always involve the use and discussion of material written by others, and, with due acknowledgement and proper referencing, this is clearly distinguishable from plagiarism. The knowledge in your discipline has developed cumulatively as a result of years of research, innovation and debate. You need to give credit to the authors of the ideas and observations you cite. Not only does this accord recognition to their work, it also helps you to strengthen your argument by making clear the basis on which you make it. Moreover, good citation practice gives your reader the opportunity to follow up your references, or check the validity of your interpretation.

Does every statement in my essay have to be backed up with references?

You may feel that including the citation for every point you make will interrupt the flow of your essay and make it look very unoriginal. At least initially, this may sometimes be inevitable. However, by employing good citation practice from the start, you will learn to avoid errors such as close paraphrasing or inadequately referenced quotation. It is important to understand the reasons behind the need for transparency of source use.

All academic texts, even student essays, are multi-voiced, which means they are filled with references to other texts. Rather than attempting to synthesise these voices into one narrative account, you should make it clear whose interpretation or argument you are employing at any one time - whose ‘voice’ is speaking.

If you are substantially indebted to a particular argument in the formulation of your own, you should make this clear both in footnotes and in the body of your text according to the agreed conventions of the discipline, before going on to describe how your own views develop or diverge from this influence.

On the other hand, it is not necessary to give references for facts that are common knowledge in your discipline. If you are unsure as to whether something is considered to be common knowledge or not, it is safer to cite it anyway and seek clarification. You do need to document facts that are not generally known and ideas that are interpretations of facts. 

Does this only matter in exams?

Although plagiarism in weekly essays does not constitute a University disciplinary offence, it may well lead to College disciplinary measures. Persistent academic under-performance can even result in your being sent down from the University. Although tutorial essays traditionally do not require the full scholarly apparatus of footnotes and referencing, it is still necessary to acknowledge your sources and demonstrate the development of your argument, usually by an in-text reference. Many tutors will ask that you do employ a formal citation style early on, and you will find that this is good preparation for later project and dissertation work. In any case, your work will benefit considerably if you adopt good scholarly habits from the start, together with the techniques of critical thinking and writing described above.

As junior members of the academic community, students need to learn how to read academic literature and how to write in a style appropriate to their discipline. This does not mean that you must become masters of jargon and obfuscation; however the process is akin to learning a new language. It is necessary not only to learn new terminology, but the practical study skills and other techniques which will help you to learn effectively.

Developing these skills throughout your time at university will not only help you to produce better coursework, dissertations, projects and exam papers, but will lay the intellectual foundations for your future career. Even if you have no intention of becoming an academic, being able to analyse evidence, exercise critical judgement, and write clearly and persuasively are skills that will serve you for life, and which any employer will value.

Borrowing essays from other students to adapt and submit as your own is plagiarism, and will develop none of these necessary skills, holding back your academic development. Students who lend essays for this purpose are doing their peers no favours.

Unintentional plagiarism

Not all cases of plagiarism arise from a deliberate intention to cheat. Sometimes students may omit to take down citation details when taking notes, or they may be genuinely ignorant of referencing conventions. However, these excuses offer no sure protection against a charge of plagiarism. Even in cases where the plagiarism is found to have been neither intentional nor reckless, there may still be an academic penalty for poor practice.

It is your responsibility to find out the prevailing referencing conventions in your discipline, to take adequate notes, and to avoid close paraphrasing. If you are offered induction sessions on plagiarism and study skills, you should attend. Together with the advice contained in your subject handbook, these will help you learn how to avoid common errors. If you are undertaking a project or dissertation you should ensure that you have information on plagiarism and collusion. If ever in doubt about referencing, paraphrasing or plagiarism, you have only to ask your tutor.

Examples of plagiarism

There are some helpful examples of plagiarism-by-paraphrase and you will also find extensive advice on the referencing and library skills pages.

The following examples demonstrate some of the common pitfalls to avoid. These examples use the referencing system prescribed by the History Faculty but should be of use to students of all disciplines.

Source text

From a class perspective this put them [highwaymen] in an ambivalent position. In aspiring to that proud, if temporary, status of ‘Gentleman of the Road’, they did not question the inegalitarian hierarchy of their society. Yet their boldness of act and deed, in putting them outside the law as rebellious fugitives, revivified the ‘animal spirits’ of capitalism and became an essential part of the oppositional culture of working-class London, a serious obstacle to the formation of a tractable, obedient labour force. Therefore, it was not enough to hang them – the values they espoused or represented had to be challenged.

(Linebaugh, P., The London Hanged: Crime and Civil Society in the Eighteenth Century (London, 1991), p. 213. [You should give the reference in full the first time you use it in a footnote; thereafter it is acceptable to use an abbreviated version, e.g. Linebaugh, The London Hanged, p. 213.]

Plagiarised

• Although they did not question the inegalitarian hierarchy of their society, highwaymen became an essential part of the oppositional culture of working-class London, posing a serious threat to the formation of a biddable labour force. (This is a patchwork of phrases copied verbatim from the source, with just a few words changed here and there. There is no reference to the original author and no indication that these words are not the writer’s own.)
• Although they did not question the inegalitarian hierarchy of their society, highwaymen exercised a powerful attraction for the working classes. Some historians believe that this hindered the development of a submissive workforce. (This is a mixture of verbatim copying and acceptable paraphrase. Although only one phrase has been copied from the source, this would still count as plagiarism. The idea expressed in the first sentence has not been attributed at all, and the reference to ‘some historians’ in the second is insufficient. The writer should use clear referencing to acknowledge all ideas taken from other people’s work.)
• Although they did not question the inegalitarian hierarchy of their society, highwaymen ‘became an essential part of the oppositional culture of working-class London [and] a serious obstacle to the formation of a tractable, obedient labour force’.1 (This contains a mixture of attributed and unattributed quotation, which suggests to the reader that the first line is original to this writer. All quoted material must be enclosed in quotation marks and adequately referenced.)
• Highwaymen’s bold deeds ‘revivified the “animal spirits” of capitalism’ and made them an essential part of the oppositional culture of working-class London.1 Peter Linebaugh argues that they posed a major obstacle to the formation of an obedient labour force. (Although the most striking phrase has been placed within quotation marks and correctly referenced, and the original author is referred to in the text, there has been a great deal of unacknowledged borrowing. This should have been put into the writer’s own words instead.)
• By aspiring to the title of ‘Gentleman of the Road’, highwaymen did not challenge the unfair taxonomy of their society. Yet their daring exploits made them into outlaws and inspired the antagonistic culture of labouring London, forming a grave impediment to the development of a submissive workforce. Ultimately, hanging them was insufficient – the ideals they personified had to be discredited.1 (This may seem acceptable on a superficial level, but by imitating exactly the structure of the original passage and using synonyms for almost every word, the writer has paraphrased too closely. The reference to the original author does not make it clear how extensive the borrowing has been. Instead, the writer should try to express the argument in his or her own words, rather than relying on a ‘translation’ of the original.)

Non-plagiarised

• Peter Linebaugh argues that although highwaymen posed no overt challenge to social orthodoxy – they aspired to be known as ‘Gentlemen of the Road’ – they were often seen as anti-hero role models by the unruly working classes. He concludes that they were executed not only for their criminal acts, but in order to stamp out the threat of insubordinacy.1 (This paraphrase of the passage is acceptable as the wording and structure demonstrate the reader’s interpretation of the passage and do not follow the original too closely. The source of the ideas under discussion has been properly attributed in both textual and footnote references.)
• Peter Linebaugh argues that highwaymen represented a powerful challenge to the mores of capitalist society and inspired the rebelliousness of London’s working class.1 (This is a brief summary of the argument with appropriate attribution.) 1 Linebaugh, P., The London Hanged: Crime and Civil Society in the Eighteenth Century (London, 1991), p. 213.

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Quick Tips For Avoiding Plagiarism

• Read carefully :  Read through your assignment instructions carefully.  Understand your sources by reading them closely.
• Take good notes :  Print out sources and write notes on the pages or take notes digitally.  Keep track of where your information is coming from.
• Avoid procrastination :  It can be tempting to take shortcuts when you run out of time to do your assignment.
• Quoting vs paraphrasing vs summarizing :  See the advice on this page and know when it is appropriate to quote, paraphrase, or summarize your source.

What To Do When You're Struggling To Write

What Is Plagiarism?

The Council of Writing Program Administrators defines plagiarism in an instructional context as "occur[ing] when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source.  This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers."  Plagiarism and citing sources incorrectly are two different situations.  If writers make every effort to cite sources accurately but do not cite adequately or do not use the correct citation style, they are not plagiarizing.  Plagiarism occurs when a writer intentionally takes credit for someone else's ideas or words.

Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is perhaps the most common form of academic dishonesty.  However, there are many types of plagiarism, and most plagiarism is not intentional. Frequently, it is the result of taking insufficient notes when reading your sources. Below are several types of plagiarism of which you should be aware.

Accidental Plagiarism

• Forgetting to place quotation marks around another's words
• Omitting a source citation for another's idea because you are unaware
• Carelessly copying a source which you mean to paraphrase

Intentional Plagiarism

• Copying a phrase, sentence, or passage from a source and passing it off as your own
• Summarizing or paraphrasing someone else's ideas without acknowledging your debt
• Handing in a paper you bought or had a friend write or copied from another student

The library has created a graphic representation to show you the range of intentional and unintentional plagiarism activities .

Avoiding Plagiarism

There are many online tools to help you with the research and writing processes.  Learning a few new tips can save you time, lead to better research notes, and help avoid plagiarism.

• Sweetland Writing Guide : How Do I Effectively Integrate Textual Evidence? Advice on how to quote, paraphrase, and summarize other people's writing into your own.
• Sweetland Writing Guide : How Do I Incorporate Quotes? This guide specifically focuses on integrating quotes into your work and illustrates why it is important to do so.
• Beyond Plagiarism : Best Practices for the Responsible Use of Sources Collaboratively created by the University of Michigan's Sweetland Writing Center and Library, this online tutorial will teach you how to use resources effectively and responsibly.
• Plagiarism.Org A wealth of resources created to not only help you understand plagiarism but also to provide exercises and resources to avoid plagiarism.
• Library Guide For International Students : What Is Plagiarism From a Research Guide created by the library, this resource focuses on identifying resources and strategies that center on Western European and North American plagiarism standards.
• Ask a Librarian Services Consider meeting in person with a librarian or using one of the many virtual ways of contacting a librarian to help you identify plagiarism and learn how to incorporate evidence without plagiarizing.

In addition, consider asking your instructor or professor how you might avoid plagiarism in your work.  It can be difficult to avoid plagiarism without practice and your professor/instructor may have some specific advice to help you in this area.

Plagiarism Tutorials

These instructional tools provide more tips and practice on both recognizing and avoiding plagiarism.  Use these resources to identify what you have already mastered and what skills or concepts you might need to strengthen.

• Academic Integrity Quiz An academic integrity tutorial designed to introduce you to UM's LSA community standards of academic integrity.
• How to Recognize Plagiarism: Tutorials and Tests Indiana University's tutorial on identifying plagiarism

Plagiarism in research

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Home » Understanding Plagiarism: Types, Consequences, and Prevention

Understanding Plagiarism: Types, Consequences, and Prevention

Imagine this scenario:  You’ve worked tirelessly on a research paper for weeks, pouring your heart and soul into every word, every argument. You submit it with a sense of accomplishment, only to receive a dreaded email from your professor accusing you of plagiarism. Your heart sinks, and panic sets in. How did this happen? What is plagiarism, and why is it such a serious offense in academia?

Plagiarism is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of students and writers everywhere. It’s a concept that has haunted classrooms and research institutions for as long as the written word has existed. But what exactly is plagiarism, and why does it matter?

At its core, plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution or permission, and passing it off as your own. It’s a breach of trust, a violation of academic integrity, and a practice that carries severe consequences. In the realm of academia, where originality and the exchange of ideas are highly prized, plagiarism is considered one of the gravest sins one can commit.

In this blog post, we will embark on a journey to demystify plagiarism. We will delve into its various forms, explore the dire consequences it can bring, and most importantly, equip you with the knowledge and tools to prevent it. Whether you’re a student navigating the challenges of academic writing or a professional seeking to maintain ethical standards in your work, understanding plagiarism is crucial.

Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not a one-size-fits-all offense; it comes in various forms, each with its own distinct characteristics and degrees of severity. In this section, we will explore these different types of plagiarism, shedding light on what they entail and providing examples to help you recognize them. Understanding the nuances of plagiarism is the first step toward preventing it.

Direct Plagiarism:

• Definition: Direct plagiarism is the most blatant form, where one copies someone else’s work verbatim without any form of attribution or quotation marks.
• Example: Imagine you’re writing a research paper, and you come across a compelling passage in a book. Instead of paraphrasing or quoting the passage properly, you simply copy and paste it into your paper, presenting it as your own.

Self-Plagiarism:

• Definition: Self-plagiarism, also known as autoplagiarism, occurs when an individual reuses their own previously published work without proper citation.
• Example: Let’s say you wrote an excellent essay for one course and decide to submit the same essay for another class without the consent of both professors.

Mosaic Plagiarism (Patchwriting):

• Definition: Mosaic plagiarism involves taking phrases, sentences, or ideas from various sources and weaving them into your own work, often with some minor changes.
• Example: You’re struggling to articulate an argument, so you borrow sentences from multiple online sources, altering a few words here and there, and present it as your original composition.

Accidental Plagiarism:

• Definition: Accidental plagiarism occurs when a writer unintentionally fails to properly cite a source due to a lack of awareness or oversight.
• Example: While conducting research, you take notes but forget to mark which ideas came from your sources. Later, you include these ideas in your paper without attributing them.

Paraphrasing Without Attribution:

• Definition: This form of plagiarism involves rephrasing someone else’s work but failing to provide proper citation, making it appear as if the ideas are your own.
• Example: You read a scholarly article, understand the main points, and rewrite them in your own words without acknowledging the original source.

Inadequate or Incorrect Citation:

• Definition: Even when attempting to cite sources, one can commit plagiarism by not following the correct citation style or by omitting essential information.
• Example: You include a list of sources at the end of your paper but fail to use in-text citations throughout the document, leaving readers uncertain about the source of each idea.

Recognizing these various forms of plagiarism is essential for maintaining academic integrity. It’s important to note that ignorance or lack of intent is not a valid defense against plagiarism charges. In the academic world, the responsibility to properly attribute and cite sources rests squarely on the shoulders of the writer.

Common Causes of Plagiarism

Understanding the underlying causes of plagiarism is crucial because it allows us to address the root issues and develop strategies to prevent it. Plagiarism doesn’t always stem from a malicious intent to deceive; often, it can be the result of various factors that writers face. Let’s explore some common causes of plagiarism:

Time Constraints:

One of the leading causes of plagiarism is the pressure of deadlines. Students and writers often find themselves overwhelmed with multiple assignments, leaving them with limited time to conduct thorough research and compose original work. In such situations, the temptation to plagiarize can be strong.

Lack of Research Skills:

Inadequate research skills can lead to plagiarism. When individuals struggle to find relevant sources or understand complex topics, they may resort to copying from existing material rather than synthesizing information properly.

Fear of Failure:

The fear of failure can push students and writers to take shortcuts. They worry that their own ideas or writing won’t meet expectations, so they turn to plagiarism as a way to secure better grades or approval.

Ignorance of Proper Citation:

Some individuals genuinely don’t understand the importance of proper citation or how to do it correctly. They may not be aware of the various citation styles, or they might not know how to attribute sources effectively.

Poor Time Management:

Procrastination and poor time management can lead to last-minute rushes to complete assignments. In such situations, students may be more inclined to cut corners, including copying and pasting content.

Cultural Differences:

International students, in particular, may face challenges in understanding the expectations of academic writing in a new culture. Differences in citation practices and academic conventions can contribute to unintentional plagiarism.

Technological Ease:

With the internet at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to copy and paste content from various sources. The convenience of online access can tempt individuals to plagiarize without thinking about the consequences.

Prevention Strategies

Preventing plagiarism requires a combination of education, awareness, and practical strategies. Here are some effective prevention strategies to help you maintain academic integrity:

Time Management and Planning:

• Start early: Begin your assignments well in advance to avoid the last-minute rush.
• Create a schedule: Break down your tasks into manageable chunks and allocate time for research, writing, and revision.

Develop Strong Research Skills:

• Learn how to find credible sources: Familiarize yourself with academic databases, libraries, and search engines.
• Take effective notes: Keep detailed records of your sources, including publication dates and page numbers.

Understand Citation Styles:

• Familiarize yourself with the citation style required by your institution (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
• Use citation guides and templates to ensure accuracy.

Proper Paraphrasing and Summarizing:

• When using someone else’s ideas, practice paraphrasing and summarizing effectively.
• Always provide proper citations when paraphrasing.

Use Plagiarism Detection Tools:

• Utilize plagiarism detection software like Turnitin or Grammarly to check your work for potential issues.
• Review the reports generated by these tools to identify areas that need improvement.

Seek Guidance and Feedback:

• Don’t hesitate to ask your professors or instructors for clarification on citation or academic writing guidelines.
• Seek peer review and feedback on your drafts to catch any unintentional plagiarism.

Learn from Examples:

• Study well-crafted academic papers to understand how citations and references are properly integrated.
• Use reputable style guides and manuals as references for citation.

Promote Academic Integrity Education:

• Encourage educational institutions to offer workshops and resources on academic integrity.
• Engage in discussions about plagiarism and its consequences with peers and colleagues.

By implementing these prevention strategies and addressing the common causes of plagiarism, you can significantly reduce the risk of unintentional or deliberate plagiarism in your academic and professional work. Remember that maintaining academic integrity not only benefits you but also contributes to the credibility and trustworthiness of the academic community as a whole.

Academic Integrity and Education

Academic integrity is the foundation upon which the educational system stands. It encompasses a set of values and principles that promote honesty, ethical behavior, and the responsible use of information. In this section, we will delve into the vital role of academic integrity in preventing plagiarism and how education plays a pivotal part in fostering a culture of integrity within academic institutions.

The Significance of Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity is not limited to avoiding plagiarism; it extends to encompass the broader ethical framework that guides educational and research endeavors. Here’s why academic integrity is of paramount importance:

• Preservation of Trust: Trust is the linchpin of any educational institution. Upholding academic integrity ensures that trust remains unbroken among students, faculty, and researchers.
• Promotion of Fairness: Fairness is a cornerstone of academic integrity. It guarantees that every student and scholar has an equal opportunity to succeed based on their own merits and efforts.
• Stimulation of Learning: Academic integrity fosters an environment where learning and critical thinking thrive. It encourages students to engage deeply with their subjects, analyze information critically, and construct their understanding of the material.
• Enhancement of Credibility: Research and academic publications are respected and trusted worldwide because they adhere to rigorous standards of academic integrity. This credibility benefits the entire scholarly community.
• Nurturing Ethical Values: Upholding academic integrity helps individuals develop ethical values that extend beyond the classroom, shaping their character and guiding their behavior in their future professional lives.

The Role of Education in Promoting Academic Integrity:

Education serves as the most potent tool for instilling a culture of academic integrity. Let’s explore how educational institutions and individuals can promote and uphold this vital principle:

Clear Expectations:

Educational institutions should establish clear guidelines regarding what constitutes academic misconduct, including plagiarism. Faculty members should communicate their expectations for original work and proper citation to students.

Courses on Academic Integrity:

Many universities offer courses or workshops specifically focused on academic integrity. These educational initiatives cover the importance of academic honesty, citation styles, and plagiarism prevention techniques.

Honor Codes and Pledges:

Some academic institutions implement honor codes or require students to pledge their commitment to academic integrity. These codes create a shared sense of responsibility for ethical behavior.

Awareness Programs:

Regular awareness programs and campaigns serve as reminders to both students and faculty about the significance of academic integrity. These initiatives often include discussions, guest lectures, and seminars on the topic.

Engagement of Faculty:

Faculty members play a pivotal role in promoting academic integrity. They should serve as role models of ethical behavior, actively discuss issues related to plagiarism in the classroom, and provide resources to help students enhance their writing and citation skills.

Incorporate Ethical Discussions:

Incorporating discussions on academic integrity into the curriculum can make students more engaged with the topic and help them understand its relevance to their academic journey and beyond.

Plagiarism Detection Tools:

Educational institutions can provide access to plagiarism detection tools and encourage students to use them for self-checking assignments before submission. These tools help students identify and rectify potential plagiarism issues.

Peer Mentoring:

Encouraging peer mentoring and collaborative learning environments can create a supportive community where students help each other understand and practice academic integrity principles.

Feedback and Consequences:

Faculty members should provide timely and constructive feedback on academic assignments, including discussions of plagiarism when detected. It’s essential to clearly communicate the consequences of academic misconduct to deter future violations.

The Student’s Responsibility:

Students themselves play a significant role in upholding academic integrity. Here are steps they can take to contribute to a culture of honesty and ethical conduct:

• Learn Citation Styles: Invest time in mastering the specific citation style required by your institution, and apply it consistently in your work.
• Practice Time Management: Plan your assignments well in advance to avoid the last-minute rush, which can increase the temptation to plagiarize due to time constraints.
• Seek Guidance: Do not hesitate to seek guidance from professors, librarians, or writing centers when you have questions about proper citation or academic writing practices.
• Use Plagiarism Detection Tools: Utilize plagiarism detection tools to check your work before submission to ensure it is free from unintended similarities with existing sources.
• Collaborate Ethically: When collaborating with peers or working in groups, make sure you understand the rules and expectations regarding shared work and proper attribution of sources.
• Respect Originality: Always respect the intellectual property of others. Give credit where credit is due, whether it’s for ideas, data, or direct quotations from a source.

Overall, academic integrity is the bedrock upon which educational and scholarly communities stand. Upholding it ensures that education is fair, credible, and built upon a foundation of honesty and ethical conduct. Through education, awareness, and individual responsibility, a culture of academic integrity can be cultivated and maintained. Upholding academic integrity is not just a responsibility; it’s a commitment to ethical learning and research, ultimately benefiting both students and society at large.

In our exploration of plagiarism, we’ve unearthed a critical issue that not only threatens the credibility of academic work but also challenges the very essence of education itself. Plagiarism is not a mere transgression; it’s a breach of trust, an ethical violation, and a reflection of a broader societal struggle with integrity. Our journey through the types, consequences, and prevention of plagiarism has underscored the urgency of addressing this issue head-on.

Plagiarism’s manifestations are diverse, from blatant acts of copying to subtler forms of appropriation. The consequences are far-reaching, affecting not only individuals but also the institutions and communities to which they belong. It erodes trust, undermines fairness, and tarnishes the reputation of those who engage in it.

Preventing plagiarism demands more than just a set of rules and tools. It requires a cultural shift that prioritizes originality, critical thinking, and ethical conduct. While education plays a central role in promoting academic integrity, it cannot operate in isolation. It necessitates the active involvement of students, educators, researchers, and institutions alike.

Academic integrity, the cornerstone of our educational systems, is at risk. It demands our unwavering commitment. Students must recognize their responsibility to uphold ethical standards in their work. Educators must not only impart knowledge but also instill a deep sense of ethics. Institutions must foster an environment where integrity thrives, backed by clear expectations, robust support systems, and consequences that deter misconduct. Yet, the battle against plagiarism extends beyond the classroom. It’s a societal challenge that implicates a culture obsessed with convenience, shortcuts, and the relentless pursuit of success at any cost. As such, addressing plagiarism requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses not just education but also the broader societal values that shape our behaviors.

Discover Academia Writing , where we provide ethical research and writing services that uphold academic integrity. Explore our offerings to support your educational and research journey while maintaining honesty and ethical standards.

By Erin Cross

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• Utility Menu

fa3d988da6f218669ec27d6b6019a0cd

A publication of the harvard college writing program.

Harvard Guide to Using Sources 

• The Honor Code
• What Constitutes Plagiarism?

In academic writing, it is considered plagiarism to draw any idea or any language from someone else without adequately crediting that source in your paper. It doesn't matter whether the source is a published author, another student, a website without clear authorship, a website that sells academic papers, or any other person: Taking credit for anyone else's work is stealing, and it is unacceptable in all academic situations, whether you do it intentionally or by accident.

The ease with which you can find information of all kinds online means that you need to be extra vigilant about keeping track of where you are getting information and ideas and about giving proper credit to the authors of the sources you use. If you cut and paste from an electronic document into your notes and forget to clearly label the document in your notes, or if you draw information from a series of websites without taking careful notes, you may end up taking credit for ideas that aren't yours, whether you mean to or not.

It's important to remember that every website is a document with an author, and therefore every website must be cited properly in your paper. For example, while it may seem obvious to you that an idea drawn from Professor Steven Pinker's book The Language Instinct should only appear in your paper if you include a clear citation, it might be less clear that information you glean about language acquisition from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy website warrants a similar citation. Even though the authorship of this encyclopedia entry is less obvious than it might be if it were a print article (you need to scroll down the page to see the author's name, and if you don't do so you might mistakenly think an author isn't listed), you are still responsible for citing this material correctly. Similarly, if you consult a website that has no clear authorship, you are still responsible for citing the website as a source for your paper. The kind of source you use, or the absence of an author linked to that source, does not change the fact that you always need to cite your sources (see Evaluating Web Sources ).

Verbatim Plagiarism

If you copy language word for word from another source and use that language in your paper, you are plagiarizing verbatim . Even if you write down your own ideas in your own words and place them around text that you've drawn directly from a source, you must give credit to the author of the source material, either by placing the source material in quotation marks and providing a clear citation, or by paraphrasing the source material and providing a clear citation.

The passage below comes from Ellora Derenoncourt’s article, “Can You Move to Opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration.”

Here is the article citation in APA style:

Derenoncourt, E. (2022). Can you move to opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration. The American Economic Review , 112(2), 369–408. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20200002

Source material

Why did urban Black populations in the North increase so dramatically between 1940 and 1970? After a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940. Wartime jobs in the defense industry and in naval shipyards led to substantial Black migration to California and other Pacific states for the first time since the Migration began. Migration continued apace to midwestern cities in the 1950s and1960s, as the booming automobile industry attracted millions more Black southerners to the North, particularly to cities like Detroit or Cleveland. Of the six million Black migrants who left the South during the Great Migration, four million of them migrated between 1940 and 1970 alone.

Plagiarized version

While this student has written her own sentence introducing the topic, she has copied the italicized sentences directly from the source material. She has left out two sentences from Derenoncourt’s paragraph, but has reproduced the rest verbatim:

But things changed mid-century. After a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940. Wartime jobs in the defense industry and in naval shipyards led to substantial Black migration to California and other Pacific states for the first time since the Migration began. Migration continued apace to midwestern cities in the 1950s and1960s, as the booming automobile industry attracted millions more Black southerners to the North, particularly to cities like Detroit or Cleveland.

Acceptable version #1: Paraphrase with citation

In this version the student has paraphrased Derenoncourt’s passage, making it clear that these ideas come from a source by introducing the section with a clear signal phrase ("as Derenoncourt explains…") and citing the publication date, as APA style requires.

But things changed mid-century. In fact, as Derenoncourt (2022) explains, the wartime increase in jobs in both defense and naval shipyards marked the first time during the Great Migration that Black southerners went to California and other west coast states. After the war, the increase in jobs in the car industry led to Black southerners choosing cities in the midwest, including Detroit and Cleveland.

Acceptable version #2 : Direct quotation with citation or direct quotation and paraphrase with citation

If you quote directly from an author and cite the quoted material, you are giving credit to the author. But you should keep in mind that quoting long passages of text is only the best option if the particular language used by the author is important to your paper. Social scientists and STEM scholars rarely quote in their writing, paraphrasing their sources instead. If you are writing in the humanities, you should make sure that you only quote directly when you think it is important for your readers to see the original language.

In the example below, the student quotes part of the passage and paraphrases the rest.

But things changed mid-century. In fact, as Derenoncourt (2022) explains, “after a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940” (p. 379). Derenoncourt notes that after the war, the increase in jobs in the car industry led to Black southerners choosing cities in the midwest, including Detroit and Cleveland.

Mosaic Plagiarism

If you copy bits and pieces from a source (or several sources), changing a few words here and there without either adequately paraphrasing or quoting directly, the result is mosaic plagiarism . Even if you don't intend to copy the source, you may end up with this type of plagiarism as a result of careless note-taking and confusion over where your source's ideas end and your own ideas begin. You may think that you've paraphrased sufficiently or quoted relevant passages, but if you haven't taken careful notes along the way, or if you've cut and pasted from your sources, you can lose track of the boundaries between your own ideas and those of your sources. It's not enough to have good intentions and to cite some of the material you use. You are responsible for making clear distinctions between your ideas and the ideas of the scholars who have informed your work. If you keep track of the ideas that come from your sources and have a clear understanding of how your own ideas differ from those ideas, and you follow the correct citation style, you will avoid mosaic plagiarism.

Indeed, of the more than 3500 hours of instruction during medical school, an average of less than 60 hours are devoted to all of bioethics, health law and health economics combined . Most of the instruction is during the preclinical courses, leaving very little instructional time when students are experiencing bioethical or legal challenges during their hands-on, clinical training. More than 60 percent of the instructors in bioethics, health law, and health economics have not published since 1990 on the topic they are teaching.

--Persad, G.C., Elder, L., Sedig,L., Flores, L., & Emanuel, E. (2008). The current state of medical school education in bioethics, health law, and health economics. Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics 36 , 89-94.

Students can absorb the educational messages in medical dramas when they view them for entertainment. In fact, even though they were not created specifically for education, these programs can be seen as an entertainment-education tool [43, 44]. In entertainment-education shows, viewers are exposed to educational content in entertainment contexts, using visual language that is easy to understand and triggers emotional engagement [45]. The enhanced emotional engagement and cognitive development [5] and moral imagination make students more sensitive to training [22].

--Cambra-Badii, I., Moyano, E., Ortega, I., Josep-E Baños, & Sentí, M. (2021). TV medical dramas: Health sciences students’ viewing habits and potential for teaching issues related to bioethics and professionalism. BMC Medical Education, 21 , 1-11. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02947-7

Paragraph #1.

All of the ideas in this paragraph after the first sentence are drawn directly from Persad. But because the student has placed the citation mid-paragraph, the final two sentences wrongly appear to be the student’s own idea:

In order to advocate for the use of medical television shows in the medical education system, it is also important to look at the current bioethical curriculum. In the more than 3500 hours of training that students undergo in medical school, only about 60 hours are focused on bioethics, health law, and health economics (Persad et al, 2008). It is also problematic that students receive this training before they actually have spent time treating patients in the clinical setting. Most of these hours are taught by instructors without current publications in the field.

Paragraph #2.

All of the italicized ideas in this paragraph are either paraphrased or taken verbatim from Cambra-Badii, et al., but the student does not cite the source at all. As a result, readers will assume that the student has come up with these ideas himself:

Students can absorb the educational messages in medical dramas when they view them for entertainment. It doesn’t matter if the shows were designed for medical students; they can still be a tool for education. In these hybrid entertainment-education shows, viewers are exposed to educational content that triggers an emotional reaction. By allowing for this emotional, cognitive, and moral engagement, the shows make students more sensitive to training . There may be further applications to this type of education: the role of entertainment as a way of encouraging students to consider ethical situations could be extended to other professions, including law or even education.

The student has come up with the final idea in the paragraph (that this type of ethical training could apply to other professions), but because nothing in the paragraph is cited, it reads as if it is part of a whole paragraph of his own ideas, rather than the point that he is building to after using the ideas from the article without crediting the authors.

Acceptable version

In the first paragraph, the student uses signal phrases in nearly every sentence to reference the authors (“According to Persad et al.,” “As the researchers argue,” “They also note”), which makes it clear throughout the paragraph that all of the paragraph’s information has been drawn from Persad et al. The student also uses a clear APA in-text citation to point the reader to the original article. In the second paragraph, the student paraphrases and cites the source’s ideas and creates a clear boundary behind those ideas and his own, which appear in the final paragraph.

In order to advocate for the use of medical television shows in the medical education system, it is also important to look at the current bioethical curriculum. According to Persad et al. (2008), only about one percent of teaching time throughout the four years of medical school is spent on ethics. As the researchers argue, this presents a problem because the students are being taught about ethical issues before they have a chance to experience those issues themselves. They also note that more than sixty percent of instructors teaching bioethics to medical students have no recent publications in the subject.

The research suggests that medical dramas may be a promising source for discussions of medical ethics. Cambra-Badii et al. (2021) explain that even when watched for entertainment, medical shows can help viewers engage emotionally with the characters and may prime them to be more receptive to training in medical ethics. There may be further applications to this type of education: the role of entertainment as a way of encouraging students to consider ethical situations could be extended to other professions, including law or even education.

Inadequate Paraphrase

When you paraphrase, your task is to distill the source's ideas in your own words. It's not enough to change a few words here and there and leave the rest; instead, you must completely restate the ideas in the passage in your own words. If your own language is too close to the original, then you are plagiarizing, even if you do provide a citation.

In order to make sure that you are using your own words, it's a good idea to put away the source material while you write your paraphrase of it. This way, you will force yourself to distill the point you think the author is making and articulate it in a new way. Once you have done this, you should look back at the original and make sure that you have represented the source’s ideas accurately and that you have not used the same words or sentence structure. If you do want to use some of the author's words for emphasis or clarity, you must put those words in quotation marks and provide a citation.

The passage below comes from Michael Sandel’s article, “The Case Against Perfection.” Here’s the article citation in MLA style:

Sandel, Michael. “The Case Against Perfection.” The Atlantic , April 2004, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-pe... .

Though there is much to be said for this argument, I do not think the main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is that they undermine effort and erode human agency. The deeper danger is that they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean aspiration to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifted character of human powers and achievements.

The version below is an inadequate paraphrase because the student has only cut or replaced a few words: “I do not think the main problem” became “the main problem is not”; “deeper danger” became “bigger problem”; “aspiration” became “desire”; “the gifted character of human powers and achievements” became “the gifts that make our achievements possible.”

The main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is not that they undermine effort and erode human agency. The bigger problem is that they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean desire to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifts that make our achievements possible (Sandel).

Acceptable version #1: Adequate paraphrase with citation

In this version, the student communicates Sandel’s ideas but does not borrow language from Sandel. Because the student uses Sandel’s name in the first sentence and has consulted an online version of the article without page numbers, there is no need for a parenthetical citation.

Michael Sandel disagrees with the argument that genetic engineering is a problem because it replaces the need for humans to work hard and make their own choices. Instead, he argues that we should be more concerned that the decision to use genetic enhancement is motivated by a desire to take control of nature and bend it to our will instead of appreciating its gifts.

Acceptable version #2: Direct quotation with citation

In this version, the student uses Sandel’s words in quotation marks and provides a clear MLA in-text citation. In cases where you are going to talk about the exact language that an author uses, it is acceptable to quote longer passages of text. If you are not going to discuss the exact language, you should paraphrase rather than quoting extensively.

The author argues that “the main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is not that they undermine effort and erode human agency,” but, rather that “they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean desire to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifts that make our achievements possible” (Sandel).

Uncited Paraphrase

When you use your own language to describe someone else's idea, that idea still belongs to the author of the original material. Therefore, it's not enough to paraphrase the source material responsibly; you also need to cite the source, even if you have changed the wording significantly. As with quoting, when you paraphrase you are offering your reader a glimpse of someone else's work on your chosen topic, and you should also provide enough information for your reader to trace that work back to its original form. The rule of thumb here is simple: Whenever you use ideas that you did not think up yourself, you need to give credit to the source in which you found them, whether you quote directly from that material or provide a responsible paraphrase.

The passage below comes from C. Thi Nguyen’s article, “Echo Chambers and Epistemic Bubbles.”

Here’s the citation for the article, in APA style:

Nguyen, C. (2020). Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles. Episteme, 17 (2), 141-161. doi:10.1017/epi.2018.32

Epistemic bubbles can easily form accidentally. But the most plausible explanation for the particular features of echo chambers is something more malicious. Echo chambers are excellent tools to maintain, reinforce, and expand power through epistemic control. Thus, it is likely (though not necessary) that echo chambers are set up intentionally, or at least maintained, for this functionality (Nguyen, 2020).

The student who wrote the paraphrase below has drawn these ideas directly from Nguyen’s article but has not credited the author. Although she paraphrased adequately, she is still responsible for citing Nguyen as the source of this information.

Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles have different origins. While epistemic bubbles can be created organically, it’s more likely that echo chambers will be formed by those who wish to keep or even grow their control over the information that people hear and understand.

In this version, the student eliminates any possible ambiguity about the source of the ideas in the paragraph. By using a signal phrase to name the author whenever the source of the ideas could be unclear, the student clearly attributes these ideas to Nguyen.

According to Nguyen (2020), echo chambers and epistemic bubbles have different origins. Nguyen argues that while epistemic bubbles can be created organically, it’s more likely that echo chambers will be formed by those who wish to keep or even grow their control over the information that people hear and understand.

Uncited Quotation

When you put source material in quotation marks in your essay, you are telling your reader that you have drawn that material from somewhere else. But it's not enough to indicate that the material in quotation marks is not the product of your own thinking or experimentation: You must also credit the author of that material and provide a trail for your reader to follow back to the original document. This way, your reader will know who did the original work and will also be able to go back and consult that work if they are interested in learning more about the topic. Citations should always go directly after quotations.

The passage below comes from Deirdre Mask’s nonfiction book, The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power.

Here is the MLA citation for the book:

Mask, Deirdre. The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2021.

In New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive.

It’s not enough for the student to indicate that these words come from a source; the source must be cited:

After all, “in New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive.”

Here, the student has cited the source of the quotation using an MLA in-text citation:

After all, “in New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive” (Mask 229).

Using Material from Another Student's Work

In some courses you will be allowed or encouraged to form study groups, to work together in class generating ideas, or to collaborate on your thinking in other ways. Even in those cases, it's imperative that you understand whether all of your writing must be done independently, or whether group authorship is permitted. Most often, even in courses that allow some collaborative discussion, the writing or calculations that you do must be your own. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't collect feedback on your writing from a classmate or a writing tutor; rather, it means that the argument you make (and the ideas you rely on to make it) should either be your own or you should give credit to the source of those ideas.

So what does this mean for the ideas that emerge from class discussion or peer review exercises? Unlike the ideas that your professor offers in lecture (you should always cite these), ideas that come up in the course of class discussion or peer review are collaborative, and often not just the product of one individual's thinking. If, however, you see a clear moment in discussion when a particular student comes up with an idea, you should cite that student. In any case, when your work is informed by class discussions, it's courteous and collegial to include a discursive footnote in your paper that lets your readers know about that discussion. So, for example, if you were writing a paper about the narrator in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried and you came up with your idea during a discussion in class, you might place a footnote in your paper that states the following: "I am indebted to the members of my Expos 20 section for sparking my thoughts about the role of the narrator as Greek Chorus in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried ."

It is important to note that collaboration policies can vary by course, even within the same department, and you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with each course's expectation about collaboration. Collaboration policies are often stated in the syllabus, but if you are not sure whether it is appropriate to collaborate on work for any course, you should always consult your instructor.

• The Exception: Common Knowledge
• Other Scenarios to Avoid
• Why Does it Matter if You Plagiarize?
• How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Harvard University Plagiarism Policy

PDFs for This Section

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Online Library and Citation Tools

Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism

Failure to document source material in a research paper, or doing so improperly, is plagiarism: a wrongful use of someone else's work. All educational and research institutions have strict rules against it and all publish clear guidelines regarding the policies by which you will be expected to live. This guide is intended to clear up any questions you may have regarding Plagiarism.

Overview: What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the unauthorized or unacknowledged use of another person's academic or scholarly work. Done on purpose, it is cheating. Done accidentally, it is no less serious. Regardless of how it occurs, plagiarism is a theft of intellectual property and a violation of an ironclad rule demanding "credit be given where credit is due".

Quite often, carelessness, procrastination and inexperience are contributing factors behind a charge of plagiarism. Developing good research habits and learning how to properly cite and document your sources will keep you above suspicion and protect you from such charges.

If you intend on pursuing an academic career, your scholarship will undergo constant examination by your peers and colleagues. Your reputation will be earned when you earn their respect; how you will be judged will be based, in part, on how you treat the intellectual property of others.

Acknowledging those from whom you have learned assigns credibility to your work and creates a record that other researchers can refer to and build upon. More importantly, your own skill and talent as a scholar will begin to take shape.

As respect for your scholarship grows, so too will your inclusion in the ongoing conversation among experts, past and present, within your specific field of study. Your own body of intellectual property will not be far behind.

Today, when you turn an assignment in online through your University’s EdTech company (BlackBoard, Canvas, etc.) it is checked for plagiarism via an AI scanner (like Turnitin). So if you plagiarize for school, you will be caught and punished. In order to avoid being kicked out of your University or punished legally, it’s crucial for you to understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid doing it.

What is Research?

In every field of study, there are those who have blazed a trail of inquiry and, in so doing, advanced the general knowledge of the world in which we live. Research is an active process of learning from these trailblazers. Look upon your own project as an exploration of what they thought, discovered, created or, in any way added to the body of knowledge prior to your entry into the same field of study.

Look at your research project as a quest for answers to a central question, or set of related questions, that will further your own understanding of the world. Look at it also as an opportunity to contribute something of value to the already existing body of knowledge or the ongoing conversation among other individuals investigating the same topic.

It should be fun. Pick a topic in which you are particularly interested or curious and the journey will be that much more interesting. As you read, study, and absorb ideas and facts from others, write them down. Keep detailed notes on your sources. Who said what? In which journal was it published? Why, when, where, who, etc.(See our guides on ‘ Developing a Research Question ’ and ‘ Choosing and Refining Topics ’ for more information.)

As a researcher and a writer you must credit these sources. Whenever you incorporate a general concept, idea, quotation, statistic, fact, illustration, graph or data that is not your own, it must be acknowledged. Failure to do so is plagiarism.

Common Forms of Plagiarism

The most common forms of plagiarism are committed by students; the most offensive are deliberate attempts to "pull one over" on the instructor. The reasons for doing this vary but laziness and procrastination are high on the list.

Once discovered—and they are seldom not—deliberate incidences of plagiarism are handed over to a governing body for review and prosecution. Here is a list of the most common:

• Purchasing an essay or paper from a Web site (or anywhere else) and calling it your own.
• Borrowing another student's paper from a previous semester and calling it your own.
• Having someone else do your work, for free or for hire. Agreeing to do someone else's work is equally wrong.
• Claiming originality regarding material copied directly from outside sources. In other words, deliberately failing to cite sources.
• Improperly documenting quoted, paraphrased or summarized source material.
• Extending the length of a bibliography to meet project requirements by including sources not used in your research or making them up all together.
• Killing two birds with one stone. Recycling an essay or paper written for one class by using it in another class studying the same or similar material.
• Receiving help from other students on an essay or paper and turning it in under your own name as individual work.
• Collectively researching and writing a paper with other students and each turning copies into different class sections claiming it as individual work.

As you can see, most of these involve lying, cheating and stealing. The last two forms of plagiarism, however, are a bit more complicated. They involve collaboration and sometimes the line between it and plagiarizing can be a little blurry. After all, working, studying and sharing information is encouraged in most educational institutions.

Collaboration

Collaborative learning is an important educational process in which a group of students work together to achieve a common learning goal. As new ideas and information are discussed and shared, individual critical thinking skills are strengthened.

In the sciences, research projects and lab work are regularly intermingled. Problem solving is often worked on in a group setting. In the liberal arts, although individual work is more often the norm, writing instruction is often provided in classes with a "workshop" format.

At Colorado State University, for instance, COCC150, the composition course required of all undergraduates for graduation, is workshop oriented. Instructors plan for and expect collaboration in the classroom.

If you are a CSU student, your writing assignments will be read and commented upon by your peers. Expect to participate with your fellow classmates in an active exchange of ideas and suggestions. The Writing Center is also available, free of charge, for individualized tutoring assistance and you will be encouraged to take advantage of the help provided.

Any class requiring peer review, draft sharing, brainstorming, information swapping, outside tutoring, etc., is an approved collaborative learning program and your participation is not plagiarism. Keep in mind, however, that individual effort is no less important than collaborative teamwork.

The issues that arise around collaboration involve authorized and unauthorized boundaries. What is acceptable and what is not? If the parameters for collaboration are unclear and not addressed in your class syllabus, ask your instructor.

If you are receiving help from a tutor or a friend outside of class, discuss the situation with your instructor to avoid any misunderstanding. Everything will be fine if you stay within the guidelines he or she provides.

Avoiding Plagiarism

First, do your own work - Begin your research project as early as possible. Keep up in class, do your library work and start your drafts in a timely fashion. Writing your paper will be so much easier if you don't put it off to the last minute. Procrastination is not a credible excuse; it's simply a bad choice. Performing under deadline pressures often pushes a student into cheating.

Second, establish your own voice - Easier said than done, but this is a key ingredient to your success and a primary difficulty all experienced writers have had to face and overcome. Learn as much as you can about your topic: it will help you develop a point-of-view from which to speak. The more you know, the easier it will be to avoid plagiarism.

Third, do your research carefully. Read the material closely. Knowing your topic well includes knowing what others have said. Strive for a mastery of your topic by introducing yourself intellectually to those who have already made a contribution, or are presently adding to the ongoing conversation. Keep an annotated bibliography of the source material you intend to use in your paper.

Fourth, keep copies of all your drafts - In review, you will notice your own point-of-view developing, changing and growing; a voice of authority all your own, emerging. It will stand in contrast to those of your sources. The difference between yours and their voices will go a long way toward helping you avoid plagiarism.

Finally, make sure that your document is properly constructed and your sources correctly cited. Remember, if the general concept, idea, quotation, statistic, fact, illustration, graph or data you intend to include is not common knowledge in the field of your investigation, a source must be cited. Not doing so will damage your credibility.

Share copies of "work-in-progress" with your instructor. As you move toward completion, invite—and be receptive—to constructive suggestions. It can only make your paper better. This is where errors, especially citation errors, get pointed out and corrected. After a paper is handed in, such mistakes can be grounds for plagiarism charges.

Here is a checklist of questions to ask yourself before handing in your work:

• Are all quotations surrounded by quotation marks?
• Are single and double quotation marks properly used in quotations within quotations?
• Are ellipses and brackets included in quotations where words have been deleted or comments added?
• Are any quotations, paraphrases or summaries attributed to the wrong author? Are any missing an attribution completely?
• Are your paraphrases worded significantly different than the original?
• Are your summaries written in your own voice?
• Are all your source citations included in your bibliography or sources cited page?
• Are the titles, page numbers and dates in your documentation correct?

Warning: On Copying Unique Phrasing or Terminology

When paraphrasing or summarizing, avoid copying the unique phrasing or terminology found in your source material. Many students have been charged with plagiarism for using words that are clearly too sophisticated or well-crafted to be their own.

For instance, you would not want to refer to "the textual resistant narrative that counteracts the narrative supremacy of the dominant social text" (1) when writing an essay about the novel Wide Sargasso Sea unless your instructor is aware that you are at an advanced stage of thinking in the field of literary criticism and is familiar with and used to seeing that kind of writing style from you.

Such language includes terminology bound to raise the proverbial "red flag" when your instructor reads your work. He or she is more likely than not to be familiar with your source and, if not, will discover in short order the critical work of Fiona Barnes.

When struck by particularly impressive or compelling phrasing, it is better to quote and document it rather than represent it as your own in a paraphrase or summary.

(1) Fiona R. Barnes, "Dismantling the Master's Houses: Jean Rhys and West Indian Identity," in International Women's Writing, ed. Anne E. Brown and Manjarme E. Gooze (Westport Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1995), 150-61.

Penalties for Plagiarism and Your Legal Rights

Plagiarism constitutes academic dishonesty and is both prosecuted and punished at every credible institution in the world. At Colorado State University, failure to do your own work in COCC150, or any other course for that matter—or to plagiarize in any way—is a failure to meet course requirements and is a violation of long established CSU policy regarding Academic Integrity.

The penalties for plagiarism depend upon the degree of gravity. Should you be found guilty, the least is an "F" on a paper. Failing an entire course is also possible and, in cases where the charges are graver, expulsion from the university.

It's important for you to know that fair and impartial treatment is your right and that due process is guaranteed. Regardless of the outcome, your case will be held in strict confidence in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Additional Resources

NYU Libraries - ‘ Plagiarism and How to Avoid it ’

Purdue OWL - ‘ Avoiding Plagiarism ’

Purdue OWL - ‘ Plagiarism Overview ’

UAGC Writing Center - ‘ Plagiarism Guide ’

University of Michigan Libraries - ‘ Introduction to Academic Integrity ’

Connor, Peter, Luann Barnes, & Andrea Bennett. (2022). Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University.  https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=17

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Plagiarism Overview 

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Plagiarism  is  using  someone else’s ideas or words without giving them proper credit.  Plagiarism can range from unintentional (forgetting to include a source in a bibliography) to intentional (buying a paper online, using another writer’s ideas as your own to make your work sound smarter). Beginning writers and expert writers   alike can all plagiarize.  Understand that plagiarism is a serious charge in academia, but also in professional setting s . 

If you are...

• a student — consequences can include failing grades on assignments or classes, academic probation, and even expulsion.
• a researcher — plagiarism can cause a loss of credibility, legal consequences, and other professional consequences.
• an employee in a corporate or similar setting — you can receive a reprimand or lose your job.

It is important to recognize that standards and conventions for citing sources vary from the classroom to scholarly publishing to the professional sphere, sometimes very widely, but in all  situations  we must attribute other people’s words and ideas to their appropriate source.

Please note:  This resource, which does not reflect any official university policy, is designed to help you develop strategies for knowing how to avoid accidental plagiarism. For instructors seeking a key statement on definitions and avoidance on plagiarism, see  Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices .  

In addition, there is a one page handout available that provides an overview of plagiarism with answers to common questions asked about how to avoid it.

Intellectual Challenges in American Academic Writing

There are some intellectual challenges that all students are faced with when writing. Sometimes these challenges can almost seem like contradictions, particularly when addressing them within a single paper.   

For example, American teachers often instruct students to:  

• Develop a topic based on what has already been said and written   BUT write something new and original.  
• Rely on experts’ and authorities’ opinions BUT build upon and/or disagree with those opinions.
• Give credit to previous researchers BUT make your own significant contribution.  
• Improve your English to fit into a discourse community by building upon what you hear and read BUT use your own words and your own voices.  

This may sound confusing, however, something simple to keep in mind when it comes to research is: You are not reinventing the wheel, you are simply contributing in a significant way. For beginners, this can be a challenge, but once you start to see that there is a pattern that is unique to you, you will find that plagiarism is not needed. Remember — your professor or your supervisor want your ideas to build on what is already established or familiar and NOT to simply repurpose someone else’s ideas and calling it your own.   

Why is understanding this so important? Plagiarism is not a victimless crime. Someone, including yourself, will get hurt.   

Academic Integrity at MIT

A handbook for students, search form, what is plagiarism.

During your academic career at MIT, you will write original papers and give oral presentations that require research in libraries and laboratories and accessing electronic resources. It is important to understand that standards for reusing other people’s creative output vary from discipline to discipline and culture to culture. For example, in the United States our copyright law does not protect ideas or facts, but does protect the particular, original expression of an idea in words or images when they are expressed in a tangible form.

In some cultures, the concept of “owning” words that are arranged in a particular sequence may seem strange. Students from these cultures may have been encouraged to repeat the words of others and incorporate them into their own writing without quoting or otherwise indicating that they came from another source. Other cultures accept the practice of copying phrases or sentences into a paper without using quotation marks as long as the writer shows where they came from. These practices are not acceptable in North American academic culture.

Creative expression of ideas through words, images, and other media is the lifeblood of this academic culture. For this reason, we expect that our original expressions should not be used by others without attribution and acknowledgment.

Plagiarism occurs when you use another’s words, ideas, assertions, data, or figures and do not acknowledge that you have done so.

If you use the words, ideas, or phrasing of another person or from published material, you must

• Use quotation marks around the words and cite the source, or
• Paraphrase or summarize acceptably and cite the source.

If you use charts, graphs, data sets, or numerical information obtained from another person or from published material, you must also cite the source.

You must always acknowledge your sources by citing them . In this way, you have the right to use another’s creative output by giving that person credit for the work s/he has done.

Essay on Plagiarism

Essay generator.

In the academic and literary world, originality and authenticity are paramount. Plagiarism, the act of using someone else’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgment, is a serious ethical violation. This essay delves into the definition, implications, and ways to avoid plagiarism, particularly for students participating in essay writing competitions.

Plagiarism is not just copying text word-for-word; it encompasses a range of actions, including:

• Paraphrasing someone’s ideas without crediting the source.
• Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
• Using media or research data without proper citation.
• Recycling your own previous work (self-plagiarism).

Types of Plagiarism :

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text word-for-word without quotation marks or citation.
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published work without acknowledgment.
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Integrating ideas or phrases from a source into one’s own work without proper citation.
• Accidental Plagiarism: Unintentionally failing to cite sources or misquoting them.

The Ethical Implications of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not merely a matter of academic misconduct; it raises significant ethical concerns:

• Intellectual Theft : It disrespects the original creator’s effort and intellectual property.
• Academic Dishonesty : It undermines the trust and credibility in the educational system.
• Legal Consequences : In some cases, it can lead to legal actions and severe penalties.

The Importance of Originality in Essay Competitions

In essay competitions, originality is the cornerstone of excellence. Original essays:

• Demonstrate a student’s unique perspective and understanding.
• Showcase creativity and critical thinking skills.
• Are valued for their contribution to the topic’s discourse.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

Avoiding plagiarism involves conscious effort and knowledge. Here are some practical tips:

• Understand the Source Material : Comprehend the original text to paraphrase effectively.
• Use Citations Correctly : Familiarize yourself with citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago) and use them consistently.
• Quote Properly : When using direct quotes, ensure they are enclosed in quotation marks with appropriate attribution.
• Paraphrase Effectively : Rewrite the source information in your own words and style, not just replacing a few words.
• Cross-Check Your Work : Utilize plagiarism checkers to ensure the uniqueness of your content.
• Maintain a Bibliography : Keep a record of all sources referenced in your essay.

Deepening the Understanding of Plagiarism

• Cultural Perspective : It’s essential to acknowledge that perceptions of plagiarism can vary culturally. Understanding these nuances is crucial for international students and competitions.
• Impact on Learning : Plagiarism hinders personal academic growth. When students engage in this practice, they lose the opportunity to develop critical thinking and writing skills, which are invaluable in their educational journey.
• Role of Educators : Teachers and mentors play a pivotal role in shaping students’ understanding of plagiarism. They should provide clear guidelines and tools for proper citation and academic honesty.
• Technological Aid : In today’s digital age, various software and online tools are available to help detect and prevent plagiarism. These tools, however, should be used as aids, not replacements for a student’s own vigilance in maintaining academic integrity.

Broadening the Perspective

• Beyond Academia : The concept of plagiarism is not confined to academic settings. In creative fields like art, music, and literature, plagiarism can lead to serious reputational damage and legal issues.
• Collaborative Work : When working on group projects, it’s vital to delineate individual contributions clearly to avoid any unintentional group plagiarism.
• Long-Term Consequences : Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, can have long-lasting effects on a student’s educational and professional career. It’s important to understand that the consequences extend beyond just a grade.

The Role of Technology

In the modern academic landscape, technology plays a pivotal role in both facilitating and combating plagiarism. Understanding its dual influence is crucial for students, educators, and professionals alike.

Facilitating Access and Temptation

• Easy Access to Information : The internet offers a vast repository of information, making it easy to find and potentially copy academic material.
• Essay Mills and Ghostwriting Services : Online platforms provide ready-made essays or offer ghostwriting services, tempting students to submit work that is not their own.
• File Sharing : Students can easily share and access papers and assignments, increasing the temptation to plagiarize.

Tools for Detection and Prevention

• Plagiarism Detection Software : Tools like Turnitin and Grammarly effectively identify plagiarized content by comparing submissions against extensive databases of published work, academic papers, and internet sources.
• Educational Platforms : Online educational platforms incorporate plagiarism checking features, helping both students and educators identify and address plagiarism promptly.
• Citation and Bibliography Tools : Applications like Zotero and EndNote assist in managing citations and bibliographies, making it easier for students to correctly attribute sources.
• Digital Literacy Education : Technology also aids in educating students about the ethics of information use, teaching them how to distinguish between legitimate research and plagiarism.

Balancing Act

While technology simplifies access to information, potentially increasing the risk of plagiarism, it also provides robust tools for detection and education. It’s crucial that students and educators use technology ethically and responsibly, leveraging it not just as a means of detection, but also as a platform for teaching the importance of academic integrity and originality.

Plagiarism is a critical concern in the realm of academic and competitive writing. Understanding its definition, ethical implications, and ways to avoid it is essential for students. By fostering originality and ethical writing practices, students can excel in essay competitions and contribute valuable perspectives to academic discourse. Let’s champion the cause of intellectual integrity and creativity in our scholarly endeavors.

Text prompt

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Generate an essay on the importance of extracurricular activities for student development

Write an essay discussing the role of technology in modern education.

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• RCC Plagiarism Policy
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According to Randolph Community College’s academic policies, plagiarism is “the use of another’s original words or ideas as though they were your own” (“Academic”). Instances of plagiarism include, but are not limited to the following:

• "Turning in someone else’s work as your own.
• Copying a phrase, sentence, or passage from someone else or another source (Internet, print media, etc.) without proper citation.
• Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks.
• Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation.
• Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not.
• Downloading or buying a term paper from the Internet and submitting it as your own work." (“Academic”)

"The following sanctions for violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will be imposed by the instructor, department head, division chair/director/coordinator, dean, or vice president for instructional services:

• First offense – a grade of 0 on the test, quiz, or assignment
• Second offense – a grade of “F” for the course and academic probation for one semester
• Third offense – suspension or expulsion from the College" ("Academic").

“Academic Integrity.” Randolph Community College , 2012, Academic Integrity Policy (opens in a new window).

           Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

To Build Upon the Research of Others

Citing your sources demonstrates to your audience that your arguments and conclusions are not based solely upon your own opinion or biases, but are supported by the findings of other researchers.

To Give Credit When It's Due

Citing information allows you to demonstrate exactly what information you took from another researcher and it shows what information is original to your work.

To Allow for Further Research

When you cite others' research in your work, you are giving your audience the sources they need to seek out additional information related to your topic.

To Avoid Plagiarism!

Plagiarism is a serious offense at Randolph Community College and is subject to disciplinary action. Plagiarism is the act of not giving credit to the sources of information you use in your writing. 

Direct Quotes

When you quote directly from a source. When you rephrase, reword, or summarize information from a source.

Arguments and Terminology

When you make use of another person's argument, idea, or specific terminology.

Graphs, Charts, Photographs, Drawings, etc.

When you use or glean information from another person's graph, chart, photograph, drawing, or other representation of information.

Here are some things you should and should not do to help avoid plagiarism in your writing assignments:

• Do not use the copy and paste function.
• When brainstorming, come up with as many original ideas as possible. It is okay if you have the same ideas as another expert (this is a good thing!). When you include your original ideas in your own essay, be sure to cite the expert who agrees. 
• Maintain organization during the research process. Keep source information separate and use highlighters and note cards to make references visible. 
• Always use quotation marks when you borrow someone else’s words.
• Always provide source information for statistics, data, graphs, charts, and drawings – or anything not considered common knowledge.
• Even if you change the order of words or make it sound better by adding or deleting some phrases, include the source details (i.e., author’s last name, year of publication, and page numbers) immediately after the borrowed information, but before the period.
• When in doubt, ask your instructor.

Images Require Citations?

Yes, they do!  Below you will find guidelines, videos, and notes on the videos to help you avoid plagiarizing those images.

If you do not have the time or the desire to learn about how to use images correctly and without copyright infringement, you can always use the clip art found on PowerPoint or Google Slides. 

However, this is very important information in case you need to make a presentation in the future, either for college or work.

Basic Best Practices for Presentations:

• Font 24 pt. or greater
• Use bullet points with phrases of the most important information (no complete sentences)
• Use parallel structure with the phrases
• Maximum 6 bullet points
• At least one image per slide since this is a "visual" informational form

• The video below explains the "how" of deciding if you can use an image or not and under what circumstances.  
• This is good information for almost anyone today, but especially for people in marketing, advertising, web design, etc.
• "Can I Use That in My Design?: How to Legally Use Copyrighted Images Online"

• The video below now tells you "where" you can find some free images and how to resize them; however, be careful because these sites will also have images for pay.  
• Even if an image says an attribute is not required, it would be best to still include an attribute so no one thinks you may have plagiarized the image.
• In the video below at 1 minute 55 seconds, you will see the photographer's name with the website name. 
• For this example, I would want it in the smallest font possible and centered under the image in parenthesis that information.  
• (DariuszSankowski on  Pixabay )  [Notice, the website name is in italics.]
• "Where to Get FREE Images for Your Website and Optimize Them!"

• Using OpenVerse for Copyright-Free Images Video

Video for these instructions posted above

• One of the best sites I use that is not mentioned in the previous videos is the Creative Commons .  (Link posted below.)
• Above the mountain picture and under the heading "Search the Commons," click on "Visit Openverse."
• Type your subject in that search box.
• Click on "Images."
• On the right hand side, click "Public Domain Mark" to ensure you have only copyright free images.
• Click on your chosen image.
• Scroll down to "Credit the Creator" and copy the already formed attribute for you to paste in the smallest font (8 pt.) possible within parentheses possible under the image in your presentation.  (Paste onto a document until you are ready to use it; be sure to capitalize all major words in the title of the image.)
• After access the image, click on the download button in the far right-hand corner of the screen and choose the size you want; small or medium are generally the best choices for a presentation.
• Your image will go to your "Downloads" folder where you will find it to "insert" in your presentation.
• Do not overly stress about precise formatting with attributes; as long as you have made a good attempt, most instructors will be impressed you knew to cite your images!

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Essay on Plagiarism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Plagiarism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Plagiarism

Understanding plagiarism.

Plagiarism is when you use someone else’s work without giving them credit. This could be a book, an article, a picture, or even a piece of music. It’s like stealing.

Why is Plagiarism Wrong?

Plagiarism is wrong because it’s unfair to the original creator. It also doesn’t allow you to learn and grow. You miss out on the chance to develop your own ideas and skills.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

To avoid plagiarism, always give credit to the original creator. This is called citing. Also, try to write in your own words as much as possible.

250 Words Essay on Plagiarism

Plagiarism, a term derived from the Latin word ‘plagiarius’ meaning ‘kidnapper’, refers to the act of using someone else’s work without giving them due credit. It is a serious ethical breach that can have far-reaching consequences in academia and beyond.

Types of Plagiarism

Consequences of plagiarism.

The repercussions of plagiarism are severe and multifaceted. In academia, it can lead to failure in assignments, expulsion, and a tarnished reputation. In the professional world, it can result in legal action, job loss, and damaged credibility.

Preventing Plagiarism

Preventing plagiarism necessitates a strong understanding of proper citation and referencing techniques. It also requires a commitment to integrity and respect for intellectual property. Using plagiarism detection tools can further assist in ensuring originality.

The Role of Technology

Technology plays a double-edged role in plagiarism. While it has made it easier to access and copy others’ work, it has also provided tools to detect and prevent plagiarism. It is thus a powerful ally in fostering academic honesty.

In conclusion, plagiarism is a serious issue that requires concerted effort to combat. By understanding its forms and consequences, and by leveraging technology, we can promote a culture of integrity and originality in academia and beyond.

500 Words Essay on Plagiarism

Introduction.

Plagiarism is a pervasive issue in academic, professional, and creative spaces, often leading to serious consequences. It involves appropriating someone else’s work and presenting it as one’s own, without giving due credit to the original author. This act not only violates academic and professional ethics but also stifles personal growth and creativity.

Implications of Plagiarism

The implications of plagiarism are far-reaching. It can lead to academic penalties, professional disgrace, and legal repercussions. It devalues the effort and creativity of original authors and compromises the integrity of academic and professional fields. Furthermore, those who plagiarize miss out on the opportunity to develop critical thinking, research, and writing skills – aspects that are integral to personal and professional growth.

Preventing plagiarism requires a concerted effort from both institutions and individuals. Educational institutions should have strict policies against plagiarism and should educate students about its implications. They should also use plagiarism detection tools to maintain the integrity of academic work.

In conclusion, plagiarism is a serious issue that undermines the value of education and research, and it should be actively discouraged. It is essential for students and professionals to understand the implications of plagiarism and to strive for integrity and originality in their work. By doing so, they will not only uphold academic and professional standards but also foster personal growth and innovation.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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What Is Plagiarism?

Defining Plagiarism and Techniques to Avoid It

• An Introduction to Punctuation

Olivia Valdes was the Associate Editorial Director for ThoughtCo. She worked with Dotdash Meredith from 2017 to 2021.

• B.A., American Studies, Yale University

Plagiarism is the practice of taking credit for someone else's words or ideas. It's an act of intellectual dishonesty. In colleges and universities, it violates honor codes and can cause irreparable damage to a person's reputation. It also comes with serious consequences ; a plagiarized assignment may lead to a failing grade, a suspension, or an expulsion.

Clearly, the issue is not to be taken lightly. However, if you act with academic integrity, it's also nothing to fear. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to understand the concept itself.  

Types of Plagiarism 

Some forms of plagiarism are obvious. Copying someone else's essay word for word and submitting it as your own? Plagiarism, of course. Turning in an essay you bought from a paper mill is too. The issue is not always so blatant, however. In addition to overt acts of academic dishonesty, other, more complex forms of plagiarism exist, and they lead to similar consequences nonetheless.

• Direct plagiarism  is the act of copying another person's work word for word. Inserting a paragraph from a book or article into your essay without including attribution or quotation marks, for example, is direct plagiarism. Paying someone to write an essay for you and submitting it as your own work is also direct plagiarism. If you commit direct plagiarism, you're likely to be caught thanks to software and tools such as  Turnitin .
• Paraphrased plagiarism  involves making a few (often cosmetic) changes to someone else’s work, then passing it off as your own. Unless a specific idea is common knowledge , you cannot include it in your paper without providing a citation—even if you do not include any direct quotes. 
• "Mosaic" plagiarism  is a combination of direct and paraphrased plagiarism. This type involves tossing various words, phrases, and sentences (some word for word, some paraphrased) into your essay without providing quotation marks or attributions.  
• Accidental plagiarism  occurs when citations are missing, sources are cited incorrectly, or an author shares an idea without a citation that isn't as common of knowledge as they thought. Accidental plagiarism is often the result of a disorganized research process and a last-minute time crunch. Ultimately, if you fail to cite your sources appropriately, you've committed plagiarism—even if you had every intention of giving credit.

How to Avoid Plagiarism 

Not everyone who plagiarizes starts out with the goal of stealing someone else's work. Sometimes, plagiarism is simply the result of poor planning and a few bad, panicked decisions. Don't fall victim to the plagiarism trap. Follow these tips to produce successful, original academic writing .

Begin the research process as early as possible ,   preferably as soon as you receive a new assignment. Read each source carefully. Take breaks between reading sessions to absorb the information. Explain each source's key ideas out loud, without referencing the original text. Then, write down each source’s main arguments in your own words. This process will ensure you have plenty of time to both absorb your sources' ideas and formulate your own.

Write a thorough outline.  After you’ve spent time researching and brainstorming, write a detailed  outline  of your paper. Focus on pinpointing your own original argument. As you outline, imagine yourself in conversation with your sources. Instead of restating your source's ideas, examine them and consider how they relate to your own.

Paraphrase “blind.”  If you plan to explain an author’s ideas in your paper, write the explanation without looking at the original text. If you find this process tricky, try writing out the ideas in a conversational tone, as though you’re explaining the idea to a friend. Then  rewrite the information in a more appropriate tone for your paper. 

Keep track of your sources.  Make a list of every source you read, even the ones you don’t expect to refer to in your paper. As you write, create a running bibliography using a free bibliography generator tool. Anytime you quote or paraphrase an author’s ideas in your draft, include the source information right next to the relevant sentence. If you’re writing a long paper, consider using a free citation organization tool such as  Zotero or EndNote .

Use an online plagiarism checker.  Although online tools are not foolproof, it’s a good idea to run your paper through a plagiarism checker before submitting it. You may discover that you’ve unintentionally composed a sentence that closely resembles something written by one of your sources or failed to include a citation for one of your direct quotes. Free resources such as  Quetext  compare your work to millions of documents and search for close matches. Your professor probably uses these tools, and you should too.

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• Examples of Signal Phrases in Grammar and Composition
• An Introduction to Academic Writing
• Bibliography: Definition and Examples
• Hypotaxis in English Sentences
• Conciseness for Better Composition
• What Is a Citation?
• Classic British and American Essays and Speeches

Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, ideas, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due. Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship ( see APA Ethics Code Standard 8.11, Plagiarism ).

Writers who plagiarize disrespect the efforts of original authors by failing to acknowledge their contributions, stifle further research by preventing readers from tracing ideas back to their original sources, and unfairly disregard those who exerted the effort to complete their own work.

To avoid plagiarism, provide appropriate credit to your sources by adding author–date in-text citations for direct quotations and ideas (e.g., credit the originators of theories). If you model a study after one conducted by someone else, give credit to the author of the original study.

If you wish to reprint or adapt tables, figures, and images or to reprint long quotations or commercially copyrighted test items, you must provide more comprehensive credit in the form of a copyright attribution and may need permission from the copyright holder to use the materials. Even images from the internet that are free or licensed in the Creative Commons need a copyright attribution if you are reproducing them in your paper. For more information about copyright and permissions, see Sections 12.14–12.18 of the Publication Manual (7th ed.).

Plagiarism and self-plagiarism are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 8.2 to 8.3 and the Concise Guide Sections 8.2 to 8.3

Related handout

• Avoiding Plagiarism Guide (PDF, 144KB)

What specifically “counts” as plagiarism?

Although many cases of plagiarism are straightforward (e.g., passages of text copied from another source without attribution), other cases are more challenging to evaluate. Usually, using incorrect citations (e.g., misspelling an author’s name, forgetting or mistyping an element in a reference list entry, or citing a source in the text that does not have a corresponding reference list entry) is not considered plagiarism if the error is minor and attributable to an editorial oversight rather than an intentional attempt to steal someone’s ideas. However, such errors may still result in deductions on an academic assignment or a request for revision of a manuscript submitted for publication.

Publishers and educators may use plagiarism-checking software (e.g., iThenticate, Turnitin) to identify cases in which entire papers have been copied, passages of specified lengths match, or a few words have been changed but content is largely the same ( the latter is known as patchwriting ).

Self-plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is the presentation of your own previously published work as original; like plagiarism, self-plagiarism is unethical. Self-plagiarism deceives readers by making it appear that more information is available on a topic than really exists. It gives the impression that findings are more replicable than is the case or that particular conclusions are more strongly supported than is warranted by the evidence. It may lead to copyright violations if you publish the same work with multiple publishers (sometimes called duplicate publication ).

What specifically “counts” as self-plagiarism?

Some institutions may consider it self-plagiarism if a student submits a paper written for one class to complete an assignment for another class without permission from the current instructor. Using the same paper in multiple classes may violate the academic integrity policy, honor code, or ethics code of the university.

However, incorporating previous classwork into one’s thesis or dissertation and building on one’s own existing writing may be permissible; students who wish to do this should discuss their ideas with their instructor or advisor and follow their university’s honor code, ethics code, or academic policies when reusing their previous work.

In specific circumstances, authors may wish to duplicate their previously used words without quotation marks or citation (e.g., in describing the details of an instrument or an analytic approach), feeling that extensive self-referencing is undesirable or awkward and that rewording may lead to inaccuracies. When the duplicated material is limited in scope, this approach is permissible.

General guidelines for using an acceptable amount of duplicated material are in the Publication Manual in Sections 1.16 and 8.3.

An exception to the prohibition against self-plagiarism is publishing a work of limited circulation in a venue of wider circulation. For example, authors may publish their doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in whole or in part in one or more journal articles. In such cases, authors would not cite their dissertation or thesis in the article text but rather acknowledge in the author note that the work was based on their dissertation or thesis.

Similarly, an article based on research the authors described in an abstract published in a conference program or proceeding does not usually constitute duplicate publication. The author should acknowledge previous presentation of the research in the article’s author note.

Seek clarification from your journal editor or course instructor if you are concerned about duplicate publication or self-plagiarism.

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Guide to what is plagiarism

You’ve probably had writing teachers warn you not to plagiarize. You can get in trouble for plagiarism. Don’t do it!

Ok, it sounds bad, but… what is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or work and submitting them as your own. To plagiarize is to take credit for someone else’s work. Think of plagiarism as stealing someone’s work, and then lying about it.

That sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it?

Imagine that you wrote an awesome paper for a psych class. Your cousin comes over one day, sees a print-out of your paper on your desk, and remembers her own psych assignment is due in a couple of days. She makes a copy of your paper, then submits it to her psych professor. She gets an A!

How would you feel when you found out what she did? You worked on that paper for days. You brainstormed and made an outline. You wrote your draft then revised it three times before you decided it was ready to submit.

Your cousin saw it, skimmed it, thought it was good enough for her own class, then just copied it. And she got an A for that.

That is plagiarism.

Someone does all this work, coming up with a good idea, developing it into an essay or a speech or a video. Then someone else comes along and just makes a copy of it. Or, they just copy a part of it. That is stealing someone’s work. And if they then turn it in, the professor assumes it’s their work. That is lying about it.

The concept of intellectual property

In the United States (as well as other countries, but this guide focuses on the US), your original ideas that you put into words, speech, images, graphs, or video are considered your intellectual property. You are the owner. You came up with the ideas, you made something of them, you own them.

This concept of your words as “intellectual property” is not a global concept. Not every country sees you as the “owner” of ideas that you’ve put into words arranged in a particular order. Some countries place more importance on cooperation when learning or writing. Instead of seeing copying as “cheating”, they might see it as “sharing”. In the US, that is considered plagiarizing.

Other countries feel that knowledge is passed down from the wise masters, so as a student, can what you contribute be better than what a wise master said one hundred years ago? Better to use the wise master’s own words. In the US, that is also considered plagiarizing.

Not every place emphasizes the importance of doing your own work. Maybe no one teaches what plagiarism is. Maybe students have never heard of it. Then, they go to university, and suddenly they get an F on a paper with the word PLAGIARIZED in big red letters! Whether a student did it on purpose or not, in the US, that is still considered plagiarizing.

However…

You can avoid plagiarism by giving credit to the original writer/owner of the work. That is called citing your source.

The concept of joining an ongoing academic conversation

American academics – professors, researchers, writers – see learning and knowledge as a long, ongoing conversation. Students learn from people who came before them, but they have the opportunity to add their own ideas and their own words to the conversation.

For example:

Let’s say you’re in a literature class and you’re learning about Maya Angelou and her memoirs. You are assigned a research paper and you decide to write about how Maya Angelou’s memoirs talk about race.

First of all, where did the idea for your paper come from? If you went to Wikipedia, you might have seen that idea there. It caught your eye and you thought it would be an interesting topic. Would you be the first person ever to write about Maya Angelou’s memoirs and how they depict race?

Absolutely not.

But you would read different writers’ opinions about your topic – that is the research part of your work. Then based on what you read, you would decide what angle you want to approach the topic from. Then, you would come up with your own ideas, inspired by what others have written.

If you consider what other writers have written about your topic as a conversation, you will see that, throughout the years, different writers have contributed different ideas, different interpretations, different insights. Some writers agreed with each other, while others disagreed with everyone. That is how an academic conversation is made.

Then, when you add your own ideas, interpretations, and insights – when you agree or disagree with various writers – you are adding to that long, ongoing conversation.

However, if you instead plagiarized your work and ideas, you would be joining that conversation under false pretenses. If you steal someone else’s work, then you basically are not adding your voice at all.

Plagiarism doesn’t mean you have to come up with 100% original ideas. Some might argue that’s not even possible. However, if you use someone else’s words, you need to give them credit. That’s what it means to cite your source.

What does plagiarism look like?

What is plagiarism? Now that you know it means taking credit for someone else’s work, let’s see what that actually looks like:

• Just because you paid good money for an essay you didn’t write doesn’t make it yours . The ideas weren’t yours; the words weren’t yours; the work wasn’t yours.
• Same as above (except that this time, you didn’t even pay, you cheapskate!)
• Plagiarizing doesn’t mean you take a whole essay. It can be a paragraph, a sentence, or even a part of a sentence!
• After how many words would it be considered plagiarizing? It depends. The idea is that plagiarizing means taking credit for someone’s work: the work of taking an idea they thought about, and finding some words to explain that idea. So just using a few words in the same order that someone else wrote isn’t necessarily plagiarism. We all use the words “for example” and we don’t cite them because they don’t explain the idea.
• If you are taking someone’s ideas expressed in words, no matter how many words there are, that is plagiarism.
• Yeah, ok, you changed it. It’s no longer the words of someone else, but it came from someone else’s work.
• If you make some changes, that’s paraphrasing. But you still can’t use a paraphrase and take credit for it.
• Here’s a curveball: You can actually plagiarize yourself . WHAAAAT? Yes, really.
• If you take an essay you wrote in psychology class and you use it, or part of it, for an essay in lit class, you are plagiarizing yourself. You are trying to get credit for work you didn’t do for that class. Or you’re trying to get credit for the same work twice.
• If you’re using someone’s exact words, you show they are the exact words by putting quotation marks around them and then cite them.
• If you take a sentence someone wrote and change it a little, that is paraphrasing (which also needs to be cited). However, paraphrasing requires your input: you decide which words to change and how to rearrange the order of the words, in order to have the same idea.
• Paraphrasing has the possibility of not conveying the original writer’s exact idea, since you made changes to their original sentence.
• For this reason, it’s important to show when it is their original sentence: their words, exactly as they wrote or spoke them. Use quotation marks.
• If you forget to cite a sentence, even if you meant to, even if you cited all the others, that’s still plagiarism. This demonstrates the importance of keeping track of your research and making sure you cite every source.
• Same as above. Keep track of your research and make sure all citations are correct.

What can happen if you plagiarize?

This is very important: plagiarism is an offense, whether you did it on purpose or not; whether you knew about it or not; whether you’re a student or a professional.

There are consequences to committing this offense.

• Failing grade – you might receive a failing grade for the assignment or for the course.
• Suspension – you might be suspended from school/college.
• Expulsion – you might be expelled from school/college.

In the professional realm, plagiarism is even more serious. Academics, journalists, writers, or anyone else who plagiarizes can damage their career. Since plagiarizing is stealing someone’s work then lying about it, what would you think of a journalist who is found guilty of plagiarizing? You wouldn’t believe them anymore, would you? You would doubt their honesty and integrity. Why read anything they wrote if you can longer trust that they wrote it?

This is the seriousness of plagiarizing.

Why is citing sources important?

There is one way to take advantage of the entire collection of human knowledge for your purposes, without plagiarizing:

Cite your sources.

This means you give credit to the person who originally wrote the words or did the work.

Remember that plagiarism includes spoken language, images, graphs, and videos – not just written words. If you heard an amazing TED Talk and you want to include some information in your research paper, you must cite the source .

Why is this important?

Demonstrate that research was conducted

First of all, it shows your audience that you did research. It proves you’re not just making things up or rambling off the top of your head. It gives legitimacy and validity to your work. You want to be taken seriously, right? Show that you did your research.

Show the source of information

Another reason to cite your sources is to show your audience where your information came from. You want your research to be from credible sources. Nowadays with so much information available at your fingertips (literally! Hello Google!), you want to make sure you find information that is real and proven and comes from people who know what they’re talking about.

For example: Let’s say you’re looking for information about climate change. Would you trust an article that was written in the National Enquirer? What about from a website called NewsBuzzDaily? Part of your research is to make sure your sources are reliable and valid.

Allows readers to do follow up

A third reason to cite your sources is so your readers can check the sources if there are any questions. Sometimes, a reader might not understand what you meant with a paraphrase. They can go to the original source and find where you got the information. They can read the original information for themselves.

The last reason to cite your source is so your readers can know where to go if they want additional information about your topic. Some readers just want to dig deeper and citing your source will point them in the direction of more information.

Key takeaways

• Ideas that you came up with and put into words, speech, graphs, images, or video are your intellectual property. You are the owner.
• What is plagiarism? It means stealing someone else’s intellectual property and claiming it as your own.
• Whether it was on purpose or not, whether you knew about it or not, it is still plagiarism and it is still an offense.
• To avoid plagiarizing, cite your sources

Published October 29, 2020.

By Halina Stolar. Halina has a master’s degree in teaching and taught English as a Second Language and writing for almost 15 years overseas. She now works as a freelance writer, and geeks out over grammar for fun.

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Just because you need to look something up doesn’t automatically mean that you have to cite it. Majority rules with common knowledge—so if you asked ten people the name of the first astronaut to walk on the moon and 8 gave the correct answer, you could safely say that the fact is common knowledge and leave it uncited.

Many students fall into the trap of assuming that only direct quotations need to be cited. In fact, you should also give credit to the original source of ideas that you’re using or mentioning—unless it’s something so universally known and understood that it could be considered common knowledge. For example, Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Yes, even using your own work can be classed as plagiarism if you don’t reference it. If you use the same idea twice, you must make your tutor aware by citing yourself and the piece of work in question.

The good news is that plagiarism is not difficult to avoid. Simply keep a good record of the sources that you use and CitationMachine.com can help do the rest for you. Simply choose between  Chicago style format ,  APA , or  MLA citing format —and many more—to make full citations,  parenthetical citations , works cited lists, footnotes, and annotated bibliographies really easy.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free plagiarism check.

• Knowledge Base

How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources

Published on October 10, 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing someone’s work, but more often it happens accidentally, through carelessness or forgetfulness.When you write an academic paper, you build upon the work of others and use various credible sources for information and evidence. To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text.

You can avoid plagiarism by :

• Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research
• Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (by using a paraphrasing tool and adding your own ideas)
• Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference list
• Using a plagiarism checker before you submit
• Use generative AI tools responsibly (outputs may be detected by an   AI detector )

Even accidental plagiarism can have serious consequences , so take care with how you integrate sources into your writing.

Table of contents

Keeping track of your sources, avoiding plagiarism when quoting, avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing, citing your sources correctly, using a plagiarism checker, using ai tools responsibly, checklist: plagiarism prevention, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions.

One of the most common ways that students commit plagiarism is by simply forgetting where an idea came from and unintentionally presenting it as their own. You can easily avoid this pitfall by keeping your notes organized and compiling a list of citations as you go.

Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which aren’t in your notes, highlight statements that need citations, and carefully mark any text copied directly from a source with quotation marks.

In the example below, red indicates a claim that requires a source, blue indicates information paraphrased or summarized from a source, and green indicates a direct quotation.

Notes for my paper on global warming

• Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and raise global temperatures [cite details]
• Causes more severe weather: hurricanes, fires, water scarcity [cite examples]
• Animal habitats across the world are under threat from climate change [cite examples]
• Just this year, 23 species have been declared extinct (BBC News 2021)
• “Animals are changing shape… some are growing bigger wings, some are sprouting longer ears and others are growing larger bills” in order to cool off (Zeldovich 2021)

Managing sources with the Scribbr Citation Generator

To make your life easier later, make sure to write down the full details of every source you consult. That includes not only books and journal articles, but also things like websites, magazine articles, and videos. This makes it easy to go back and check where you found a phrase, fact, or idea that you want to use in your paper.

Scribbr’s Citation Generator allows you to start building and managing your reference list as you go, saving time later. When you’re ready to submit, simply download your reference list!

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Prevent plagiarism. run a free check..

Quoting means copying a piece of text word for word. The copied text must be introduced in your own words, enclosed in quotation marks , and correctly attributed to the original author.

In general, quote sparingly. Quotes are appropriate when:

• You’re using an exact definition, introduced by the original author
• It is impossible for you to rephrase the original text without losing its meaning
• You’re analyzing the use of language in the original text
• You want to maintain the authority and style of the author’s words

Long quotations should be formatted as block quotes . But for longer blocks of text, it’s usually better to paraphrase instead.

Paraphrasing means using your own words to explain something from a source.

Paraphrasing does not mean just switching out a few words from a copy-pasted text. To paraphrase properly, you should rewrite the author’s point in your own words to show that you have fully understood it.

Every time you quote or paraphrase, you must include an in-text or footnote citation clearly identifying the original author. Each citation must correspond to a full reference in the reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper.

This acknowledges the source of your information, avoiding plagiarism, and it helps your readers locate the source for themselves if they would like to learn more.

There are many different citation styles, each with its own rules. A few common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago . Your instructor may assign a particular style for you to use, or you may be able to choose. The most important thing is to apply one style consistently throughout the text.

The examples below follow APA Style.

Citing a single source

Citing multiple sources

If you quote multiple sources in one sentence, make sure to cite them separately so that it’s clear which material came from which source.

To create correctly formatted source citations, you can use our free Citation Generator.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

And if you’re citing in APA Style, consider using Scribbr’s Citation Checker , a unique tool that scans your citations for errors. It can detect inconsistencies between your in-text citations and your reference list, as well as making sure your citations are flawlessly formatted.

Most universities use plagiarism checkers like Turnitin to detect potential plagiarism. Here’s how plagiarism checkers work : they scan your document, compare it to a database of webpages and publications, and highlight passages that appear similar to other texts.

Consider using a plagiarism checker yourself before submitting your paper. This allows you to identify issues that could constitute accidental plagiarism, such as:

• Forgotten or misplaced citations
• Missing quotation marks
• Paraphrased material that’s too similar to the original text

Then you can easily fix any instances of potential plagiarism.

There are differences in accuracy and safety between plagiarism checkers. To help students choose, we conducted extensive research comparing the best plagiarism checkers .

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful at different stages of the writing and research process. However, these tools can also be used to plagiarize in various ways (whether intentionally or unintentionally). When using these tools, it’s important to avoid the following:

• AI-assisted plagiarism:   Passing off AI-generated text as your own work (e.g., research papers, homework assignments)
• Plagiarism :   Using the tool to paraphrase content from another source and passing it off as original work
• Self-plagiarism :   Using the tool to rewrite a paper you previously submitted

It’s important to use AI tools responsibly and to be aware that AI-generated outputs may be detected by your university’s AI detector .

When using someone else’s exact words, I have properly formatted them as a quote .

When using someone else’s ideas, I have properly paraphrased , expressing the idea completely in my own words.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

Every source I cited is included in my reference list or bibliography .

I have consistently followed the rules of my required citation style .

I have not committed self-plagiarism by reusing any part of a previous paper.

I have used a reliable plagiarism checker as a final check.

Your document should be free from plagiarism!

Are you a teacher or professor who would like to educate your students about plagiarism? You can download our free lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

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Accidental plagiarism is one of the most common examples of plagiarism . Perhaps you forgot to cite a source, or paraphrased something a bit too closely. Maybe you can’t remember where you got an idea from, and aren’t totally sure if it’s original or not.

These all count as plagiarism, even though you didn’t do it on purpose. When in doubt, make sure you’re citing your sources . Also consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission, which work by using advanced database software to scan for matches between your text and existing texts.

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:

• Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
• Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

Plagiarism can be detected by your professor or readers if the tone, formatting, or style of your text is different in different parts of your paper, or if they’re familiar with the plagiarized source.

Many universities also use plagiarism detection software like Turnitin’s, which compares your text to a large database of other sources, flagging any similarities that come up.

It can be easier than you think to commit plagiarism by accident. Consider using a plagiarism checker prior to submitting your paper to ensure you haven’t missed any citations.

Some examples of plagiarism include:

• Copying and pasting a Wikipedia article into the body of an assignment
• Quoting a source without including a citation
• Not paraphrasing a source properly, such as maintaining wording too close to the original
• Forgetting to cite the source of an idea

The most surefire way to avoid plagiarism is to always cite your sources . When in doubt, cite!

If you’re concerned about plagiarism, consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission. Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/how-to-avoid-plagiarism/

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Introduction and Conclusion of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense that can result in punishments such as getting a zero mark or being expelled from school. Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional, but both have the same consequences. Different cultures, forms of pressure, and procrastination are the main reasons why people choose to plagiarize. International students may find it difficult to adapt to the culture of avoiding plagiarism in English speaking countries. Learning citation, paraphrasing, and summarizing can help people avoid plagiarism, but not all international students are able to use these methods effectively. To avoid plagiarism, students should become better academic writers. If English speaking countries can help students understand the value of assignments, plagiarism will decrease in the future.

Introduction :

There are some people do not understand what exactly is plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as people who believe doubling somebody’s idea or exercise still is they thought or produced of it and even copy it without paraphrasing and citation. (Collins Advanced Learners English Dictionary, 4th ed.2003).In most schools, students may be punished or get 0 mark if they are discovered to plagiarize. We can separate plagiarism into two categories which are intentional or unintentional. In fact, they are resulted for the same treatments.

Piety (2002 cited in Bamford and Sergiou, 2005, p.18) believes that most cultures disagree with plagiarism as a good thing but recognizes that some cultures take a more serious aspect of it. Therefore, there are some international students cannot easily to adapt this culture and they are determined to plagiarize in universities in English speaking countries. Also, some people may not care about their assessments but some people may get many stresses from it. The reasons why they decide to plagiarize will be presented below based on different cultures, different forms of pressure and procrastination.

Conclusion :

As the above discuss, different cultures, different forms of pressure and procrastination all are the main causes of why people choose to plagiarize. Therefore, students’ willingness, value tendency and source of stresses can directly influence the percentage of students’ plagiarism. Learning citation, paraphrasing and summarizing also can help people to avoid plagiarism but the problem is not every international students are able to handle these methods. The result is students should be a better academic writer if they want to avoid plagiarism. If those English speaking countries can solve the above problems and enable students to understand the value of doing assignments, less plagiarism will appear in the future.

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