#5.1 RM Plagiarism - What is & What is Not?

 

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work, ideas, or words without giving proper credit. It is considered academic dishonesty and a violation of research ethics.

Examples of Plagiarism:

✅ Copying without Citation

Example: Copying sentences from a research paper or website and using them in your thesis without citing the source.

✅ Paraphrasing without Credit

Example: Rewriting a paragraph in your own words but failing to mention the original source.

✅ Self-Plagiarism

Example: Reusing sections of your own previously published research without proper citation.

✅ Submitting Someone Else’s Work

Example: Using another student’s research paper and submitting it as your own.

✅ Incorrect Citation

Example: Modifying or fabricating a citation to give false credit to a source.

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What is NOT Plagiarism?

Not all instances of using external sources are plagiarism, provided they follow ethical guidelines.

Examples of What is NOT Plagiarism:

✅ Properly Cited Work

Example: Quoting a researcher’s statement and providing a citation in APA, MLA, or IEEE format.

✅ Common Knowledge

Example: "The Earth revolves around the Sun." (This fact is widely known and does not require citation.)

✅ Your Own Ideas & Research

Example: Presenting original findings from your experiment without copying from external sources.

✅ Paraphrased Content with Citation

Example: Summarizing a research paper in your own words and giving proper credit.

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Types of Plagiarism

1. Direct Plagiarism – Copying text word-for-word without credit.

   • Example: Copying a paragraph from a book into your paper without quotation marks or citation.

2. Self-Plagiarism – Reusing your own previous work without permission.

   • Example: Submitting the same research paper to two different journals.

3. Mosaic Plagiarism (Patchwriting) – Mixing phrases from different sources and slightly modifying them.

   • Example: Taking sentences from multiple papers, changing some words, and combining them into one paragraph without citing sources.

4. Accidental Plagiarism – Forgetting to cite a source or misquoting.

   • Example: Including data from an article but forgetting to mention the author.

5. Source-Based Plagiarism – Citing incorrect or non-existent sources.

   • Example: Referencing a book that was never actually used in research.

6. Paraphrasing Plagiarism – Rewriting someone’s work without citation.

   • Example: Changing words in a research paper but keeping the same structure and ideas without credit.

7. Complete Plagiarism – Submitting someone else's work entirely as your own.

   • Example: Downloading a paper from the internet and submitting it with your name.

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How to Avoid Plagiarism?

✅ Always cite your sources correctly.
✅ Use quotation marks for direct quotes.
✅ Paraphrase properly with citation.
✅ Use plagiarism detection tools (e.g., Turnitin, Copyleaks).
✅ Keep track of sources while researching.

Plagiarism can have serious consequences, including academic penalties and loss of credibility. Research scholars must ensure ethical writing practices! 🚀