Plagiarism is a serious academic offense that can lead to failed assignments, disciplinary action, and even expulsion. But what exactly counts as plagiarism?

Let’s break down the five main types of plagiarism to help you identify and avoid each one in your own writing.

1. Global Plagiarism: Plagiarizing an entire text

Global plagiarism, sometimes called “complete plagiarism,” refers to the act of submitting an entire piece of work created by another person and claiming it as your own original work.

This type of plagiarism can take various forms, such as:

  • Hiring someone to write your paper or complete your assignment for you
  • Copying a complete article, essay, or blog post from the internet and turning it in as your own
  • Submitting a paper written by a friend or classmate as if it were your own work

Global plagiarism is considered the most egregious form of academic dishonesty 

because it involves intentionally misrepresenting the authorship of a complete work. As such, it carries the most severe penalties, including course failure, suspension, or even expulsion from your academic program.

To avoid committing global plagiarism, the solution is simple: always create and submit your own original work for each assignment. Resist the temptation to take shortcuts by passing off someone else’s writing as your own, as the consequences far outweigh any potential benefits.

2. Verbatim Plagiarism: Copying words directly

Verbatim plagiarism, also known as direct plagiarism, refers to the practice of copying text word-for-word from a source and incorporating it into your own work without providing proper attribution.

This type of plagiarism can involve:

  • Copying and pasting a passage from a source without any changes
  • Making minor alterations to the original text, such as deleting or replacing a few words, while retaining the overall structure and phrasing

Even if you make small modifications to the original passage, if the wording and structure remain largely unchanged and you fail to properly acknowledge the source, it still constitutes verbatim plagiarism.

In academic writing, it’s acceptable and often necessary to incorporate the words of others to support your arguments. However, to avoid verbatim plagiarism when using a direct quote, you must:

Using a tool like the free Scribbr Citation Generator can help you create properly formatted citations in popular styles such as MLA or APA, ensuring that you give credit where it’s due and avoid accusations of plagiarism.

3. Paraphrasing plagiarism: Rephrasing ideas

Paraphrasing involves expressing someone else’s ideas using your own words and sentence structure. Although paraphrasing is an acceptable way to incorporate others’ ideas into your writing, it becomes plagiarism when you present the rephrased ideas as your own without acknowledging the original source.

Paraphrasing plagiarism is the most prevalent form of plagiarism, often arising from a failure to cite the source of the paraphrased ideas. To prevent this type of plagiarism, it’s crucial to provide a citation whenever you paraphrase, just as you would when using a direct quotation.

Additionally, translating a passage from another language and incorporating it into your work without attribution is also considered paraphrasing plagiarism. Regardless of the language in which the ideas are presented, they still originate from another source and must be properly cited to avoid plagiarism.

Example of Paraphrasing Plagiarism

Original text (Doorman, 2003):Incorrect paraphrase (plagiarized):
“Thus the past came to occupy a prominent place in Romanticism. The Romantic thinkers, however, had little affinity with historical schemes such as Condorcet’s. A linear and rational progression in history was the last thing they considered important. For them, the richness of the past lay in its otherness and strangeness rather than in what predictably preceded the here and now, in a distant era like the Middle Ages or antiquity rather than in the cursed, prosaic Enlightenment that preceded it. Such remote, distinct periods were usually manifestations of a golden age that had ended, but to which one could return with the aid of the imagination …”Romantic thinkers were fascinated with the past, but they rarely adopted a linear viewpoint on historical progress. Rather than the rational Enlightenment period, Romanticism is imaginatively preoccupied with the more distant and thus more enchantingly alien past: the Middle Ages and the ancient world.

4. Patchwork plagiarism: Stitching together sources

Patchwork plagiarism, also referred to as mosaic plagiarism, is the act of copying and combining phrases, sentences, and ideas from multiple sources to create a seemingly original piece of writing.

This form of plagiarism often involves:

  • Rewording passages slightly while retaining much of the original vocabulary and structure
  • Inserting your own words and transitions throughout the text to connect the plagiarized content and make it appear cohesive

To avoid committing patchwork plagiarism, always remember to properly cite your sources when using direct quotations or paraphrasing ideas from other authors.

Although patchwork plagiarism may be more subtle and time-consuming than simply copying and pasting from a single source, advanced plagiarism detection software like Turnitin can still effectively identify instances of this type of academic dishonesty.

5. Self-plagiarism: Plagiarizing your own work

Self-plagiarism involves submitting or publishing work you have previously created and submitted for credit or publication. It is considered academic dishonesty to present a paper or research findings as original when you have already received credit for the same work in another context.

The most egregious form of self-plagiarism is submitting a paper you have already turned in for a grade in a different class. Unless you have explicit permission from your instructor, this practice is always considered self-plagiarism.

Self-plagiarism can also occur when you reuse ideas, passages, or data from your previous assignments without proper attribution. However, reworking your own ideas and content is not considered plagiarism if you have permission to do so and you properly cite your previous work to acknowledge its origin.

To avoid self-plagiarism:

  • Always seek permission from your instructor or the relevant authority before reusing your previously submitted or published work.
  • If permission is granted, clearly cite your previous work to indicate that the ideas or content originated from an earlier source.
  • When in doubt, consult with your instructor or a writing center for guidance on how to properly reuse or build upon your own previous work without engaging in self-plagiarism.

Remember, while it may seem counterintuitive, self-plagiarism is a serious form of academic dishonesty that can lead to penalties similar to those imposed for other types of plagiarism. Always err on the side of caution and transparency when considering reusing your own work.