Plagiarism is the act of using another person’s work, words, or ideas without giving proper attribution to the original source. In an academic context, plagiarism occurs when a student incorporates information from a source into their own work without properly citing it.
This can manifest in several ways.
Examples of Plagiarism
| Examples of plagiarism | Why is it wrong? |
|---|---|
| Verbatim copying | Copying text word-for-word from a source without using quotation marks is wrong because it misleads readers into thinking the words are your own. |
| Inadequate paraphrasing | Changing a few words or rearranging sentences from a source without citing it is problematic because it presents someone else’s idea as if it were your own original thought. |
| Inaccurate source information | Providing incorrect details about a source prevents readers from being able to locate and verify the information for themselves. |
| Over reliance on quotes | Even when properly cited, including an excessive amount of quoted material is an issue because it limits your own original contribution to the work. |
| Self-plagiarism | Submitting your own work from a previous assignment without acknowledgment is misleading because readers assume the content is entirely new rather than derived from prior research. |
| Purchasing or submitting others’ work | Turning in a paper written by someone else, like a ghostwriter, is dishonest because it means you haven’t done the work yourself, which undermines the learning process and creates an unfair advantage over other students. |
Common Questions About Plagiarism
While it’s clear that purchasing essays is unacceptable, many students have questions and misconceptions about the nuances of quoting, paraphrasing, and citing sources. Let’s address some of these common concerns.
Will numerous citations clutter my paper and distract the reader?
It’s true that some papers include a high volume of citations, but there are strategies to streamline your citing and reduce clutter:
- Group multiple citations within a single set of parentheses, separating them with semicolons
- Avoid repeating the full citation for the same source cited multiple times consecutively
- Use “ibid.” to indicate a repeated citation (in specific citation styles)
- Omit citations for information that is considered common knowledge
Is there an optimal number of sources to cite? Can over-citing be problematic?
There is no set number of sources you should include in your paper. Your use of sources should be driven by the goal of strengthening your argument, not meeting an arbitrary quota. A high citation count is not inherently positive or negative, and the appropriate number can vary depending on the type of academic writing (e.g., literature reviews tend to cite more sources than other types of papers).
If you find yourself citing excessively, consider whether all the information you’ve included is necessary. Every piece of information should directly contribute to your argument, not just be tangentially related.
One thing to avoid is over-quoting. If large sections of your paper consist of verbatim quotes, it can distract from your own arguments. Paraphrasing is generally preferable unless you’re conducting a close analysis of the source’s language (e.g., in literary studies).
Should I avoid using sources altogether to prevent accidental plagiarism?
No, incorporating sources is a fundamental aspect of academic writing. Scholarly research is an ongoing dialogue among researchers, and engaging with other sources to situate your own ideas within the larger conversation is essential, not optional.
However, it’s understandable to have concerns about inadvertent plagiarism. To mitigate this risk, be sure to:
- Quote and paraphrase sources accurately
- Use a citation management tool to organize and cite your sources
- Run your work through a plagiarism checker before submission to identify any issues
- Use generative AI tools responsibly (as their outputs may be flagged by AI detection software)
Is paraphrasing a form of plagiarism?
No, paraphrasing is simply a way of integrating information from a source into your writing by restating it in your own words. When done correctly and accompanied by a proper citation, paraphrasing is the preferred method for incorporating information in most cases.
However, paraphrasing can be considered plagiarism if you:
- Fail to cite the source of the information or provide an incorrect citation
- Rephrase the information in a manner that too closely resembles the original (e.g., merely substituting a few words rather than thoroughly reformulating the sentence)