Plagiarism FAQ

Academic integrity questions often arise from genuine confusion about what constitutes plagiarism and how to properly engage with sources. These fundamental concepts form the foundation of effective scholarly writing and research practices.

What Exactly Is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the practice of using someone else's work, ideas, or words without proper attribution and presenting them as your own. This encompasses not only direct copying but also inadequate paraphrasing, borrowing ideas without acknowledgment, and submitting work that isn't entirely your own creation. The key principle underlying all forms of plagiarism is the failure to give appropriate credit to original sources.

Understanding plagiarism requires recognizing that it involves both the use of others' work and the lack of proper attribution. Simply changing a few words or rearranging sentences doesn't transform borrowed content into original work. Effective academic writing requires either direct quotation with proper citation or substantial transformation through genuine paraphrasing, always accompanied by appropriate source acknowledgment.