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English - Controversial Topics: Plagiarism

This guide focuses on searching for information about controversial topics.

What is Plagiarism?

What is plagiarism? Not crediting information from another author's ideas or words, or sites with facts, visuals, artwork, music, and more.
Based on the American Psychological Association 's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (see the link below), Standard Research and Publication, 8:11 Plagiarism, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2010) pointedly states, "Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due" (p. 15). One can easily see the straightforwardness of the word choice and principle the Publication Manual references in one compound sentence. The informal language used eliminates debate or what if or excuses. It is considered unethical to plagiarize.

When incorporating another author's words, ideas, format, or outline into one's own work, proper credit must be given to that author.

A Note About Plagiarism

When using the work of other people, always remember to

  • Give credit if you use their words (quotation).
  • Give credit if you use their sentiments or ideas (paraphrasing/summarizing).
  • Give credit if you use their methods, techniques, or conclusions (replication/modification of prior work).

Avoid accidental plagiarism through proper citation methods.

Check out these useful sites for additional information:

Self-plagiarism

What is self-plagiarism?

According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2010), the same as when "researchers do not present the work of others as their own (plagiarism), they do not present their own previously published work as new scholarship (self-plagiarism)" (p.16).

Students also have difficulty understanding the rationale behind not using previously written papers or passages from them for other classes or instructors and presenting them as new original work in a different written assignment. Self-plagiarism occurs when students take information they used previously for a different assignment and do not provide proper citation indicating inserted portions in the current paper from its original source.

Plagiarism Videos

Here is a video about plagiarism. 

Plagiarism

Below are some additional videos as well as links to videos about plagiarism, avoiding plagiarism, quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. 

NSU Plagiarism - Video

Finding Articles on Plagiarism

One can find many articles published through databases or on the web about plagiarism. The terms used will greatly determine what types of information one finds. Below are some examples of search terms and combinations of terms:

  • Plagiarism
  • Plagiarism and cheating
  • Literary ethics
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Academic dishonesty and plagiarism
  • Plagiarism prevention
  • Plagiarism detection
  • Intellectual property and plagiarism
  • Cheating (Education) and plagiarism
  • Plagiarism and authorship
  • Plagiarism and academic integrity
  • Plagiarism and academic fraud