Plagiarism FAQ

What is Plagiarism?

Random House dictionary defines plagiarism as "the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work."

Specifically

• Plagiarism is including in a paper words or ideas from a book or other source without citing or acknowledging that source.
• Plagiarism is including material found on, or bought through, the Internet or other medium without citing the source of that material.
• Plagiarism is including another student’s work in your own paper, with or without that student’s permission.
• Plagiarism is including part or all of a paper you have written for another course, without the express permission of your teacher to do so, or without citation of the previous work.
• Plagiarism is including in your paper words or ideas freely offered by another person, be it a dormmate, friend, or family member, but not acknowledged as another’s work.
• Plagiarism is paraphrasing materials from a source text without appropriate documentation.
  

Is it wrong to use the words and ideas of others?

Unless the assignment forbids it, incorporating the words of others, PROPERLY DOCUMENTED, may be a useful strategy. The difference between plagiarism and scholarship is acknowledgement or citation. Imitation or borrowing by themselves is not plagiarism. Drawing on other people’s ideas is perfectly reasonable and in fact, unavoidable when you write academic essays—but you must acknowledge the borrowing.

Is it OK to get help on a paper?

Help from another person doesn’t necessarily become plagiarism. If the help consists of criticisms of the words and ideas in your paper, rather than substitutions for those words and ideas, it is acceptable. At the point that you insert someone else’s ideas or words into your paper without acknowledging the source, plagiarism begins. If you use someone else’s words or ideas, you must say so in your paper.

Is it OK for a friend, parent, or relative to write all or part of a paper for me?

Regardless of the motivation of the "helper", if you hand in work that has been done in part or whole by another person without specifically indicating what help was given, you have committed plagiarism.

Isn’t the INTERNET public domain and can’t I use information I find there?

Material from the Internet is the intellectual property of its author, even if you don’t know who the author is. Even if it does not include a copyright statement or symbol, it is copywrited and may not be used without permission. In addition, you are plagiarizing if you use any material at all from the Internet - words, pictures, graphs, code - without acknowledging the source.