Plagiarism ˈ/pleɪ.dʒər.ɪ.zəm / Plagiarism means using someone else’s work without giving them proper credit. In academic writing, plagiarizing involves using words, ideas, or information from a source without citing it correctly . OR The process or practice of using another person's ideas or work and pretending that it is your own. OR According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the verb to plagiarize means : “ to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own : use (another’s production) without crediting the source.” Types of Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a very serious academic offense, and it comes in many forms . The Most common types of plagiarism are self-plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism, accidental plagiarism, verbatim plagiarism, paraphrasing plagiarism, aggregate plagiarism, complete plagiarism, and source-based plagiarism. Here are the 8 Most Common Types of Plagiarism with Examples: 1. Self Plagiarism Self plagiarism, also known as auto plagiarism is a form of plagiarism that occurs when one reuses their own work that was published elsewhere . For example, a student may copy a portion of an essay they wrote for one class, and use it in an essay for another class. Although it is their own work, it was repurposed without credit to the original essay or class. Citations are always required, even if it's one's own work 2 .Mosaic plagiarism Mosaic plagiarism, or patchwork plagiarism is another type of plagiarism, occurs when the writer: • • • Copies a quote from another source but doesn't use quotation marks . Copies the original source's structure but replaces all words/phrases with synonyms . Entwines their own words with another writer's words without proper citations . The finished product will often look like a new piece of writing; however, portions will have been stolen from other sources without acknowledgment/proper citations (hence the nickname "patchwork plagiarism") . 3. Accidental plagiarism Accidental plagiarism is just that: an accident. This type of plagiarism occurs when the writer unintentionally misses a citation, forgets to use quotation marks, or paraphrases text in a way that's much too similar to the source material . The consequences of plagiarism are the same whether it's accidental or otherwise. This is why it's important to double-check all of your work or run it through a plagiarism checker . Accidental plagiarism will still cost you . 4 .Verbatim plagiarism Verbatim plagiarism or direct plagiarism is another form of plagiarism, that occurs when the writer copies and pastes text from the original source into their essay . This is what most people think of when they think of plagiarism: an exact transcription of someone else's work without a citation, or even quotation marks (hence the nickname "direct plagiarism"). 5. Paraphrasing plagiarism Paraphrasing plagiarism occurs when a writer paraphrases someone else's work and passes the idea(s) off as their own, meaning they do not properly cite where the paraphrased material originated from. This is similar to mosaic plagiarism; however, paraphrasing plagiarism often deals with one small section of a larger work, whereas mosaic plagiarism deals with the entire work. Plagiarism deals with the copying of ideas as well as words━ paraphrased material must include a citation for the original source. 6 .Aggregate plagiarism Aggregate plagiarism is another example of plagiarism that occurs when one copies and pastes an entire body of work and includes a citation .Wait, I thought plagiarism occurs when you don't use a citation. What makes aggregate plagiarism is the fact that the entire text has been lifted from elsewhere. There is no original work included, so although one credit the original source, they are still turning in someone else's work for their project . 7. Complete plagiarism Similar to both direct and aggregate plagiarism, complete plagiarism occurs when one copies an entire body of work, word-for-word, and does not give credit to the original source. A few examples are as follows : A student submits a paper written by someone else. This includes paper-cloning plagiarism, which occurs when a student buys a paper from an essay writing agency or similar business, or from another student. An author publishes a book written by another person under their own name without informing the person who wrote it. 8 .Source-based plagiarism Source-based plagiarism is a type of plagiarism that occurs when a writer cites a source incorrectly, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This can happen when the writer : • • • • States a fact that is supported by two or more sources, but only cites one . Uses a secondary source but doesn't cite the primary source from which it was Referenced Cites a source that is incorrectly listed . Doesn't complete a citation . Cites a source that doesn't exist . Oftentimes, if intentional, these methods are used in order to pad the bibliography/Works Cited page. Although source-based plagiarism isn't dealing with stolen text like the other types of plagiarism, it is still considered to be highly unethical and can lead to serious consequences. How to Avoid Plagiarism? Here are eight ways to avoid plagiarism, along with examples : 1. Cite your sources: Whenever you use someone else's ideas, quotes, or data, provide proper attribution. For example: Incorrect: "The sky is blue". ✓ Correct: According to a study by Smith et al. (2019), "The sky appears blue due to the scattering of sunlight by the atmosphere". 2. Use quotation marks: When directly quoting someone else's words, always enclose them in quotation marks. For example: Incorrect: The author stated that "the Earth revolves around the sun." ✓ Correct: "The Earth 'revolves around the sun'," stated the author . 3. Paraphrase properly: If you're rephrasing someone else's ideas, make sure to do it in your own words while still retaining the original meaning. For example: • • Original: "The Industrial Revolution marked a significant shift in economic and social structures". Paraphrased: The advent of the Industrial Revolution brought about substantial changes in both economic and societal frameworks. 4. Use citation styles consistently: Follow a specific citation style guide such as APA, MLA, or Chicago consistently throughout your work. For example: Incorrect: APA citation for one source and MLA citation for another within the same document. ✓ Correct: Using APA citation style consistently throughout the document . 5. Provide references for images and graphs: If you're using images, graphs, or any other visual content from another source, make sure to provide proper credit. For example: Incorrect: Including a graph without mentioning its source . ✓ Correct: Figure 1: GDP Growth Rate (Source: World Bank, 2020). 6. Summarize and attribute: When condensing information from a source, provide a summary and credit the original author. For example: Original: A detailed analysis of market trends over the last decade . Summarized: Recent market trends show a steady increase in consumer demand (Smith, 2022). 7. Use plagiarism detection tools: Utilize online plagiarism checkers to ensure your work is original and properly cited. For example: Incorrect: Submitting an essay without checking for plagiarism . Correct: Running your paper through plagiarism detection software before submission . Here are some plagiarism checker tools : ❖ Turnitin ❖ Grammarly ❖ Copyscape ❖ Plagscan ❖ Quetext ❖ DupliChecker ❖ SmallSEOTools Plagiarism Checker These tools can help you detect any instances of plagiarism in your writing and ensure that your work is original and properly cited. 8. Develop your own ideas: Aim to contribute original thoughts and analysis to your work rather than relying solely on existing sources. For example : Incorrect: Simply summarizing existing literature without adding personal insights . Correct: Building upon existing research to propose new theories or hypotheses. By following these strategies and examples, you can effectively avoid plagiarism and uphold academic integrity in your writing . Conclusion: In conclusion, plagiarism undermines academic integrity and trust. It's crucial to cite sources properly, paraphrase ethically, and use plagiarism detection tools to maintain honesty in writing. Upholding these principles fosters a culture of integrity, ensuring the credibility of individual works and advancing knowledge .
