Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
Definition: “Plagiarism is presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition, as is the use of material generated wholly or in part through use of artificial intelligence (save when use of Artificial Intelligence – AI for assessment has received prior authorisation e.g. as a reasonable adjustment for a student’s disability).” (University of Oxford)
According to Jude Carroll, Oxford Brookes University and Carl Mikael Zetterling, KTH
Learning Lab, plagiarism occurs when someone describes another’s thoughts or wording as
though they were one’s own. This means that plagiarism does not necessarily have to be
about textual similarity. It could also be a question of structural or conceptual similarity. “In
your own text, you are responsible for ensuring that both the thoughts and wording are your
own. If you describe someone else’s thoughts or wording as your own, you have plagiarised.” (Carroll & Zetterling, year 2009) (Ouriginal manual Plagiarism Handbook)
Forms of plagiarism by University of Oxford
- Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing the work of others by altering a few words and changing their order, or by closely following the structure of their argument, is plagiarism if you do not give due acknowledgement to the author whose work you are using. A passing reference to the original author in your own text may not be enough; you must ensure that you do not create the misleading impression that the paraphrased wording or the sequence of ideas are entirely your own. It is better to write a brief summary of the author’s overall argument in your own words, indicating that you are doing so, than to paraphrase particular sections of his or her writing. This will ensure you have a genuine grasp of the argument and will avoid the difficulty of paraphrasing without plagiarising. You must also properly attribute all material you derive from lectures. - Word for word quotation without clear acknowledgement
Quotations must always be identified as such by the use of either quotation marks or indentation, and with full referencing of the sources cited. It must always be apparent to the reader which parts are your own independent work and where you have drawn on ideas and language from another source. Information derived from the Internet must be adequately referenced and included in the bibliography. It is important to evaluate carefully all material found on the Internet, as it is less likely to have been through the same process of scholarly peer review as published sources. - Inaccurate citation
It is important to cite correctly, according to the conventions of your discipline. As well as listing your sources (i.e. in a bibliography), you must indicate, using a footnote or an in-text reference, where a quoted passage comes from. Additionally, you should not include anything in your references or bibliography that you have not actually consulted. If you cannot gain access to a primary source you must make it clear in your citation that your knowledge of the work has been derived from a secondary text (for example, Bradshaw, D. Title of Book, discussed in Wilson, E., Title of Book (London, 2004), p. 189). - Use of material written by professional agencies or other persons
You should neither make use of professional agencies in the production of your work nor submit material which has been written for you even with the consent of the person who has written it. It is vital to your intellectual training and development that you should undertake the research process unaided. - Auto(self)-plagiarism
You must not submit work for assessment that you have already submitted (partially or in full), either for your current course or for another qualification of this, or any other, university, unless this is specifically provided for in the special regulations for your course. Where earlier work by you is citable, ie. it has already been published, you must reference it clearly. Identical pieces of work submitted concurrently will also be considered to be auto-plagiarism.
Plagiarism can occur also if you’re not plagiarising author’s words but only his/her thoughts and conclusions. (Urkund)
Why should you avoid plagiarism?
The best way of avoiding plagiarism is to learn and employ the principles of good academic practice from the beginning of your university career. Avoiding plagiarism is not simply a matter of making sure your references are all correct, or changing enough words so the examiner will not notice your paraphrase; it is about deploying your academic skills to make your work as good as it can be.
At first it may seem very difficult to develop your own views, and you will probably find yourself paraphrasing the writings of others as you attempt to understand and assimilate their arguments. However it is important that you learn to develop your own voice. You are not necessarily expected to become an original thinker, but you are expected to be an independent one – by learning to assess critically the work of others, weigh up differing arguments and draw your own conclusions. Students who plagiarise undermine the ethos of academic scholarship while avoiding an essential part of the learning process. (University of Oxford).
ChatGPT’s advice: As an AI language model, I do not encourage or condone any form of plagiarism. Here are some ways to avoid plagiarism:
- Use your own words: Write your assignment or paper in your own words to avoid copying from the source. This means that you need to understand the topic and create your own interpretation of it.
- Cite your sources: Whenever you use someone else’s words or ideas, give them credit by properly citing your sources using the referencing style required by your professor or institution.
- Use plagiarism checker: Use plagiarism checker like Turnitin or Grammarly to check for any possible plagiarism in your written work. These tools will provide you with a plagiarism report that highlights the areas of your work that are similar to existing sources.
- Paraphrasing: When quoting directly, make sure you put the information into your own words without changing the meaning of the original text.
- Plan ahead: Don’t wait until the last minute to start your work. This will give you time to read multiple sources and gather information that can be used in your assignment.