IRB Research Resources: Plagiarism

Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else's words or ideas,
intentionally or unintentionally.

This is not as simple as it sounds.

• Most people know that copying information word for word without citing it is plagiarism.
• But what if you paraphrase it?  Still plagiarism,if you don't give proper credit through citation. Otherwise you are taking credit for another person's ideas. 
• Direct quotes need to be enclosed in quotation marks, as well as cited.
• This also applies to using a unique phrase - use quotation marks and cite.
• Graphs, charts, images, statistics, and so on, also need to be cited.

Some of these things could happen unintentionally if you don't completely understand the concept of plagiarism, or if you are simply careless. This is no excuse!

It is your responsibility to know exactly what constitutes plagiarism.

Is this my own idea?

  Or have I simply reworded someone else's ideas, 
  thoughts, or research?

  Don't forget, paraphrased passages need to be cited.

Are these all my own original words?

  Or am I using a distinctive term or phrase coined by  
  another?

  Distinctive words and phrases that are not original
  need to be in quotation marks and cited.

Is this a direct quote?

  Or has this been paraphrased and put into my own
  words?

  If you are using the exact words from your source,
  use quotation marks and cite.

  Paraphrased passages also need to be cited but are
  not enclosed in quotation marks.