Plagiarism: Meaning and how to avoid it

What is plagiarism?

In today’s information-driven world, the concept of plagiarism has become increasingly significant. It is a term that resonates across various fields, from academia to journalism, creative arts, and beyond. As individuals engage with diverse sources of information, the importance of understanding and respecting intellectual property grows. So, what exactly is plagiarism and how can you stay original?

The word “plagiarism” has a long history, rooted in the Latin term “plagiarius,” meaning “kidnapper.” In ancient times, this referred to someone who kidnapped a child, a metaphor that would later extend to ideas. By 1621, the word officially entered the Oxford English Dictionary, and its meaning evolved into what we know today: the act of stealing another person’s work and claiming it as your own. It’s intellectual theft, a kind of fraud, forgery, or piracy—harshly condemned in academic and creative circles.

Plagiarism is like sneaking someone else’s ideas or words and pretending they’re your own. It’s a form of intellectual theft whether you call it forgery, fraud, or piracy. Just like how “plagiarius” once meant a kidnapper in Latin, today, it’s about snatching someone’s hard work without giving credit. From academia to creative fields, it’s a serious breach of trust and originality.

In the following examples of plagiarism, you will see, the one for David and Tobin-West (2024) that was used to illustrate the wrong example and you will use it for practice after looking at the correct way to address plagiarism, which was demonstrated by Igwe et al. (2021).

Types of plagiarism

1. Outright plagiarism

This is the most candid and critical form of plagiarism. It happens when a particular individual submits another person’s work wholesale – be it a paper, an article, or any other form of intellectual property – under his or her name; in other words, a sort of academic identity theft. That is, it is like turning in a paper written by someone else and claiming it as one’s own original work. An example is seen in Fig. 1 below:

Fig. 1: Outright plagiarism (David & Tobin-West, 2024)

2. Verbatim plagiarism

Verbatim plagiarism differs from complete plagiarism in scale. Instead of copying an entire work, this involves taking parts whether a sentence, a paragraph, or more, without giving credit to the original source. It’s essentially stealing someone else’s words and passing them off as your own without acknowledgment, as shown in Fig. 2 below:

Fig. 2: Verbatim plagiarism (David & Tobin-West, 2024)

3. Punctuation Plagiarism

This is more difficult to recognize and much more common than most people realize. This usually consists of rephrasing someone else’s work, but still failing to give credit for it. Changing here and there may seem like nothing, but if that concept is not yours, then it is still plagiarism. Fig. 3 shows an example:

Fig. 3: Punctuation plagiarism (David & Tobin-West, 2024)

4. Self-Plagiarism

Surprisingly, self-plagiarism can occur; that is, you can plagiarize yourself. That means writing a new work from previously published work without disclosure. It’s not a question of anyone else’s work being stolen; but it can mislead readers into thinking “new” material is actually entirely new, distorting the record, as seen in Fig. 4 below:

Fig. 4: Self-plagiarism (David & Tobin-West, 2024)

5. Patchwork Plagiarism

Also called mosaic plagiarism, it’s the art of weaving pieces of somebody else’s work together with your own. It just seems to involve taking pieces of other people’s ideas and sewing them into your original writing, much like creating a patchwork quilt. Whereas that may sound inventive, if it isn’t correctly attributed, then it’s still a violation. (See Fig. 5)

Fig. 5: Patchwork plagiarism (David and Tobin-West, 2024)

6. Source-based Plagiarism

Here, the problem is not about straightforward copying from any source, yet the appearance or impression of where your information originates (as shown in Fig. 6). It may be like citing a primary source while it is a secondary one, or even completely fabricated citations.

Fig. 6: Source-based plagiarism

7. Accidental plagiarism

This is the most common and innocent form but with some sanctions. Accidental plagiarism occurs when you fail or deliberately avoid citing the sources, or are found misquoting them-even forgetting the quotation marks. This still breaches ethical guidelines, even without malicious intent. Below is an example (Fig. 7):

Fig. 7: Accidental plagiarism (David & Tobin-West, 2024)

Besides that, we come across cyber plagiarism, which involves data copied from the internet without giving due credit; similarly, image plagiarism is the use of images or media without permission. These, due to advancement in technology, have more involvement in our daily lives.

1.3 How Not to Plagiarize

Now that you know what kind, you should know how to avoid plagiarism. There will be no letup, even on account of a mistake, so for protection, follow these best practices below:

1. Source Your Material

Whenever you use someone else’s idea, information, or words, always acknowledge the owner. On that line, give the necessary elements of citation: the name of an author, publication date, and style format: APA, MLA, etc. This keeps transparency and gives due credit, as shown in Fig. 8 below:

Fig. 8: Source Your Material (Igwe et al., 2021)

2. Use Quotations for Direct Text

Quoting someone verbatim involves placing the text in quotation marks and then citing the source for such a situation to avoid accusations of plagiarism. (See Fig. 9)

Fig. 9: Use Quotations for Direct Text (Igwe et al., 2021)

3. Paraphrase Thoughtfully

If you’re rephrasing another person’s ideas, ensure you’re not copying their sentence structure or language too closely. Always cite the original source, as paraphrasing still requires crediting the author. An example is shown in Fig. 10 below:

Fig. 10: Paraphrase Thoughtfully (Igwe et al., 2021)

4. Add Your Ideas

Instead of just repeating what you have read, focus on what you can add of your perspective or even your analysis. This will not only bring originality, but also show critical thinking in respect to the material, as seen in Fig. 11 below:

Fig. 11: Add Your Ideas (Igwe et al., 2021)

5. Use a Plagiarism Checker

Before submitting your work, run it through a plagiarism detection tool to catch any unintentional copying. Tools like Grammarly, Turnitin, or iThenticate can help identify potential issues. (See Fig. 12)

Fig. 12: Use a Plagiarism Checker

Following these guidelines and using plagiarism detection tools will help an individual safeguard against accidental plagiarism, thus helping to uphold integrity in their scholastic and professional endeavors.

1.4 Bottom line

Avoiding plagiarism not only respects the work of others but also upholds academic integrity, allowing you to share your own unique perspective with pride. By committing to proper citation practices and ethical writing, you contribute to both your personal growth and the integrity of the academic community.

REFERENCES

Aronson, J. K. (2007). Plagiarism–please don’t copy. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 64(4), 403.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (2024). Promoting integrity in research and its publication. Available at: https://publicationethics.org

David, J., & Tobin-West, C. (2024). Enhancing Reproductive Healthcare Accessibility for Women of Reproductive Age in Africa. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.1006464

Grammarly (2022). 7 Common Types of Plagiarism, With Examples. Available at: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/plagiarism/types-of-plagiarism/

Grammarly (2023). How to Avoid Plagiarism. Available at: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/plagiarism/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-plagiarism/

Handa, S. (2008). Plagiarism and publication ethics: Dos and don’ts. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 74, 301.

Jawad, F. (2013). Plagiarism and integrity in research. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 63(11), 1446-1447.

Mehić, B. (2013). Plagiarism and self-plagiarism. Biomolecules and Biomedicine, 13(3), 139-139.

Merriman, J. A. (2010). Plagiarism—What is it? How to avoid it. American Family Physician, 82(12), 1428-1428.

Parrish, D., & Noonan, B. (2009). Image manipulation as research misconduct. Science and Engineering Ethics, 15(2), 161-167.

Plagiarism.org (2017). What is Plagiarism? Available at: https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-is-plagiarism

Roig, M. (2010). Plagiarism and self-plagiarism: What every author should know. Biochemia Medica, 20(3), 295-300.

Šupak Smolčić, V., & Bilić-Zulle, L. (2013). How do we handle self-plagiarism in submitted manuscripts?. Biochemia Medica, 23(2), 150-153.TRU Libraries (2024). Plagiarism: What it is and how to avoid it. Available at: https://libguides.tru.ca/plagiarism#:~:text=Plagiarism%20is%20using%20someone%20else’s,words%2C%20phrases%2C%20quotations