Understanding Plagiarism: Forms, Consequences, and How to Avoid It

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work, ideas, or words as your own without proper citation or acknowledgement. It involves taking credit for content that you did not create or failing to give due recognition to the original source. Plagiarism is a serious ethical violation in academic and professional settings, often resulting in severe consequences such as loss of credibility, reputational damage, academic sanctions, and even legal repercussions.

To uphold academic integrity and respect the intellectual contributions of others, it is essential to understand what constitutes plagiarism and take proactive steps to avoid it.

Different Forms of Plagiarism

1. Direct Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism occurs when a person copies and pastes text from a source without using quotation marks or providing proper citations. This is the most blatant form of plagiarism and is considered a serious violation of academic and professional integrity.

2. Collusion

Collusion refers to unauthorised collaboration between two or more individuals on an assessment task or assignment. It typically involves sharing or exchanging answers, copying another person's work, or submitting work that is not entirely one’s own. Collusion is particularly problematic in group projects where some members contribute significantly less than others or in individual assessments meant to be completed independently. As a serious breach of academic integrity, collusion can lead to disciplinary action.

3. Paraphrasing Plagiarism

Paraphrasing plagiarism occurs when someone rewrites another person’s ideas or work without proper citation. Even if the wording and sentence structure are changed, failing to credit the original source still constitutes plagiarism. Proper referencing is essential when paraphrasing to ensure academic honesty.

4. Self-Plagiarism (Auto-Plagiarism)

Self-plagiarism, also known as duplicate publication, happens when a student reuses or resubmits previously submitted work for a different assignment. Whether it involves copying an entire piece or incorporating sections of past work, self-plagiarism is not permitted. Even though the work is originally created by the student, submitting the same material multiple times without disclosure is considered unethical.

5. Accidental Plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism occurs when a person unintentionally presents someone else’s work or ideas as their own due to poor note-taking, misunderstanding of citation rules, or misplacement of sources. Even if unintentional, it is still considered plagiarism and will be investigated if detected. This often happens when students incorrectly reference sources or paraphrase content without proper citation.

6. Mosaic Plagiarism

Also known as patchwriting, mosaic plagiarism occurs when a writer combines words and ideas from multiple sources without proper attribution. This can involve altering certain phrases while maintaining the original structure and meaning of the text. Although this type of plagiarism can be difficult to detect, it still violates academic integrity.

7. Citation Plagiarism

Citation plagiarism occurs when a citation is included in a piece of work, but the referenced source does not actually support the information or ideas presented. This form of misconduct misleads readers and undermines academic credibility. It is crucial to ensure that citations accurately reflect the sources they reference.

The Importance of Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, undermines the principles of fairness, academic honesty, and ethical conduct. Institutions and employers take plagiarism seriously, as it compromises the value of qualifications and the integrity of research.

To avoid plagiarism, students and professionals should:

• Always reference your sources, following the University’s referencing guide, available in the Instructions and Resources section on Moodle.
• Consult Day 3 of the Study Skills module, which provides detailed guidance on referencing and plagiarism.
• Be mindful that copying and pasting will not earn high marks and risks claims of plagiarism—please do not do it.

Detection & Consequences

Plagiarism-detection software is integrated into the learning platform. Tutors use this tool and further monitor for plagiarism and may issue warnings.

If plagiarism continues after a warning, the case may be escalated to an academic misconduct panel, which could result in serious penalties, including removal from the programme.

Other Reasons for Penalisation

Assignments may be penalised or marked down for the following:

• Late submissions without valid evidence.
• Plagiarism or academic misconduct.
• Failure to meet essential assignment criteria.
• Missing required components in an assignment.
• Lack of engagement in group assignments.

Resources for Further Guidance

For additional support, students are encouraged to consult Study Skills Day 3, which provides detailed information on proper referencing, citation techniques, and plagiarism prevention strategies.

By understanding and avoiding plagiarism, individuals can uphold the highest standards of academic and professional integrity while demonstrating respect for the intellectual contributions of others.