According
to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means
- to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
- to use (another's production) without crediting the source
- to commit literary theft
- to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
Generally, citing sources of authors and owners of information, media, and idea can avoid plagiarism. It is best to jot down the source and author effectively while planning your paper and doing research. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to start your assignment paper early so that you will not rush when the deadline for submission is getting closer. When you are pressured in doing your paper, you are more prone to plagiarism, accidental or not.
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
- Submitting someone else's work as your own work
- Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit to the author
- Failure to put a quotation in quotation marks
- Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
- Copying the sentence structure of a source and changing some without giving credit to the author
- Copying so many words or ideas from different sources that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not to the authors
Here are some useful links to know more
about plagiarism.
A Fun Game about Plagiarism
