What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is, in essence, taking someone else’s idea and passing it off as your own. This can include ideas or topics that you have read or seen in books, movies, shows, videos, or on the internet. For example, if you write the lyrics to a song in an essay, you must provide attribution to the author, otherwise, it appears as though you are trying to take credit for the lyrics.

Plagiarism is a serious offense, and you should do everything you can to avoid it. The good thing is that you can include outside information to help support your original ideas or positions. You must ensure that you are following proper in-text citation guidelines and that you include a bibliography if you cite outside information. Also, by attaching a References page, you will specifically list the sources from which you have drawn information, further protecting you from plagiarism.

Paraphrasing Plagiarism

This occurs when a writer makes minor changes to someone else's writing and uses it as their own.

Mosaic Plagiarism

This occurs when a writer mixes ideas from other authors into their own work.