0.10 Plagiarism and copyright  (Page 4/2)

Chapter 11: Plagiarism

Zach preferred to use online sources for his written assignments. He found it especially useful to keep one or two online sources open while typing the assignment in a separate window. He was able to copy and paste, when needed, or just refer to the information right there on his computer screen. He thought he was always careful to cite where he got his information, but on a history paper he was accused of plagiarism. Zach pointed out how he’d cited every source, but the professor then showed how, in several places, Zach had used descriptive language word-for-word from the sources he cited. Zach had unintentionally used the words of the other writers even while planning to cite them. Exactly what is plagiarism, and how does it relate to copyright infringement?

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to answer:

I. What is plagiarism?

II. What is the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement?

III. How did “Turnitin,com” become the subject of a copyright lawsuit?

• What is plagiarism?

“In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source.” (Council of Writing Program Administrators 2003). Plagiarism is one of the forms of cheating found on college and university campuses. It can happen deliberately, or (as in Zach’s case, above), accidentally. Other creations, such as artwork, photography, and movies can also be plagiarized. A major cause of plagiarism is the failure to correctly document (or cite) what resources are used in writing a paper, or to copy from them too heavily.

Three documented cases of plagiarism are sufficient to cause a student to be expelled at many campuses. The professor may be allowed to set the consequence for the first and second offenses. It may be a failing grade on the assignment, or in the class.

Some universities have classes to help students to not plagiarize; some do not. Students who are concerned about plagiarism should review the OWL (Online Writing Lab, Purdue U.) “Avoiding Plagiarism” section, (External Link) . ( Stolley and Brizee 2011) Another good resource is a tutorial, “You Quote It, You Note It” from Acadia University: (External Link) . (Vaughan Memorial Library 2008)

Plagiarism is not a crime in the working world. You cannot go to jail for plagiarizing. You can, however, lose credibility in your field of work, lose a job, or lose the possibility of advancement. Or, you could be accused of copyright infringement and be targeted with a lawsuit.

• What is the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement?

Plagiarism is (most often) a form of copyright infringement, but not all copyright infringement is plagiarism. It is “most often” an infringement because in a few cases, the original author may give permission for his or her work to be plagiarized. Nevertheless, if a person copies an idea, or a few paragraphs of a text, and redistributes it as part of their own work, then the person has infringed on the author’s right to make copies, to make derivative works, and to distribute the work.