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Plagiarism: Sharing or Stealing Information: Introduction to Plagiarism

An overview of the topic with suggested resources for further study. Plagiarism is considered mainly from the academic perspective. Provides a cross-cultural perspective with international examples.

What is Plagiarism?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, plagiarism is the act of "taking someone else‘s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own."  Commonly referred to as stealing or copying, plagiarism is a serious offense, often resulting in severe consequences.

Many people are quick to make the connection between students and plagiarism, but in fact, it can be found outside of academia as well. Some of the fields most affected by plagiarism include:

  • Art
  • Journalism
  • Music
  • Pop Culture/Television

For the purposes of this guide, the topic will be approached from an academic standpoint, with a few outside references for further study.

Plagiarism in the News!

Below are a few links to plagiarism in the news. On a daily basis, you'll see just how often this important topic emerges in our society and around the world!

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Plagiarism Video

There are a lot of videos on the Internet about plagiarism. This video highlights the fact that plagiarism is comprised of multiple components; it's not just copying and pasting from Wikipedia! Watch this short video for examples of different types of plagiarism.

Source: YouTube video -  "Own Your Education - Plagiarism"  

Introductory Links: Plagiarism

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