What exactly is plagiarism?

Copied-and-pasted text, paraphrases, duplicate content, quotes, similar passages, etc.

With the increasing use of digital technology in research, education and knowledge sharing, new forms of plagiarism and the temptation to copy/paste are also increasing.

Plagiarism is the act of portraying someone else's work as your own. In documentary research and writing (dissertation, internship report, thesis, paper, etc.), you're allowed to use another author's ideas, provided that the reader is informed of the source for an idea, text or work.

Why is plagiarism serious?

"Plagiarism violates the rules of academic ethics and constitutes a misrepresentation in the work being graded. Plagiarism also constitutes an infringement of copyright and intellectual property, which could be equated with a crime of infringement."

Website of the University of Pau and the Adour Region

"Teachers want to assess the student's own abilities - not those of another author. Plagiarism raises doubts about the expected qualities of a university student (critical mind, creativity, honesty, ability to develop a personal argument and articulate it, etc.) and is considered a serious violation of scientific ethics. Plagiarism brings the plagiarist into disrepute, calling into question not only the work in which they plagiarised but also the plagiarist's entire body of work and, by extension, their skills."

University of Liège website

of students were tempted to plagiarise in a research paper

of students rephrase text without citing the author

of students think the teacher does not check for plagiarism

of students do not know how to cite sources

Different forms of plagiarism

Translation

[...] translating a text without mentioning its creator is considered plagiarism. This is called translingual plagiarism.

Paraphrasing

[...] it does not suffice to simply change a few words but rather to rephrase the whole sentence, words and structure, while still providing a citation.

Self-plagiarism

[...] you are allowed to use your own words taken from another document, provided you mention the source.

Use of uncited images in a slideshow

[...] the author must be cited (Last and First Name), as well as the date of publication and where the information was found (website, book, newspaper, etc.).

A primary source cited by a secondary source

[...] Hence, both the primary and secondary sources should be included in the citation.

Common knowledge

[...] Common knowledge, of a fact or event, corresponds to its wide recognition, namely, if it is known to a large majority of people.

Anonymous sources

[...] an anonymous source is just as important as a known source.

Why should you respect copyright? Why should you avoid duplicate content?

To attest to honest behaviour

To promote original creations

To contribute to research

To attest to the quality

What are the risks and punishments associated with plagiarism?

Taking quotes without indicating sources is cheating, and a violation of academic regulations. The punishment depends on the school's policy, whether the person intended to cheat, the significance of the plagiarised assignment, whether it's a repeated offence, etc. Here are some examples of punishments related to plagiarism.

Academically

- Invalidation of the assignment impacted by plagiarism

- Warning/blame

- Temporary or permanent expulsion from any public higher education institution

Legally

- up to 10 years' imprisonment

- $250,000 fine

Psychologically

- Reputational damage to the institution and student

- Cloud of suspicion that follows the plagiarist for a long time and that raises questions for all the other students

- Calling into question the value of the school's diploma and the quality of teaching

The importance of preventing plagiarism

Plagiarism can be unintentional. It may come from a lack of knowledge about citation standards and copyright. Academic integrity must be learned from the earliest research assignments, starting in middle and high school. Today's students are the professionals and citizens of tomorrow. It is crucial to instill authenticity, respect and goodwill as part of students' education.

To this end, Compilatio offers a positive and educational approach.

The pillars of a preventive anti-plagiarism approach

Inform about the regulatory framework
Awareness-raising materials
Guided practice in research and writing
Learning and training
Evaluate the adherence to guidelines
Preventive measurement tools, anti-plagiarism software
Discipline cheaters
Enforce punishments

Learn more about the Compilatio approach

How can I avoid plagiarism?

Some reminders to avoid falling into the trap of copying/pasting:

Indicate your sources
Cite images and graphics
Paraphrase and rephrase ideas
Make references to the bibliography
Leverage simple-to-use similarity-detection software
- Compilatio's Magister: software to help teachers assess student work
- Compilatio's Studium: software to help students with writing

Read the article "Tips to avoid plagiarism"

All are affected by plagiarism and awareness of it

Secondary or higher educational institutions evaluate students to confirm their acquisition of knowledge and adherence to instructions. Cheating distorts grades and cheapens the value of diplomas and education.

"Plagiarism is everyone's business! Raising awareness is aimed primarily at students, but plagiarism pertains to all school staff, whether they are teachers, researchers or administrators. It is part of a comprehensive approach that includes signing a charter, specific training, the use of plagiarism-detection tools and recommendations regarding disciplinary actions."

University of Lyon website, Combating plagiarism at the University of Lyon

Thank you for your trust in Compilatio