The Principles of Plagiarism By Wendi Williams, Editor

At least once in a lifetime, editors are confronted with the act of plagiarism. If they are anything like me, their mouths hang open for a second or two in utter shock and disbelief when the act occurs. "Can this be real?" we ask. Yes, it's very real and unfortunately, this behavior occurs quite often in the hallowed halls of academia, including the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Extension).

Among our colleagues in Extension there is the misconception that because we are a government-affiliated organization that provides information or education to the public, it's okay to reproduce the "intellectual property" of another government agency. In some cases it is okay to use government work for educational purposes. But we are in copyright violation when we cite our name as the original author and attempt to pass the body of work off as our own. This misconception is far from the truth. In fact it's a myth of the highest order! So, how can we avoid becoming a plagiarist? We avoid this act by simply knowing the basic principles of plagiarism.

What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism occurs when we copy and paste, retype, or rewrite the work of another author and pretend that we wrote or created the work ourselves without citing the original author or source. But did you know that Wikipedia®, the free online encyclopedia, states that even using "ideas" and/or "products" of another for personal gain are also considered acts of plagiarism? That's right, we must give credit where credit is due.

It is possible that plagiarism occurs because an individual is in the dark---he/she simply does not know the rules. On the other hand, the plagiarist knows exactly what he or she is doing, and such behavior constitutes stealing! While plagiarism is often viewed as just an unethical practice, you still run the risk of being disciplined, expelled, or even prosecuted if a copyright or "fair use" infringement has occurred. Just ask Dan Brown, noted author of the worldwide bestselling book The Da Vinci Code (the case was thrown out of court).

How do you avoid becoming a plagiarist?
Whenever possible, properly cite, cite, cite the source! In other words, you must tell the reader or your audience where the body of work, idea, or product originated. Now perhaps you can better understand why the editorial staff of Metro News requests that you list at least three references. This request is just standard editorial practice that protects you and us as well.

Extension uses the American Psychological Association's Publication Manual or the Chicago Manual of Style as our official style guides. You are encouraged to use these resources to determine how to properly document a source in a body of text or in a reference listing. A reference should not be confused with a bibliography, however, which is nothing more than a generalized list of resources you read or have alluded to in your manuscript, whereas a reference may document the page number where a particular source can be found.

Where can you find more information on plagiarism?
Most research universities have virtual online tutorials or other materials to help students, faculty, and staff avoid the pitfalls of plagiarism. However, I recommend that you visit the following websites for more in-depth information on the subject:

Duke University Libraries: Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism

Illinois Institute of Technology: Copyright and Fair Use Information: Reproduction of Material for Research and Teaching

Turnitin Research Resources

There are many reasons why individuals plagiarize, but I bet the primary reason is that they have never been caught. I trust you now know better!

References
Duke University Libraries. Reference resources: Plagiarism. Retrieved March 29, 2006.

Paul V. Galvin Library. (2002). Copyright and fair use information: Reproduction of material for research and teaching. Illinois Institute of Technology. Retrieved March 31, 2006.

The University of Hull. (2006). What's the difference. The Study Advice Services: Handy Academic Study Tips.

Turnitin. (2005). What is plagiarism? Research Resources. Retrieved March 31, 2006.

Wikipedia. (March 30, 2006). Plagiarism. Retrieved March 29, 2006.

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