Important
Be aware that different disciplines, cultures, and individuals have different accepted ways of presenting and acknowledging sources for information. This guide is meant to be a starting point and a general guide. Please check with your individual course instructor if you have any doubts about plagiarism.
What is Plagiarism?
"The action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft."
Plagiarism in the News
Headlines compiled by Google News
Plagiarism Guide
This guide will introduce students to the concept of plagiarism, strategies for avoiding it, UWL policy on plagiarism, and citing sources.
Examples of Plagiarism
If you do not cite the source, whether it's just a few words or whole paragraphs--the following all constitute plagiarism:
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Copying from a website, such as Wikipedia.
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Copying from an article in a magazine, journal, or newspaper.
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Copying from a book.
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Copying someone else's work.
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Any form of "copying & pasting" without citing.
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Rewording (paraphrasing) a source, or someone else's work, without citing it.
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Failing to place quotation marks around a direct quote.
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Fabricating citations or providing incorrect references.
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Buying an essay online and turning it in as your own.
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Using a previously written essay from one class in another class.
Avoiding Plagiarism Flowchart
Research Assistance
Librarians can help you learn to make the most of the information resources, tools, and services of Murphy Library and beyond!
Weekdays & Sunday afternoons (fall/spring):
Any time (year-round):
- Email us -- we'll email you back asap
- Schedule an appointment (in-person or online)
Local history and/or archives research? Special Collections / Area Research Center specialists are available!
- Email us at specoll@uwlax.edu
- Call us at 608.785.8511
Plagiarism Video
A Quick Guide to Plagiarism, via YouTube. Video created by Cape Fear Community College.
License
We all stand on the shoulders of giants; I thank Joe Hardenbrook, Instruction & Reference Librarian at UW-Green Bay for my re-use and revision of his Plagiarism LibGuide. I also thank the Teaching and Learning with Technology Department at Penn State University and School of Education at Indiana University for material adopted from their plagiarism guides.