Direct Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism occurs when someone copies word-for-word from a source or ideas and presents them as their own, without giving credit to the original source. 

It involves directly lifting sentences or paragraphs from a text and presenting them as one’s own without any alteration or acknowledgement.

Key features of Direct Plagiarism 

• Copying text word-for-word from a source without quotation marks or citations.
• Paraphrasing a small amount of text without attribution.
• Using someone else’s unique structure or organization of ideas without acknowledging them.

Example of Direct Plagiarism 

Consider these two texts

Original text: “The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century, is renowned for its enigmatic smile and captivating gaze.”

Direct plagiarism: “The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century, is renowned for its enigmatic smile and captivating gaze.”

In this example, the plagiarized version reproduces the original text without quotation marks or citation, making it direct plagiarism. The writer fails to acknowledge the source of the content and presents it as if it were their own original composition.

Self-plagiarism

Self-plagiarism, also known as text recycling or duplicate publication, occurs when an author reuses their own previously published work or parts of it in a new publication without proper citation or acknowledgment. 

While it doesn’t involve stealing someone else’s ideas, it still violates academic or professional integrity by misleading readers about the novelty of the work.

Key features of Self-plagiarism

• Re-submitting an entire work from the past 
• Extracting large portions from previous assignments
• Utilizing previously employed data sets

Example of Self-plagiarism

Dr. Smith publishes a research paper on the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems in a scientific journal. Later, they submit a review article to another journal discussing the same topic. In the review article, Dr. Smith includes several paragraphs from their previous research paper without indicating that they are recycled from their earlier work.

In this example, Dr. Smith’s reuse of their own previously published material without proper citation constitutes self-plagiarism. It creates the impression that the content is original to the review article when, in fact, it was previously published elsewhere.
Note: Dr. Smith is an imaginary name and the research topic is also imaginary.

Mosaic plagiarism or patchwriting

Mosaic plagiarism, also known as patchwriting, occurs when a writer borrows phrases, sentences, or passages from a source and integrates them into their own work without proper citation or attribution. 

Unlike direct plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism involves rephrasing or slightly altering the borrowed material to fit into the writer’s own writing style. Despite the changes, the original source’s ideas and language remain recognizable.

Key features of Mosaic plagiarism

• Borrowing phrases or sentences from multiple sources without quotation marks or proper in-text citations.
• Changing a few words around in someone else’s writing while keeping the overall structure and meaning intact.
• Creating a text by weaving together unattributed snippets from different sources.

Examples of Mosaic plagiarism

Original text: “Climate change is a pressing global issue that requires urgent action to mitigate its impacts on the environment and society.”

Mosaic plagiarism: “Addressing climate change is an urgent matter on a global scale, necessitating immediate measures to alleviate its effects on both the environment and society.”

In this example, the writer has rephrased the original text but retained the core ideas and structure without providing proper citation. This is considered as mosaic plagiarism because the source material has been incorporated into the author’s work without proper attribution, this is considered mosaic plagiarism.

Accidental plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism occurs when a writer unintentionally fails to properly cite or attribute sources in their work due to a lack of awareness, misunderstanding of citation rules, or carelessness. 

It can happen when writers forget to include quotation marks around borrowed phrases, neglect to provide in-text citations or references, or incorrectly paraphrase without acknowledging the original source.

Key features of Accidental plagiarism

• Forgetting to cite your sources.
• Poor paraphrasing.
• Misunderstand citation rules. 

Examples of Accidental plagiarism

Sarah is writing a research paper on the effects of climate change. While drafting her paper, she comes across an insightful idea in an article she read online. Without realizing it, Sarah incorporates the idea into her paper without providing a citation or attribution to the original source. She believes the idea is her own because she read it earlier, but she unintentionally commits accidental plagiarism by failing to acknowledge the source.

In this example, Sarah’s failure to properly cite the source of the idea she borrowed causes accidental plagiarism. Despite her lack of intention to deceive or take credit for someone else’s work, her oversight still violates academic integrity standards.

Note: Sarah is an imaginary name and the research topic is also imaginary. 

Complete Plagiarism 

Complete plagiarism occurs when someone reproduces an entire work or a significant portion of it without proper attribution, essentially claiming it as their own original creation. This form of plagiarism involves copying without any modification, including both the structure and content of the original work. 

Key features of complete plagiarism

• Buying a pre-written essay online or similar.
• Copying without attribution. 
• Submitting someone else’s work. 
• Paying somebody to write an article and submitting by your own name. 
• Borrowing someone’s work and submitting by your own name.

Examples of complete plagiarism 

Original text: “The theory of relativity, formulated by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century, revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and gravity.”

Complete plagiarism: “The theory of relativity, formulated by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century, revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and gravity.”

In this example, the plagiarized version directly replicates the original text without any changes or attribution to the original author. It presents the ideas and wording as if they were the writer’s own, which constitutes complete plagiarism.

Paraphrasing plagiarism

Paraphrasing plagiarism occurs when someone rephrases or rewrites someone else’s ideas or content in their own words without proper citation, while still closely resembling the original source.  

Key features of Paraphrasing plagiarism

• Failing to cite the original source 
• Presenting someone else’s thoughts and research as your own.

Examples of Paraphrasing plagiarism

Original text: “The internet has revolutionized communication, making it easier for people to connect and share information across the globe.”

Paraphrase plagiarism: “The internet has transformed how we communicate, facilitating global connectivity and the exchange of information on a vast scale.”

In this example, the paraphrased version conveys the same idea as the original text but has been rephrased to avoid direct copying. However, because the structure and core concept remain highly similar without proper citation, it constitutes paraphrasing plagiarism.

Source-based plagiarism

Source-based plagiarism occurs when someone directly copies or closely mimics the structure, ideas, or language of a source without proper attribution or citation. 

It involves using sources incorrectly and misleading your readers about where your ideas come from. 

Key features of Source-based plagiarism

• Using incorrect citations.
• Missing important citations.
• Using a source for a citation that doesn’t exist.

Example of Source-based plagiarism

Let’s say you’re writing a paper on the history of the internet. You find a website that mentions the invention of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee. However, the website itself doesn’t provide any sources for this information.

Plagiarism Scenario 1 (Incorrect Citation):

In your paper, you state: “The World Wide Web was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989.” (You cite the website you found).

This is plagiarism because the website you used might not be a reliable source for this information. You should find a more credible source (like a scholarly article) that talks about the invention of the web and cite that instead.

Plagiarism Scenario 2 (Missing Citation):

You find a textbook that mentions the web’s invention but doesn’t cite a source. You reference the textbook in your paper but neglect to mention the original source where this information likely came from.

This is plagiarism because you’re not giving credit to the original researcher who discovered this fact.

Aggregate plagiarism

Aggregate plagiarism, also known as patchwork plagiarism, involves compiling information from various sources and incorporating it into your work without proper analysis or original contribution. Even though you cite your sources, the issue lies in the lack of your own critical thinking and engagement with the borrowed information.

Key features of Aggregate plagiarism

• Gather facts and ideas from various sources and incorporate them into your own source without proper analysis. 
• The work relies heavily on borrowed information. 
• The work contains little to no original content, or critical interpretation. 

Example of Aggregate plagiarism

Original text 1: “Climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity, including habitat loss, altered ecosystems, and species extinction.”

Original text 2: “Global warming is exacerbating weather extremes such as hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves, leading to environmental disasters.”

Aggregate plagiarism: “Climate change presents major risks to biodiversity, such as habitat loss, ecosystem changes, and species extinction. Additionally, it contributes to severe weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves, resulting in environmental catastrophes.”

In this example, the writer combines information from two different sources to create a new passage without properly attributing each source. The resulting text lacks originality and fails to acknowledge the specific contributions of the original authors, making it an example of aggregate plagiarism.

Final thoughts 

In conclusion, plagiarism is a serious issue that can be avoided by developing strong research and citation skills. By understanding the different types of plagiarism and following the tips outlined in this article, you can ensure that your work is original and reflects your own ideas and insights. Remember, ethical scholarship is essential for maintaining academic integrity and fostering a culture of respect for intellectual property.