Plagiarism in Academia: A Detailed Guide

The term ‘plagiarism’ is often associated with cheaters. But that’s not always the case. This situation has become far more complicated nowadays.

Sometimes, even the most well-intentioned scholars can slip up and fall prey to plagiarism, whether through carelessness, a lack of proper understanding about attribution, or pressure. Incidents like these have become more common than you might think, especially in the academic sector. But don’t worry—this blog post is here to save the day.

It features everything you need to know about the issue of plagiarism, specifically from the perspective of the academic sector. By exploring plagiarism, how it happens, its consequences, and—most importantly—how to avoid it, this blog post will clarify all of your confusion. So, with that in mind, let’s jump straight into this guide!

Plagiarism in the Academic Sector — What Is It and Why Is It Wrong?

Plagiarism is a serious ethical breach in academia, as it happens when you use someone else’s work, like expressions, ideas, or intellectual property, without their permission. In other words, when you present someone else’s work as your own, you basically steal their information and hard work. And that is why it is academically and ethically wrong to plagiarize. 

Types of Plagiarism Commonly Found in Academi

The idea of plagiarism does not simply mean copying text verbatim (word for word) without proper attribution. It occurs in a variety of forms and shapes. Among those, the most prevalent ones encountered in the academic field are the following:

Direct Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism is the most common form, not just in academia but in all sectors. It occurs when you duplicate another person’s work word-for-word without using quotation marks and giving them the due credit.

Self Plagiarism

As the name suggests, self-plagiarism occurs when you reuse a text portion from your already submitted work without specifying its previous usage. Although this type doesn’t involve replicating someone else’s work, it still falls under the ‘misrepresenting the originality’ criterion.

Mosaic | Patchwork | Patchwriting Plagiarism

We all explore different sources when writing content. But suppose you start borrowing information from multiple sources and combine them by altering some words or rearranging sentences to make the entire thing look unique. In that case, this practice will become patchwork, patchwriting, or mosaic plagiarism. 

Paraphrasing Plagiarism

Paraphrasing is a way of revamping another person’s work in your own words. But if you don’t properly acknowledge the original information owner, your rephrased text will become a victim of paraphrasing plagiarism.

Accidental Plagiarism

Accidental means unintentional. Therefore, this type of plagiarism happens when you unintentionally don’t cite your source correctly, whether due to a lack of understanding of citation rules or careless research. Accidental plagiarism also occurs if the paraphrased text looks too similar to the original version.

Source-Based Plagiarism

Source-based plagiarism happens when you cite a non-existent source or incorrectly add a reference that could mislead readers about the true origin of the included information.

Why Does Plagiarism Happen the Most in the Academic Sector?

Plagiarism has become sort of a pandora box for the candidates of the academic sectors because they just can’t seem to get rid of it. Every day, several studies showcase the involvement of many academicians in plagiarism. That’s all due to the following reasons:

Lack of Understanding

Most academic candidates fall victim to plagiarism because they don’t know what constitutes plagiarism and how to cope with it. This lack of understanding about plagiarism, its different types, and the required prevention techniques has affected the careers of many students.

Ease of Information Access

The Internet has made a vast amount of information readily accessible. However, this quick access has made students lazier, eventually spiking the plagiarism ratio. Nowadays, most students start working on their assignments just before the deadline. The pressure of looming deadlines restricts them from conducting extensive research. As a result, their work falls prey to many different forms of plagiarism.

Pressure to Perform

Only some things are wrong with academic candidates. Sometimes, external (outside) factors, like the pressure to get higher grades or complete multiple assignments in a short time, also cause performance anxiety. Such a situation indirectly leads students to plagiarism.

Most Common Plagiarism Consequences From the Academia Sector

As we’ve already discussed, plagiarism takes various forms and types—some more severe and common than others. However, no matter the level of plagiarism in your work, it has multiple consequences. Some of the most popular ones from the academic sector are as follows:

Failing Grades

When academic institutions discover plagiarism in a student’s assignment, they generally reward an ‘F’ grade in that particular work or the entire course.

Expulsion

Some institutes take plagiarism more seriously than others. They believe that having the plagiarist (the one who commits plagiarism) also demeans their own reputation. Therefore, they respond by expelling the guilty student.

Probation or Suspension

In some parts of the world, if someone commits plagiarism, academic sectors temporarily suspend them for a specific period.

Loss of Academic Rewards

Throughout the academic journey, students often receive various awards, like financial aid and scholarships. However, when such students become victims of plagiarism, academic sectors instantly remove all their educational rewards.

Damage to Academic and Future Reputation

Plagiarism is a form of cheating. So, once an academician has been found guilty of plagiarism, people will have a hard time believing him in the future. In fact, a plagiarist may have difficulty securing a suitable job or getting admission to some other reputable institute.

Revocation of Degrees

Committing plagiarism can also impact an individual’s professional credentials. For example, academic sectors often revoke the degrees of the plagiarism guilty candidates in some extreme cases.

What Are Academic Institutes Doing to Help With the Issue of Plagiarism?

Considering the frequency of academicians involved in plagiarism, academic institutes from all over the globe have finally started taking action. Nowadays, they are relying on technology to help students find and deal with the issue of plagiarism. 

Online plagiarism checker by SmallSEOTools.com makes it easier for everyone to quickly find the underlying traces of plagiarism in all types of textual content using advanced technologies and an extensive database. Therefore, educational institutions nowadays grant professors and students access to these resources. This not only helps students mitigate the risk of plagiarism before submission but also makes the identification of plagiarism for everyone.

Most Often Used Techniques in Academic Sectors to Avoid Plagiarism

In addition to relying on technology, academic institutions from all over the globe are nowadays focusing on educating their students about the different ethical ways to avoid plagiarism. This includes strategies like the following:

Start Working Early

As we’ve briefly discussed above, procrastination is the primary reason most academicians become plagiarism victims. So, the best way to avoid it is to start working early. Doing this will give you more time to research your topic properly and eventually help you find unique information.

Use Your Own Perspective

Despite conducting extensive research, some students still need to catch up on plagiarism. That’s because they don’t use their thoughts to document the researched data. To avoid this problem, teachers and professors worldwide are now focusing on guiding their students to use their own thoughts rather than copying the information. 

Paraphrasing and Quoting

Sometimes, it becomes essential to include some text from existing information. In such situations, you can either paraphrase or quote the information. If you’ve decided to paraphrase, make sure to use your own words to explain the same information while maintaining its original intent. For instance, you can change the sentence structure, wording, and order of information to do so effectively. However, if you have decided to quote the information, you can simply include the text as it is and place it inside double quotes.

Source Citation

Paraphrasing and quoting alone don’t eliminate the risk of plagiarism. Therefore, it is essential to credit the original information owner after implementing these techniques. To do so, mention the in-text citation alongside the quoted or paraphrased information and specify its complete reference in a bibliography.

Final Verdict — Concluding Remarks

All in all, plagiarism is a grave offense in academia. Therefore, it is high time that every academician understands its implications and takes preventive measures. By following everything discussed in this guideline, you can easily avoid committing plagiarism and maintain academic integrity throughout your academic journey