Examples of plagiarism

Plagiarism can come in many forms. Usually it is much more subtle than when someone copies an entire text. Often, plagiarism is also accidental. To make sure you know what constitutes plagiarism in order to prevent it, we will show you several examples of plagiarism. These are the five most common types of plagiarism.

Plagiarism always involves you copying someone else's work (or - in the case of self-plagiarism - your own) and taking credit for it without proper acknowledgement of the original source,. 

Plagiarism can look different in every text. In general, there are five types of plagiarism:

• Verbatim plagiarism: you copied complete sections of one text word-for-word into your own text (without formatting that text as a citation).

• Paraphrasing plagiarism: you formulate someone else's ideas in your own words, but do so without the correct source citation or following the rules for paraphrasing. 

• Patchwork plagiarism: you take bits from different sources and merge them into your textwithout correctly referencing those sources.

• Global plagiarism: the complete text is copied and submitted as your text (for example, when you submit someone else's thesis as yours). This is the most extreme form of plagiarism. Even if you hire a ghostwriter to write the complete text for you, it counts asglobal plagiarism.

• Self-plagiarism: you reuse parts from one of your previously submitted or published assignments and submit it again as if it were a completely new text. 

Here are some examples to help you familiarize yourself with each of these forms of plagiarism

1. Verbatim plagiarism

In this form of plagiarism, you copy parts of a text verbatim without proper acknowledgement of the source. This can also happen accidentally if, for example, you forget to format something as a quote. 

Suppose you use a source containing the following text:

The definition of self-confidence is having the confidence that, despite possible obstacles, you are capable of doing something and have the right skills for it.

It is verbatim plagiarism if you incorporate this into your thesis as follows:

In this thesis, we use the following definition of self-confidence: having confidence that, despite possible obstacles, you are capable of doing something and have the right skills for it. 

You may have changed the first words of the sentence, but otherwise the sentence is an exact replica of the original. Of course, you may copy the definition someone else uses but in that case you must always include a source reference and enclose the copied text in quotation marks. 

2. Paraphrasing plagiarism

Paraphrasing plagiarism occurs when you paraphrase text, but the text is still too similar to the original or you fail to include a proper source.

Suppose you use a method that someone else has used and describe it (completely in your own words) the same way that someone else does. Then your text may be different, but you have adopted someone else's idea. This is only allowed if you correctly mention the creator of this method and cite their work.

3. Patchwork plagiarism

Patchwork plagiarism is slightly more subtle. You do not copy only from a single text, but take texts or ideas from various sources instead. You synthesize those texts in order to create your own, often by putting the different texts together and changing words here and there. 

Of course, it is logical to cite information from others in, say, your theoretical framework. In that case, just make sure you properly apply the rules for citing sources. Also remember to mark direct quotes as citations and to paraphrase texts in such a way that they deviate sufficiently from the original. Otherwise, it may be a case of patchwork plagiarism . Many plagiarism checkers can also detect this form of plagiarism.

Below is an example of patchwork plagiarism.

The original sources state the following:

Source 1:

Sustainable clothing has become increasingly popular recently. About one in 10 Dutch people buy clothes more consciously than ten years ago. 

Source 2:

Most sustainable clothing is bought through traditional clothing shops that also have sustainable collections. Sometimes the question is to what extent those clothes are really sustainable. Sustainability specialists regularly question this. 

Source 3:

Greenwashing occurs when a company pretends to be more sustainable than it is, with the aim of giving consumers a more positive and green image of the company.

You turn that into the following:

Sustainable clothing has recently become increasingly popular. About one in ten Dutch people buy clothes more consciously than in 2012. The Dutch buy most sustainable clothing through traditional clothing shops that also have a sustainable collection. Sustainability specialists regularly question the extent to which these clothes are truly sustainable. This may involve greenwashing: a company presents itself as more sustainable than it is, with the aim of giving consumers a more positive and greener image of the company.

You did change some words (see the markings). However, your text is still very similar to the original. You have not paraphrased the original text sufficiently and have not cited sources. By putting the text more in your own words and adding a source citation in the right place, you can avoid this form of plagiarism.

4. Global plagiarism

This is plagiarism in its most extreme form. You have copied someone else's complete text and pretend that it is yours. This counts, for example, if you submit the work of a fellow student or if you have your thesis or essay written by a ghostwriter. The consequences are huge if the programme catches you committing this form of plagiarism. It can even lead to suspension from your studies.

5. Self-plagiarism

Many educational institutions also check for self-plagiarism. You might think that it is not a problem if you quote texts of your own without citing sources, butthat is not the case. You may quote or paraphrase your previous texts (with proper acknowledgement), but you should not pretend to present something as a completely new text if you wrote it earlier.

Want to make sure you are not guilty of these kinds of plagiarism? Then check out our tips to prevent plagiarism or - even better! - have a plagiarism check done with our advanced software. It can detect possible forms of plagiarism effortlessly, allowing you to prevent plagiarism before submitting your document.