Instruction: Basic Level

A video case and the IU definition of plagiarism

Gina discusses her blog with Grace. Gina does not know what plagiarism is. Grace points out that Gina has plagiarized in her blog post. Click the one-minute video below to view this case.


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At the end of the video, Grace mentions that plagiarism is against the code of student conduct. Below is an excerpt from the code of conduct at Indiana University. Your school may have a slightly different definition of plagiarism, but the IU definition (in blue) covers the basics:

3. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else's work, including the work of other students, as one's own. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged, unless the information is common knowledge. What is considered "common knowledge" may differ from course to course.

a. A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, opinions, theories, formulas, graphics, or pictures of another person without acknowledgment.

b. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness whenever:

1. Directly quoting another person's actual words, whether oral or written;

2. Using another person's ideas, opinions, or theories;

3. Paraphrasing the words, ideas, opinions, or theories of others, whether oral or written;

4. Borrowing facts, statistics, or illustrative material; or

5. Offering materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgment.

(quoted from  Indiana University's Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, & Conduct. See especially the section within "Uphold and maintain academic and professional honesty and integrity" (Part G:3. Plagiarism, 2019)).


Next: Watch 2 examples that demonstrate non-plagiarism