To plagiarize means to represent another author’s work, ideas or expressions as your own original work. You can avoid this by quoting and referring to your sources.
This does not only apply to text, but also to the use of imagery, tables or figures. It is also considered plagiarism if you reuse your own text from a previous assignment/paper.
To avoid suspicions of cheating in your academic writings, it is important to learn how to cite and refer to your sources. Plagiarism is not always a conscious act, but may occur as a result of poor understanding of referencing requirements.
Even unintended cheating can have serious consequences, such as annulment, or expulsion for up to a year.
Main rule:
- whenever you use something from another author’s text either as a direct quote or paraphrased, this must be cited/referenced and correspond to your bibliography.
Specifics on how to reference, see «referencing techniques».
Examples of what plagiarism might be:
- Quoting or citing text without naming your source.
- Using another persons exact phrasing without marking this as a quote (see below).
- Your text is closely similar to the original text. Even if correctly cited, changing a few words or rearranging a sentence is not sufficient to avoid suspicions of plagiarism. The text needs to be paraphrased using your own words.
- Copying or rephrasing minor excerpts from different sources, without citing and referencing.
- Submitting (parts of) your own previous assignments/papers (self-plagiarism).
- Direct translations from a different language, without indicating that this is a translation.
Using chatbots
If you are using conversational robots as tools in your assignments, you should be aware of how to use the tool without it being considered plagiarism
What is self-plagiarism?
Self-plagiarism is reusing your own text from a previous assignment/paper without citing it as a source.
The plagiarism software Ouriginal will detect the text similarity in all work you hand in for evaluation.
So, can I reuse my own text if I cite it as a source?
Every paper and exam you write must be new and independent text that shows the progress you have made as a student. It is therefore not recommended that you cite your own text from a previous assignment/paper. Instead, return to the sources you used and write a new text.
There are some exceptions when reusing your work might be necessary:
- When you are writing a master’s thesis based on your bachelor’s thesis.
- When you are delivering a text for feedback several times, for instance for a folder exam.
In these instances, discuss how referencing should be done with your subject supervisor or teacher.
To-do list when referring to sources
- All sources must be correctly referred to, both in your running text and in your bibliography
- Direct transcript/quotes must be marked as such, and referred to both in your running text and in your bibliography
- All sources must be referred to as accurately as possible
- Your censor should not have to spend time figuring out where exactly in your sources quotes or inspirations are to be found
- Rules of referencing also apply when translating from a different language
To avoid suspicions of cheating, remember this:
- Reference your sources as mentioned above
- Make sure you are familiar with the specific set of rules that apply to each of your exams or assignments
- What aids are allowed?
- Is teamwork allowed, or is all communication with fellow students during exams prohibited?
- Even when teamwork is allowed, your submitted exam/assignment will have to be individual and independent
- Textual similarities between students taking the same exam will be considered cheating
- In group exams all participants are responsible for the entire contents of the submission, product or presentation
- If referencing is deficient or lacking, all group members will be collectively suspected of cheating