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Plagiarism

About this guide

This guide will provide you with information on what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, and UW-Green Bay's plagiarism policies. Use the navigation menu to explore topics and resources relevant to you.

If you have a question that is not answered by this guide, click on the Research Help tab to contact a librarian for further help.

What is Plagiarism? 

plagiarism, noun
The action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft.
Source: Oxford English Dictionary

Examples of Plagiarism

If you do not cite the source, whether it's just a few words or whole paragraphs, the following all constitute plagiarism:

  • Copying from a website, such as Wikipedia.
  • Copying from a book or an article in a magazine, journal, or newspaper.
  • Copying someone else's work.
  • Any form of "copying & pasting" without citing.
  • Rewording (paraphrasing) a source, or someone else's work, without citing it.
  • Failing to place quotation marks around a direct quote.
  • Fabricating citations or providing incorrect references.
  • Buying an essay online and turning it in as your own.
  • Using a previously written essay from one class in another class.
  • Using a photo, image, or artwork without attributing the source.