In the context of an assignment, plagiarism occurs when you use information from another source without crediting it correctly. This source can be a book, a journal article, an image or a website – anything written, designed or created by someone else.
Several common mistakes can lead to plagiarism if you don't tell the reader where ideas came from, such as:
- Copying a series of words without telling the reader where those words came from.
- Copying a series of words without putting them inside quotation marks.
- Paraphrasing (rephrasing) another source, but only changing a few words.
- Using the facts or ideas from another source without acknowledging the source.
- Copying part or all of an image, without including a caption or telling the reader where it came from.
There can be significant academic penalties for plagiarism in an assignment. Because of this, many new students are understandably anxious about accidental plagiarism.
Avoiding plagiarism
Plagiarism is easy to avoid by applying 2 simple rules:
- If you copy more than 3 consecutive words from a source, put them in quotation marks.
- Cite and reference the source of any words, ideas, opinions, information or images you use.
How Massey defines plagiarism
Appendix 1 of Massey University's Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as:
- Copying of sentences, paragraphs, computer files, research data, and (or) creative products that are the works of other persons or sources, without appropriate acknowledgement.
- Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, or themes without appropriate acknowledgement.
- Submitting one’s own previously assessed or published work for assessment or publication elsewhere without appropriate acknowledgement and approval.
- Submitting material obtained from internet-based essay depositories, ‘homework’ and file-sharing websites or other similar sources when not permitted.
- Submission of work overly reliant on model answers or sample solutions provided in the course materials.
Examples of plagiarism
The following sentences are taken from Lazar (2006, p. 81).
(Lazar, J. (2006). Web Usability: a User-centered Design Approach)
There are many advantages to using electronic surveys. It's possible that targeted users will respond more quickly to electronic surveys than to paper surveys (because they do not have to worry about finding a stamp and a mailbox).
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Using the wording of a source without including quotation marks or a citation is plagiarism:
Surveys can be conducted in person, by post, or electronically. It's possible that targeted users will respond more quickly to electronic surveys than to paper surveys (because they do not have to worry about finding a stamp and a mailbox).
If you are quoting directly, and a citation is included but not quotation marks, the result is still plagiarism:
Surveys can be conducted in person, by post, or electronically. However, it's possible that targeted users will respond more quickly to electronic surveys than to paper surveys (because they do not have to worry about finding a stamp and a mailbox) (Lazar, 2006, p. 81).
Using the ideas of a source without citing it, even if you write it in a different way, is still plagiarism:
Paper surveys take longer than those conducted online, because of practical considerations.
Plagiarism free
Plagiarism free
If an assignment uses the wording of a source, both quotation marks and a citation must be included:
Surveys can be conducted in person, by post, or electronically. However, "it's possible that targeted users will respond more quickly to electronic surveys than to paper surveys (because they do not have to worry about finding a stamp and a mailbox)" (Lazar, 2006, p. 81).
You don't need quotation marks if you have changed the wording – paraphrased, but an in-text citation is still necessary.
Paper surveys take longer than those conducted online, because of practical considerations (Lazar, 2006).
Use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools
AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT can be useful tools in your learning, but using them might cause you to do things considered to be dishonest academic behaviour. Being found guilty of an academic integrity breach could result in you losing marks or failing the course.
Some courses might ask you to evaluate the value of information produced by AI. However, unless your course coordinator gives you clear instructions to use AI for an assignment, don't use it.
Learn about AI usage and detection at Massey
Instead of using AI
Instead of using AI, ask for help early, even if you're unsure you need it. When you do the work, you develop subject knowledge and critical thinking skills that make university study worthwhile.
If you're having trouble searching for quality information, ask a librarian. Talk to your lecturer if you need help understanding the assignment topic.
Massey's Centre for Learner Success can help you with:
- understanding the question
- organising your ideas
- using academic writing conventions, like thesis statements and paragraphing
- being clear enough
- citing correctly and ethically.
We want you to get the full value out of your education.
Version history requests
Your lecturer or course coordinator might ask you to provide a version history of your assignment if a breach of academic integrity is suspected. They should give you details about what kind of version history they require. If you're unsure what this means, ask for clarification. They may expect you to save your document in OneDrive or SharePoint so you can access every version as it saves.
Saving your version history and notes is good practice, whether you have to provide a version history or not. Doing this allows you to prove your work is your own should any question of academic integrity arise.
Microsoft Support: How to view previous versions of Office files
Plagiarism anxiety
Many new students worry about accidentally plagiarising, which is perfectly natural. The rules of referencing can be complex and intimidating at first. Academic study involves a lot of reading, so keeping track of the sources of ideas can be difficult. Most study guides contain stern warnings about the penalties for plagiarism.
It's actually hard to plagiarise accidentally.
- Follow these guidelines to avoid plagiarism.
- Keep clear notes while reading for an assignment so that the source for all ideas is easy to recall.
- If you're unsure whether to reference something or not, reference it.
- Use our plagiarism prevention checklist and Turnitin.
- If you have any doubts, ask your lecturer or tutor.
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