The simple definition: Plagiarism is copying an author's work and passing it off as your own.
This definition may seem simple, but plagiarism can be much more complicated. Did you know that you could be held responsible for plagiarism if you paraphrase (i.e., to put in your own words) an author's work without providing a citation? Even if you cite your source, if paraphrasing is not done correctly, you could still be plagiarizing. This guide will illustrate situations that might be considered plagiarism.
EBOOK: the Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism by Information considered to be "common knowledge" does not need to be cited (unless you are directly quoting an author). If you are unsure, err on the side of caution and cite the source. "Common knowledge" refers to anything that you expect the readers to already know. An example of general common knowledge is that George Washington was the first U.S. president.
Common knowledge can also be field-specific. For example, a nursing student would not have to cite a basic definition of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, since students and instructors in that field are familiar with the concept already. Here are a few more examples:
Common Knowledge:
- The sky is blue.
Not Common:
- The physics of light refraction explains why the sky appears blue.
Common:
- Ernest Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises".
Not Common:
- Hemingway's life experiences greatly impacted the story, characters and setting in "The Sun Also Rises".