What is Plagiarism and How to Avoid It
Definition
The English word "plagiarism" comes from the Greek root for "kidnap." In simplest terms, plagiarism is theft. It is the act of stealing the writings or ideas of another and using them as one’s own.
Plagiarism can take many forms. It may be as blatant as buying a research paper off the Internet, or it may be as subtle as failing to include quotation marks around a distinctive turn of phrase taken from another author’s work.
Plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity whether it is intentional or inadvertent. As a member of the Empire State University academic community, it is your responsibility to become knowledgeable about plagiarism.