Plagiarism

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Plagiarism" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of using someone else's work or ideas without proper attribution, typically in academic or creative contexts. Example: "The student was accused of plagiarism after submitting an essay that closely mirrored a published article without citation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Days earlier, at the Berlin premiere of Nymphomaniac, LaBeouf responded to questions about his sex scenes by quoting without attribution a surreal statement by Eric Cantona, in another reference to his plagiarism scandal.

The Guardian - Film

I am not advocating a culture of penalties where students are named and shamed, as happens in plagiarism cases: I can understand why some students do it.

The Guardian

Instead, he found that DailyMail.com was engaged in disguising plagiarism as aggregation and that it was guilty of inaccuracies.

The Guardian

Billed as a penance for his plagiarism of comic book writer Daniel Clowes, it borrowed heavily from the work of performance artist Marina Abramovic.

The Guardian - Film

Sunny Hundal is editor of the leftwing blog Liberal Conspiracy and other online magazines Being paid to tweet along to a TV programme is hardly an unforgivable journalistic sin, like plagiarism or writing a Glastonbury diary.

The Guardian - Opinion

As for the plagiarism gibes, they may not prove that harmful.

The Economist

His allies suggest he is the victim of a left-wing plot: Andreas Fischer-Lescano, a law professor who uncovered the apparent plagiarism while writing a review of the published thesis, is a founding member of a think tank positioned well to the left of centre.That seems desperate.

The Economist

You might expect the sin of plagiarism to be fatal for the zu Guttenberg brand.

The Economist

That is not plagiarism, Mr Frow argues, but "imitation".

The Economist

Reports of plagiarism first appeared in the newspapers, but they gained momentum on the internet.

The Economist

Treating plagiarism as a side issue was an uncharacteristic blunder on her part.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always cite your sources properly to avoid accusations of "plagiarism". Use citation management tools to keep track of your references.

Common error

Don't assume that slightly changing the wording of someone else's idea makes it original. Properly attribute the original source even when paraphrasing.

Linguistic Context

The word "plagiarism" functions primarily as a noun. It denotes the act of appropriating someone else's work and presenting it as one's own. Ludwig AI affirms its correct usage across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "plagiarism" is a noun describing the act of taking someone else's work and presenting it as your own. It is grammatically correct and very common, primarily appearing in news and media contexts. Ludwig AI confirms this. To avoid "plagiarism", proper citation and attribution are crucial. Related terms include "intellectual theft" and "copyright infringement". Consistently remember to use citation management tools and understand the nuances of paraphrasing to steer clear of ethical and legal issues.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Intellectual theft

Focuses on the theft aspect of ideas rather than just copying words.

Copyright infringement

Highlights the legal implications of using copyrighted material without permission.

Literary piracy

Emphasizes the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of written works.

Passing off

Refers to presenting someone else's work as your own, often in a commercial context.

Academic dishonesty

Broader term including plagiarism, cheating, and other unethical academic behaviors.

Unauthorized reproduction

Highlights the lack of permission to copy or replicate the work.

Borrowing without attribution

Directly points out the act of using ideas or content without giving credit.

Copying

A simple term to indicate the action of reproducing someone else's work.

Theft of authorship

Emphasizes that the plagiarist is stealing the identity as the author

Fabrication

Implies a degree of falsehood in the work presented, not just copying.

FAQs

How to use "plagiarism" in a sentence?

"Plagiarism" is commonly used to describe the act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own. For example, "The student was expelled for committing plagiarism.".

What are the consequences of "plagiarism"?

The consequences of "plagiarism" can range from failing a grade to expulsion from an academic institution, or legal action in cases of copyright infringement.

What can I say instead of "plagiarism"?

You can use alternatives like "intellectual theft", "copyright infringement", or "academic dishonesty" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "plagiarism" and copyright infringement?

"Plagiarism" is an ethical issue involving the misrepresentation of authorship, whereas copyright infringement is a legal issue involving the violation of copyright laws. While they can overlap, they are distinct concepts.