Direct Plagiarism
The simplest type of plagiarism to identify is Direct Plagiarism. This term describes the situation in which someone takes the work of another word for word and portrays it as his or her own work. This includes:
- using an entire paper written by another (such as re-using a roommate's paper, downloading a paper from online or paying someone to write your paper for you)
- using large sections of text from another's work and failing to cite the source
- using even relatively small sections of text from another's work and not indicating with quotation marks and citation that the text is the work of another
- using data (including lab results); charts, graphs and visual representations; images; or presentation slides prepared by others without citation
Direct Plagiarism therefore incorporates cheating, or intentional dishonesty, and Unintentional Plagiarism, in which a writer's lack of skill or understanding of academic norms leads them into unintended error. It is important for those confronted with plagiarized text to assess the writer's intent in order to comprehend whether the case is one of academic dishonesty or not.
Bates University provides a useful, interactive example of Direct Plagiarism. A tab at the top also demonstrates how poor paraphrasing can result in Direct Plagiarism.
See the Guide's tab on Plagiarism and Cultural Difference to see important factors to keep in mind about potential instances of Direct Plagiarism.
