What Is Plagiarism? Types, Examples and How to Avoid It
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words, ideas or work as your own without proper credit. It includes copying text, but also closely rewording sources, reusing your own old work without permission, and submitting work someone or something else produced.
Updated 21 October 2026 · EssayWriting.com editorial team
- Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words, ideas or work as your own without credit.
- Unintentional plagiarism is still treated as a breach, though intent can affect the penalty.
- Reusing your own earlier work without permission counts as self-plagiarism.
Plagiarism meaning in plain English
Every time you use another person's words, ideas, data, images or structure, you must tell the reader where they came from. Plagiarism happens when that credit is missing or misleading. It does not matter whether it was intentional: most universities treat careless plagiarism as a breach of academic integrity too, although penalties often depend on intent and severity.
Types of plagiarism
| Type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Direct (verbatim) | Copying text word for word without quotation marks and citation |
| Mosaic or patchwriting | Mixing copied phrases with your own words, or swapping synonyms while keeping the source's structure |
| Paraphrasing without credit | Rewording an idea properly but not citing it |
| Self-plagiarism | Resubmitting your own previous work, in whole or part, without permission |
| Source-based errors | Citing a source you did not read, or giving wrong citation details |
| Accidental | Forgetting a citation, losing track of which notes are quotes |
| Contract cheating | Submitting work written by another person or service, paid or unpaid |
| Unauthorised AI-generated text | Submitting text produced by an AI tool as your own where your institution does not allow it, or without required disclosure |
Examples
Original: "Students who sleep fewer than six hours a night perform noticeably worse on memory tasks than those who sleep seven hours or more." (Shah and Kim 105)
Plagiarised (direct): Students who sleep fewer than six hours a night perform noticeably worse on memory tasks than those who sleep seven hours or more.
Plagiarised (patchwriting): Students sleeping under six hours a night do noticeably worse on memory tasks than those sleeping seven hours or more.
Acceptable (quotation): Shah and Kim found that students sleeping under six hours "perform noticeably worse on memory tasks" (105).
Acceptable (paraphrase): Memory performance drops clearly when students get under six hours of sleep, compared with peers who sleep at least seven (Shah and Kim 105).
The source is a fictional example.
What does not need a citation?
- Common knowledge: facts widely known and easily found in many general sources, such as "Paris is the capital of France". If in doubt, cite.
- Your own original ideas, analysis and data collected for this assignment.
- General phrases that are not distinctive to any author.
Specific statistics, interpretations, theories and distinctive phrasing always need credit, even if you found them on several websites.
Consequences of plagiarism
Consequences are set by each institution and depend on severity, intent and previous history. They can range from a warning or resubmission to a zero for the assignment, failing the course, suspension or expulsion. Degrees can be revoked if plagiarism is discovered later. Outside education, plagiarism can damage professional reputation and, where copyright is infringed, lead to legal action. Several countries, including England, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, have made it illegal to provide contract cheating services.
How plagiarism is detected
Many institutions use similarity-checking software that compares submissions with web pages, published works and databases of previously submitted papers. These tools report matching text; a human then decides whether it is properly quoted and cited. Markers also notice changes in writing style, citations to sources that do not support the claim, and references that do not exist.
How to avoid plagiarism: a practical system
- Take careful notes. Mark exact quotes with quotation marks and the page number, and keep paraphrased notes separate.
- Record full source details as you research, not at the end.
- Paraphrase properly: understand, close the source, write from memory, then compare. See how to paraphrase.
- Cite as you write, in one style. See APA, MLA, Harvard or Chicago.
- Quote sparingly and always analyse what you quote.
- Ask before reusing your own earlier work.
- Check your institution's AI policy before using any AI tool, and disclose use where required.
- Run a final check: every borrowed idea has a citation and every citation is in the reference list.
Plagiarism and AI tools
Policies on AI vary widely between institutions and even between courses. Some ban AI-generated text in assessed work, some allow limited use with disclosure, and some encourage it for specific tasks. Submitting AI-generated text as your own where it is not allowed is generally treated as academic misconduct. Read our guide to whether AI detectors are accurate to understand how institutions check.
If you are accused of plagiarism
- Read your institution's academic integrity policy and the specific allegation.
- Gather your notes, drafts, version history and sources; they show your process.
- Be honest about what happened.
- Ask whether you can bring a support person or student advocate to any meeting.
Plagiarism checklist before submitting
- Every quotation has quotation marks and a citation.
- Every paraphrase and summary is cited.
- No passage follows a source's structure with swapped words.
- Data, images and tables from sources are credited.
- The reference list matches the in-text citations.
- The work is entirely your own, or any permitted assistance is disclosed.
Related
Frequently asked questions
What is plagiarism?
Presenting someone else’s words, ideas or work as your own without proper credit.
Is accidental plagiarism still plagiarism?
Yes. Institutions usually treat it as a breach, though intent can affect the penalty.
Is self-plagiarism real?
Yes. Reusing your own previously submitted work without permission is treated as plagiarism by most institutions.
Does common knowledge need a citation?
No, but if you are unsure whether something is common knowledge, cite it.
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