11.3 Academic Integrity

Whether writing a paper for a class, submitting a manuscript to a journal, or preparing a presentation in the workplace, care must be taken to avoid plagiarism. While some plagiarism is deliberately committed by those who think they can “get away with” stealing someone else’s work, many episodes of plagiarism are accidental and occur as a result of not fully understanding what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. Just like a traffic ticket, however, ignorance of the law does not exempt anyone from the responsibility to follow the law or the consequences of not following it.

Acadia University provides an engaging tutorial with an excellent explanation of what plagiarism is and how you can avoid it in all its forms. The Oklahoma State University library also provides some tips for avoiding plagiarism.