View source for Wikipedia:WikiProject WikiFundi Content/Wikipedia:Plagiarism


'''[[Plagiarism]]''' is taking credit for someone else's writing as your own, including their language and ideas, without providing adequate credit.<ref name=HarvardGuide>[http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342054 "What Constitutes Plagiarism?"], ''Harvard Guide to Using Sources'', Harvard University: "In academic writing, it is considered plagiarism to draw any idea or any language from someone else without adequately crediting that source in your paper. It doesn't matter whether the source is a published author, another student, a Web site without clear authorship, a Web site that sells academic papers, or any other person: Taking credit for anyone else's work is stealing, and it is unacceptable in all academic situations, whether you do it intentionally or by accident." The university offers examples of different kinds of plagiarism, including verbatim plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism, inadequate paraphrase, uncited paraphrase, uncited quotation.</ref> The University of Cambridge defines plagiarism as: "submitting as one's own work, irrespective of intent to deceive, that which derives in part or in its entirety from the work of others without due acknowledgement."<ref>[http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/statement.html "University-wide statement on plagiarism"], University of Cambridge.<p>
For subject-specific guidelines, see [http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/depts.html "Guidance provided by Faculties and Departments"], University of Cambridge.</p></ref>

Wikipedia has three core content policies, of which two make it easy to plagiarize inadvertently. [[Wikipedia:No original research|No original research]] prohibits us from adding our own ideas to articles, and [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|Verifiability]] requires that articles be based on reliable published sources. These policies mean that Wikipedians are highly vulnerable to accusations of plagiarism, because we must stick closely to sources, but not ''too closely''. Because plagiarism can occur without an intention to deceive, concerns should focus on educating the editor and cleaning up the article.

Sources are annotated using inline citations, typically in the form of footnote (see [[Wikipedia:Citing sources|Citing sources]]).<ref>For example, Smith 2012, p. 1, or Smith, John. ''Name of Book''. Name of Publisher, 2012, p. 1. </ref> In addition to an inline citation, [[WP:INTEXT|in-text attribution]] is usually required when quoting or [[Wikipedia:Close paraphrasing|closely paraphrasing]] source material (for example: "John Smith wrote that the building looked spectacular," or "According to Smith (2012)&nbsp;...").<ref>[http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342054 "What Constitutes Plagiarism?"], ''Harvard Guide to Using Sources'', Harvard University (see "Uncited paraphrase" and "Uncited quotation").<p>
There may be exceptions when using extensive content from free or copy-left sources, so long as proper attribution is provided in footnote or in the references section at the bottom of the page.</p></ref> The [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Attribution|Manual of Style]] requires in-text attribution when quoting a full sentence or more.<ref>See [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Attribution]]: "The author of a quote of a full sentence or more should be named; this is done in the main text and not in a footnote. However, attribution is unnecessary with quotations that are clearly from the person discussed in the article or section. When preceding a quotation with its attribution, [[Wikipedia:Words to avoid#Synonyms for said|avoid characterizing it in a biased manner]]."</ref> Naming the author in the text allows the reader to see that it relies heavily on someone else's ideas, without having to search in the footnote. You can avoid inadvertent plagiarism by remembering these rules of thumb:

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
*'''[[WP:INCITE|INCITE]]''': Cite a source in the form of an inline citation after the sentence or paragraph in question.
*'''[[WP:INTEXT|INTEXT]]''': Add in-text attribution when you copy or closely paraphrase another author's words or flow of thought, unless the material [[#What is not plagiarism|lacks creativity]] or originates from a [[#Copying material from free sources|free source]].
*'''[[WP:INTEGRITY|INTEGRITY]]''': Maintain text-source integrity: place your inline citations so that it is clear which source supports which point, or use [[WP:CITEBUNDLE|citation bundling]] and explain in the footnote.
|bgcolor=none|style=border-left:9px solid #ccc;margin-right:18em;margin-left:none}}

Plagiarism and [[copyright infringement]] are not the same thing.<ref>Levy, Neill A. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090325041017/http://www.cinahl.com/library/cinahlnews/Cnews173.pdf "Tweedledum and Tweedledee: Plagiarism and Copyright"], Cinahl Information Systems, 17(3.4), Fall/Winter 1998.</ref> Copyright infringement occurs when content is used in a way that violates a copyright holder's [[exclusive right]]. Giving credit does not mean the infringement has not occurred, so be careful not to quote so much of a non-free source that you violate the [[WP:NFC|non-free content guideline]].<ref>[http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html Copyright: Fair Use]: "Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission."</ref> Similarly, even though there is no copyright issue, public-domain content is plagiarized if used without acknowledging the source. For advice on how to avoid violating copyright on Wikipedia, see [[Wikipedia:Copyright violation|Copyright violation]]. For how to deal with copying material from free sources, such as public-domain sources, see [[#Copying material from free sources|below]].
{{helpbox
| width: 200px;
| name = Helpful links
| group1 = Sourcing pages
| list1 = [[Wikipedia:Core content policies|Core content policies]]<br/>[[Wikipedia:Citing sources|Citing sources]]<br/>[[Wikipedia:When to cite|When to cite]]<br />[[WP:MOSQUOTE|Manual of style on quotations]]<br/>[[Wikipedia:Quotations|Essay on quotations]]
|group2 = Copyright pages
|list2 = [[WP:C|Copyright policy]]<br />[[Wikipedia:Copyright FAQ|Copyright FAQ]]<br />[[Wikipedia:Copyright problems|Copyright problems board]]<br />[[Wikipedia:GFDL|GFDL]]<br />[[Wikipedia:Non-free content#Acceptable use|Non-free content guidelines]]<br />[[Wikipedia:Non-U.S. copyrights|Non-US copyrights]]<br/>[[Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials|Donating copyrighted materials]]<br />[[Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission|Requesting copyright permission]]
| group3 = Off-wiki resources
| list3 = [http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/plag.html Avoiding plagiarism]<br />[http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter8/8-a.html#4 Copyright and Fair use]<br />[http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/ Guide to paraphrasing]<br />[https://web.archive.org/web/20090325041017/http://www.cinahl.com/library/cinahlnews/Cnews173.pdf "Tweedledum and Tweedledee:<br/>Plagiarism and Copyright"]<br/>[http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/depts.html Subject-specific guidelines]
}}

== Plagiarism on Wikipedia ==
{{policy shortcut|WP:PLAGFORM|WP:PLAGFORMS}}
===Forms of plagiarism===
Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work – including their language and ideas – as your own, whether intentionally or inadvertently. Because it can happen easily and by mistake, all editors are strongly advised to actively identify any potential issues in their writing. Plagiarism can take several forms.

====Free and copyrighted sources====
{{Quote frame|{{cross}} '''Copying from an unacknowledged source'''
*Inserting a text—[[WP:copy-paste|copied]] word-for-word, or [[WP:PARAPHRASE|closely paraphrased]] with very few changes—from a source that is not acknowledged anywhere in the article, either in the body of the article, or in footnotes, the references section, or the external links section.}}
::*The above example is the most egregious form of plagiarism and the least likely to be accidental.

{{Quote frame|{{cross}} '''Copying from a source acknowledged in a poorly placed citation'''
*Inserting a text—[[WP:copy-paste|copied]] word-for-word, or [[WP:PARAPHRASE|closely paraphrased]] with very few changes—then citing the source somewhere in the article, but not directly after the sentence or passage that was copied.}}
::*This can look as though the editor is trying to pass the text off as their own. It can happen by accident when [[WP:CITE#Inline citations|inline citations]] are moved around during an edit, losing [[WP:INTEGRITY|text-source integrity]]. It can also happen when editors rely on [[WP:CITE#General reference|general references]] listed in a References section, without using inline citations.

{{Quote frame|{{cross}} '''Summarizing an unacknowledged source in your own words'''
*Summarizing a source in your own words, without citing the source in any way, may also be a form of plagiarism, as well as a violation of the [[WP:V|Verifiability policy]].}}
::*Summarizing a source in  your own words does not in itself mean you have not plagiarized, because you are still relying heavily on the work of another writer. Credit should be given in the form of an inline citation.

====Copyrighted sources only====
{{Quote frame|{{cross}} '''Copying from a source acknowledged in a well-placed citation, without in-text attribution'''
*Inserting a text—[[WP:copy-paste|copied]] word-for-word, or [[WP:PARAPHRASE|closely paraphrased]] with very few changes from a copyrighted source—then citing the source in an inline citation after the passage that was copied, without naming the source in the text.}}
::*Here the editor is not trying to pass the work off as their own, but it is still regarded as plagiarism, because the source's words were used without [[WP:INTEXT|in-text attribution]]. The more of the source's words that were copied, and the more distinctive the phrasing, the more serious the violation. Adding in-text attribution ("John Smith argues ...") always avoids accusations of plagiarism, though it does not invariably avoid copyright violations. See [[#Respecting copyright|Respecting copyright]] below for more on using copyrighted sources.<p>Be cautious when using in-text attribution, because it can lead to other problems. For example, "According to Professor Susan Jones, human-caused increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide have led to global warming" might be a [[WP:ASSERT|violation of NPOV]], because this is the consensus of many scientists, not only a claim by Jones. In such cases, plagiarism can be avoided by summarizing information in your own words or acknowledging explicitly that while the words are from Jones, the view is widespread.</p>

===Avoiding plagiarism===
:''For avoidance of plagiarism of text copied from compatibly licensed [[copyleft]] publications and public domain publications, see also the section below: [[#Copying material from free sources|Copying material from free sources]]''

You can avoid plagiarism by summarizing source material in your own words followed by an [[WP:INCITE|inline citation]], or by quoting or closely paraphrasing the source, usually with [[WP:INTEXT|in-text attribution]] (adding the author's name to the text) and an inline citation. The following examples are adapted from [https://web.archive.org/web/20170629051324/http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342054 "What Constitutes Plagiarism?"], ''Harvard Guide to Using Sources'', Harvard University:

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{cross}}'''No in-text attribution, no quotation marks, no change in text, no inline citation'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence.|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #FF0000;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{cross}} '''No in-text attribution, no quotation marks, no change in text, inline citation only'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence.<ref name=Brown>Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', MIT, 2001, p. 14.</ref>
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #FF0000;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{cross}} '''No in-text attribution, no quotation marks, text closely paraphrased, inline citation only'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Political transitions brought about by the end of authoritarian government, democratization, or political change also make states prone to violence.<ref name=Brown>Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', MIT, 2001, p. 14.</ref>
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #FF0000;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{tick}} '''In-text attribution, quotation marks, no change in text, inline citation'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', MIT, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Michael E. Brown writes: "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."<ref name=Brown/>

:*'''Note''': The amount of text you quote from non-free sources must be limited to comply with [[WP:NFCC|non-free content policy]]. (See [[#Respecting copyright|below]].)
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #009E60;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{tick}} '''In-text attribution, quotation marks, most of the text properly paraphrased, inline citation'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Michael E. Brown suggests that political change, such as the move from an authoritarian government to a democratic one, can "make states particularly prone to violence."<ref name=Brown/>

:*'''Note''': Even with in-text attribution, distinctive words or phrases may require quotation marks. 
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #009E60;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{tick}} '''In-text attribution, no quotation marks, text properly paraphrased, inline citation'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Michael E. Brown suggests that political change, such as the move from an authoritarian government to a democratic one, can provoke violence against the state.<ref name=Brown/>
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #009E60;margin:2em 2em;}}

{{Quote box|align=none|fontsize=100%|
{{tick}} '''No in-text attribution, no quotation marks, text summarized in an editor's own words, inline citation'''

:*'''Source''': Michael E. Brown, "The Causes of Internal Conflict: An Overview," in Michael E. Brown, et al, ''Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict'', The MIT Press, 2001, p. 14.

:*'''Source text''': "Political transitions brought about by the collapse of authoritarian rule, democratization, or political reforms also make states particularly prone to violence."

:*'''Wikipedia text''': Political change increases the likelihood of violence against the state.<ref name=Brown/>

:*'''Note''': If the sentence "political change increases the likelihood of violence against the state" is distinctive in some way (if, for example, it represents an unusual position), it may require in-text attribution (Michael E. Brown suggests that&nbsp;...) despite being an editor's own summary of the source material.
|bgcolor=#F9F9F9|style=border-left:9px solid #009E60;margin:2em 2em;}}

===Respecting copyright===
{{see|Wikipedia:Copyright}}
Regardless of plagiarism concerns, works under copyright that are not available under a compatible free license must comply with the [[WP:Copyright|copyright policy]] and the [[WP:NFC|non-free content guideline]]. This means they cannot be extensively copied into Wikipedia articles. Limited amounts of text can be quoted or closely paraphrased from nonfree sources if such text is clearly indicated in the article as being the words of someone else; this can be accomplished by providing an in-text attribution, and quotation marks or block quotations as appropriate, followed by an inline citation.

=== Translating ===
{{shortcut|WP:NONENGPLAG}}
If the source is in a language other than English, the contributor may be under the mistaken belief that the act of translation is a sufficient revision to eliminate concerns of plagiarism. On the contrary, regardless of whether the work is free, the obligation remains to give credit to authors of foreign language texts for their creative expression, information and ideas, and, if the work is unfree, direct translation is likely to be a copyright violation as well.<ref>{{cite web | title = Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code, Circular 92 | url = http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#106 | author = United States Copyright Office|access-date= 2009-04-09 | quote = A "derivative work" is a work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted.... Subject to sections 107 through 122, the owner of copyright under this title has the exclusive rights to do and to authorize any of the following:...(2) to prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work....}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Buranen |first1=Lise |last2=Roy |first2=Alice Myers |title=Perspectives on Plagiarism and Intellectual Property in a Postmodern World |year=1999 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=0791440796 |page=76 |quote=...large-scale cribbing of foreign-language texts might occur during the process of translation.... The practice persists even though the most flagrant violators are eventually accused and dismissed from their posts.}}</ref>

=== What is not plagiarism ===
{{see|Wikipedia:When to cite}}
[[Charles Lipson]] states that all plagiarism rules "follow from the same idea: acknowledge what you take from others. The only exception is when you rely on commonly known information."<ref>Lipson, Charles (2013). ''[https://books.google.com/books?isbn=022609880X  Doing Honest Work in College: How to Prepare Citations, Avoid Plagiarism, and Achieve Real Academic Success]''. 2nd Ed., p. 43. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. {{ISBN|022609880X}}.</ref> Plagiarism is less a concern where the content both lacks creativity and where the facts and ideas being offered are common knowledge. Here are some examples where in-text attribution is generally not required, though you may still need to add an inline citation:<!--CHANGED FROM "will" TO "may" BECAUSE SOME ELEMENTS IN THIS LIST DO NOT REQUIRE CITATIONS (E.G., IDOMS), WHILE OTHERS DO.-->
*use of common expressions and idioms, including those that are common in sub-cultures such as academia;<ref>To qualify as a "common expression or idiom", the phrase must have been used without attribution at least 2&nbsp;years ago by someone other than the originator and in a [[WP:RS| reliable source]], in other words one that is likely to have watchful editors and lawyers; there must be no evidence that the author(s), or publisher(s), of the unattributed use later lost, or settled out of court, a lawsuit based on the unattributed use, and that the publisher did not issue an apology, or retraction, for plagiarism relating to the unattributed use. Since it is impossible to prove completely that something does not exist, Wikipedia editors who suspect plagiarism is involved must provide reliable evidence of such a legal judgment, out-of-court settlement, apology, or retraction.</ref>
*phrases that are the simplest and most obvious way to present information; sentences such as "John Smith was born on 2 February 1900" lack sufficient creativity to require attribution.
*simple, non-creative lists of information that are common knowledge. If the list is drawn from another source (i.e., it is not common knowledge), or if creativity has gone into producing a list by selecting which facts are included, or in which order they are listed, then reproducing the list without citing its source may constitute plagiarism.<ref>Per Lipson, 2013, p. 43: "If you use someone else's work, cite it... Cite it even if the work is freely available in the public domain... All these rules follow from the same idea: acknowledge what you take from others. The only exception is when you rely on commonly known information." See full Lipson reference above.</ref><ref>This may ''also'' constitute a copyright problem; U.S. law on such lists is illustrated by the case [[Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service]].</ref>
*mathematical and scientific formulae that are part of the most basic and general background knowledge of a field, E = mc<sup>2</sup> and F = ma (where, even in these cases, for deeper reader understanding, a citation may be best practice);
*simple logical deductions.

== Addressing plagiarism ==
=== Copyright violations ===
{{main|Wikipedia:Copyright violations}}
{{See also|Wikipedia:Copyright problems|Wikipedia:Files for discussion|Wikipedia:Guide to image deletion}}

If you find duplicated text or media, consider first whether the primary problem is plagiarism or copyright infringement. If the source is not in the [[public domain]] or licensed compatibly with Wikipedia, or if you suspect that it is not, you should address it under the [[WP:C|copyright]] policies.

=== Text plagiarism ===
====How to find text plagiarism====
There are several methods to [[Plagiarism detection|detect plagiarism]]: plagiarized text often demonstrates a sudden change from an editor's usual style and tone and may appear more advanced in grammar and vocabulary. Plagiarized material may contain unexplained acronyms or technical jargon that has been described in an earlier part of the plagiarized document. Because plagiarized material was written for other purposes, it is often un-encyclopedic in tone. An editor who plagiarizes multiple sources will appear to frequently and abruptly change writing styles.

An easy way to test for plagiarism of online sources is to copy and paste passages into a search engine. Exact matches, or near matches, may be plagiarism. When running such tests, be aware that other websites reuse content from Wikipedia. A list of identified websites which do so is maintained at [[Wikipedia:Mirrors and forks]]. It is usually possible to find the exact version in article history from which a mirror copy was made. Conversely, if the text in question was added in one large edit, and the text closely matches the external source, this is an indication of direct copying. When in doubt, double check search engine results with an experienced Wikipedian.

Another option is to utilize a plagiarism detector, such as those found at [[:Category:Plagiarism detectors]]. Plagiarism detection systems, some of which are freely available online, exist primarily to help detect academic fraud. Wikipedia does not endorse, or recommend, any external services, so your own experience will be the guide.

It can also be useful to perform a direct comparison between cited sources and text within the article to see if text has been plagiarized, including too-[[WP:PARAPHRASE|close paraphrasing]] of the original. Here it should be borne in mind that an occasional sentence in an article that bears a recognizable similarity to a sentence in a cited source is not generally a cause for concern. Some facts and opinions can only be expressed in so many ways and still be the same fact or opinion. A plagiarism concern arises when there is evidence of ''systematic'' copying of the diction of one or more sources across multiple sentences or paragraphs. In addition, when dealing with non-free sources, be sure that any appropriated ''creative'' expressions are marked as quotations.

==== Addressing the involved editor ====
If you find an example of plagiarism where an editor has copied text, media, or figures into Wikipedia without proper attribution, contact the editor responsible, point them to this guideline, and ask them to add attribution.  Attribution errors may be inadvertent, intentional plagiarism should not be presumed in the absence of strong evidence.<ref>Avoiding plagiarism requires familiarity with citation and paraphrasing. Contributors need to know when and how to cite sources. When paraphrasing, they need to know how much they can and should retain without following too closely on source text. They also need to remember when and where they saw something first, both in active research, while note taking, and during composition, to avoid unconscious plagiarism. See {{cite book |last1= Perfect |first1= Timothy J. |last2=Stark |first2= Louisa J. |editor = John Dunlosky, Robert A. Bjork |title=Handbook of Metamemory and Memory |access-date=2009-01-13 |year=2008 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=0805862145 |page= |pages=285-314 |chapter= Tales from the Crypt...omnesia |chapter-url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YW0So8Cc9NwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Handbook+of+Metamemory+and+Memory&client=firefox-a#PPA285,M1}}.</ref>  Start with the [[Wikipedia:Assume good faith|assumption of good faith]]; contributors may not be familiar with the concept of plagiarism.  It may be helpful to refer them to [[Wikipedia:Verifiability]], [[Wikipedia:Citing sources]], and/or [[Help:Citations quick reference]]. Editors who have difficulties or questions about this guidance can be referred to the [[Wikipedia:Help Desk|Help Desk]] or [[WP:MCQ|media copyright questions]].

As well as requesting repair of the example you found, you may wish to invite the editor to identify and repair any other instances of plagiarism they may have placed before becoming familiar with this guideline.  If an editor persists in plagiarizing, report the editor to the [[WP:ANI|administrators' noticeboard]].  Be sure to include [[WP:DIFF|diffs]] that show both the plagiarism and the warnings.

==== Repairing text plagiarism ====
It may not always be feasible to contact the contributor. For example, an IP editor who placed text three years ago and has not edited since is unlikely to be available to respond to your concerns. Whether you are able to contact the contributor or not, you can also change the copied material, provide attribution, or source on your own. Material that is plagiarized but which does not violate copyright does not need to be removed from Wikipedia if it can be repaired. Add appropriate source information to the article or file page, wherever possible. With text, you might move unsourced material to an article's talk page until sources can be found.

=== Media plagiarism ===
==== How to find media plagiarism ====
This can begin with a commonsense question: does it seem likely that the uploader is the original source? The person who scans an image from an 1825 textbook on herbs is unlikely to be the author, even if they have claimed {{tl|PD-self}}. Sometimes doubts may be triggered by the professional quality of media, or by the exclusivity. If you suspect plagiarism, try to locate the original source through an online search engine such as [http://images.google.com/ Google Image Search]. Other factors to consider include the editing history of the uploader and, with images, [[Metadata#Image metadata|image metadata]], such as [[Exif]] and [[Extensible Metadata Platform|XMP]].<ref>Exif data is automatically saved by most modern digital cameras, and includes important information about the camera being used and the date/time of the picture (see [[:File:Cannon.jpg]] for Exif in action).</ref><ref>XMP is utilized by Adobe in its image manipulation programs; it tracks the history of modification and, when possible, original ownership information (see [[:File:Redding Album Cover.jpg]] for XMP in action).</ref>

Frequently, a person who uploads and claims credit for another's image will leave the original image metadata, or a visible or invisible [[digital watermark]], in place. If the author information conveyed by the metadata, or watermark, contradicts the author information on the image description page, this is a sign the image requires investigation. A user's original photographs can also be expected to have similar metadata, since most people own a small number of cameras; varied metadata is suspicious. Suspicions based on metadata should be checked with other editors experienced with images and other media.

==== Source and licensing information ====
{{see also|commons:Commons:Licensing#License information|Wikipedia:Image use policy#Requirements|l1=commons:Licensing|l2=Wikipedia:Image use policy}}
For images and other media, the correct source and licensing information must be supplied, otherwise the files run the risk of deletion. '''Never''' use {{tl|PD-self}}, {{tl|GFDL-self}} or {{tl|self}} if the image is not yours. If the source requests a credit line, e.g. "[[NASA]]/[[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]]/[[Malin Space Science Systems|MSSS]]", place one in the author field of {{tl|information}}.

==Copying material from free sources==
{{Shortcut|WP:FREECOPYING}}
The guidance in this section must not be read in isolation. Inline citations to a source are still required as described in the [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|Verifiability]] policy and added to an article as explained in the guideline [[Wikipedia:Citing sources|citing sources]]. Attribution as described in this section is an addition to those requirements.

===Attribution templates===
{{see also|Category:Attribution templates}}
For public-domain sources, using {{tl|citation-attribution}}, {{tl|source-attribution}}, or a similar attribution template is acceptable to acknowledge the work of others and still allow subsequent modification. See the next section for more on using attribution templates with compatibly licensed sources; the proper template may vary by the license of the source.

===Compatibly-licensed sources===
{{see also|Category:Attribution templates}}
If the external work is under a [[copyleft]] license that removes some restrictions on distributing copies and making modified versions of a work, it may be acceptable to include the text directly into a Wikipedia article, provided that the license is [[License compatibility|compatible]] with the [[WP:CC-BY-SA|CC BY-SA]] and the terms of the license are met. (A partial table of license compatibility can be found at [[Wikipedia:FAQ/Copyright#Can_I_add_something_to_Wikipedia_that_I_got_from_somewhere_else.3F|the Copyright FAQ]]). Most compatible licenses require that author attribution be given, and even if the license does not, the material must be attributed to avoid plagiarism. Attribution for compatibly licensed text can be provided through the use of an appropriate [[:category:attribution templates|attribution template]], or similar annotation, which is usually placed in a "[[WP:LAYOUT#References|References section]]" near the bottom of the page (see the section [[#Where to place attribution|Where to place attribution]]).

Templates for compatibly licensed sources include:
*{{tl|Dual}}: for content imported from a source that may be reused under both CC-By-SA 3.0 and GFDL
*{{tl|CCBYSASource}}: for content imported from a source compatible for reuse under CC-By-SA 3.0 but ''not'' GFDL
*{{tl|CC-notice}}: for content imported from a source compatible for reuse under CC-By-SA 3.0 but ''not'' GFDL

Care must be taken to check that what appears to be a compatible licence is indeed compatible. Some websites allow text to be copied for educational or non-commercial use. Such text is not compatible with the Wikipedia licences because the text must be free to be used and distributed commercially.

=== Public-domain sources ===
{{anchor|Copyright expired sources}} {{see also|Wikipedia:Adding open license text to Wikipedia}}
Whether copyright-expired or public domain for other reasons material from public-domain sources is welcome on Wikipedia, but such material must be properly attributed.  Public-domain attribution notices should not be removed from an article or simply replaced with inline citations unless it is verified that substantially all of the source's phrasing has been removed from the article (see [[#What is not plagiarism]]). Of course, citable information should not be left without cites, although the most appropriate citations should be used.

A public domain source may be summarized and cited in the same manner as for copyrighted material, but the source's text can also be copied verbatim into a Wikipedia article. If text is copied or closely paraphrased from a free source, it must be [[Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited]] and attributed through the use of an appropriate [[:category:attribution templates|attribution template]], or similar annotation, which is usually placed in a "[[WP:FNNR|References section]]" near the bottom of the page (see the section "[[#Where to place attribution|Where to place attribution]]" for more details).

If the external work is in the public domain, but it contains an original idea or is a primary source, then it may be necessary to alter the wording of the text (for example, not including all the text from the original work, or quoting some sections, or specifically attributing to a specific source an opinion included in the text) to meet the Wikipedia content policies of [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|neutral point of view]] and [[Wikipedia:No original research]] (in particular the restrictions on the [[WP:PSTS|use of primary sources]]).

Avoiding plagiarism requires attribution, and this is best accomplished when a reader can easily compare the Wikipedia article to the source. Many public domain sources are online, and attribution can (and should) include hyperlink. When there is no online source, the editor should consider creating an exact copy of the source at [[Wikisource]]. The editor should also consider this if the online source is not available on a stable site or is in a form (e.g., a photocopied book) that is not readily convertible into simple text. This may be appropriate even when the source appears to be at a stable site and in an acceptable form, because the Wikisource site is under control of the Wikimedia foundation and other sites are not.

=== Copying within Wikipedia ===
{{main|Wikipedia:Copying within Wikipedia}}
Wikipedia's content is dual-licensed under both the [[GFDL]] and [[CC-BY]] license models. Contributors continue to own copyright to their contributions, but they liberally license their contributions for reuse and modification. GFDL and CC-BY do require attribution. However, since Wikipedia's articles do not contain bylines, it is not necessary or appropriate to provide attribution on the article's face. As long as the licensing requirements for attribution are met (see [[Wikipedia:Copying within Wikipedia|the guideline for specifics]]), copying content (including text, images, and citations) from one Wikipedia article to another or from one language Wikipedia to another is not plagiarism as long as attribution is provided via the edit summaries.

===Where to place attribution===
If a Wikipedia article is constructed through summarizing reliable sources, but there is a paragraph or a few sentences copied from compatibly licensed or public-domain text which is not placed within quotations, then putting an attribution template in a footnote at the end of the sentences or paragraph is sufficient. To aid with attribution at the end of a few sentences, consider using a general [[:category:attribution templates|attribution template]] such as the {{tl|citation-attribution}} template for public-domain sources or {{tl|CC-notice}} for compatibly licensed sources, {{tl|Free-content attribution}} which is designed around material with an externally posted license, or use a source-specific attribution template such as {{tl|DNB}}.<ref>To be used as an inline citation {{tl|DNB}} needs the "inline=1" parameter set.</ref> Directions for usage are provided on the template pages. 

If a significant proportion of the text is copied or closely paraphrased from a compatibly-licensed or public domain souce, attribution is generally provided either through the use of an appropriate attribution template or similar annotation placed in a "[[WP:LAYOUT#References|References section]]" near the bottom of the page. In such cases consider adding the attribution statements at the end of the ''Reference section'' directly under a line consisting of "'''Attribution:'''" (<code><nowiki>'''Attribution:'''</nowiki></code>) in bold:<ref>To meet the requirements of [[WP:PSEUDOHEAD]], use 6 quotation marks to surround "Attribution:" rather than a leading ";"</ref>
{{Quote frame|
'''Attribution:'''
* ''Place appropriate [[:category:attribution templates|attribution template]], or similar annotation here'' 
}}

See, for example, [[Western Allied invasion of Germany]] and the [[Battle of Camp Hill]].

A practice preferred by some Wikipedia editors when copying material from public domain or compatibly-licensed sources is to paste the content in one edit and indicate in the edit summary of the source of the material. If following this practice, immediately follow up with proper attribution in the article so that the new material cannot be mistaken for your own wording.

To provide proper attribution when copying ''verbatim'' from a public domain or compatibly-licensed source, you can either:
* Put the whole text of the source (if small enough) in quotation marks or blockquotes, followed by an inline citation; or
* For sections or whole articles, add an section-wide or article-wide [[:Category:Attribution templates|attribution template]]; if the text taken does not form the entire article, specifically mention the section requiring attribution; or
* In a way unambiguously indicating exactly what has been copied verbatim, provide an [[Wikipedia:Citing sources#Inline citations|inline citation]] and/or add your own note in the reference section of the article.

For an example of the last, see the references section in [[Planetary nomenclature#References|planetary nomenclature]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Planetary_nomenclature&oldid=280488225#References], which uses a large amount of text from the [http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/  Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature].

This practice has some advantages—for example, further changes such as modernizing language and correcting errors can be done in separate edits after the original insertion of text, allowing later editors the ability to make a clear comparison between the original source text and the current version in the article.

== Tools ==
There are several tools available to help identify plagiarism on Wikipedia:
* [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copypatrol CopyPatrol] - lists pages with suspected plagiarism for manual review
* [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios Earwig's Copyvio Detector] - check any article for plagiarism
* [[User:CorenSearchBot]] - automatically patrols newly created pages for plagiarism and tags them

== See also ==
* {{tlx|Uw-plagiarism}} — user talk page warning/request on plagiarism: "... Please make sure that any public domain content you have already imported is fully attributed.
* [[Wikipedia:Quotations]] (essay)
* [[Wikipedia:Close paraphrasing]] (essay)
* [[Wikipedia:Copy-paste]] (summary of policies and practices)
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2009-04-13/Dispatches]] – Article on plagiarism in ''The Signpost''

== Notes ==
<references responsive="0" />

== Further reading ==
<!--Documentation format is [[The MLA Style Manual|MLA style]].-->
; Articles, books, and journals
*Lipson, Charles. ''[https://books.google.com/books?isbn=022609880X  Doing Honest Work in College: How to Prepare Citations, Avoid Plagiarism, and Achieve Real Academic Success]''. 2nd Ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. {{ISBN|022609880X}}.
*Eisner, Caroline, and Vicinus, Martha (eds). ''Originality, Imitation, and Plagiarism: Teaching Writing in the Digital Age''.  Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008.
*Jaschick, Scott. [http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/07/plagiarism "Winning Hearts and Minds in War on Plagiarism"]. ''Inside Higher Ed'', 7 April 2008.
*Lesko, John P. (ed.). ''[http://www.plagiary.org/ Plagiary: Cross-Disciplinary Journal in Plagiarism, Fabrication, and Falsification]''. Scholarly Publishing Office, 2009.

; Digital academic resources
*[[Cornell University]].  [http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/logistics6.cfm "Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism"].  College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell University, ©2005.  [[World Wide Web|Web]].  12 Mar. 2009.
*[[Duke University]] Libraries.  [http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/ "Citing Sources: Documentation Guidelines for Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism"].  Duke University  Libraries, (last modified) 2 June 2008.  [[World Wide Web|Web]].  12 Mar. 2009.  (Provides hyperlinked "Citation Guides" pertaining to the most commonly used citation guidelines, including [[parenthetical referencing]]; includes: [[APA style|APA]], [[The Chicago Manual of Style|Chicago]], [[Council of Science Editors|CSE]], [[The MLA Style Manual|MLA]], and [[A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations|Turabian]] style guidelines; such [[style guide]]s define plagiarism and how to avoid it.)
*[[Harvard College]] Library.  [http://hcl.harvard.edu/research/guides/ "Research Guides"].  [[Harvard University Library]], (last reviewed) 9 March 2009. [[World Wide Web|Web]].  12 Mar. 2009.  (Compiled by the Staff of Harvard College Library.)
*[[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana University at Bloomington]]. [http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml "Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It"]. Writing Tutorial Services, Campus Writing Program, Indiana University, (last updated) 27 Apr. 2004.  [[World Wide Web|Web]].  12 Mar. 2009.
*[[University of New South Wales]]. [http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/plag.html "Avoiding Plagiarism"].  The Learning Centre, Academic Skills Resources, University of New South Wales, (last updated) 24 Oct. 2008. 12 Mar. 2009.  (Includes: "What Is Plagiarism?"; "Common Forms of Plagiarism";  and "Plagiarism & the Internet".)

;External links
* ''[http://www.famousplagiarists.com/ FamousPlagiarists.com]'' –  Website published by John P. Lesko, associate professor of English at [[Saginaw Valley State University]]; editor of ''[[Plagiary (journal)|Plagiary]]'' (see "Further reading").  (Hyperlinked resources, including: a "glossary of terms" relating to plagiarism; a bibliography of "Books and Other Resources"; and profiles of "Famous Plagiarists".  "Copyright 2004-2006 Famous Plagiarists.com / War On Plagiarism.org. Some Rights Reserved").
* ''[http://www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/ The Plagiarism Checker]'' – Facility for detecting student plagiarism at ''dustball.com''.  ("EDUC478: This educational software was designed as a project for the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland at College Park]] Department of Education." © Copyright 2002 by Brian Klug.) However, please note, this tool routinely fails to identify material taken from recent published sources whose texts do not appear online. For instance, the Charles Lipson quote appearing in footnote, above, is not detected as being derived verbatim from that source.
* ''[http://www.plagiarism.org/ Plagiarism.org]'' – By [[Turnitin]] (cited by Eisner and Vicinus [below]).
* [http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/03/writing "Read a Q&A with the editors on Inside Higher Education"] – Interview with Caroline Eisner and Martha Vicinus, editors of ''Originality, Imitation, and Plagiarism'', conducted on April 3, 2008.
*{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/08/jonah_lehrer_plagiarism_in_wired_com_an_investigation_into_plagiarism_quotes_and_factual_inaccuracies_.2.html
|first= Charles |last=Seife
|title=Jonah Lehrer’s Journalistic Misdeeds at Wired.com
|publisher= Slate Magazine
|date=August 31, 2012}}

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