Common Knowledge: Information that is widely known, easily verified, not readily attributable to a single originator or source and therefore does not need to be cited; however, what may be common knowledge in one culture, nation, academic discipline, or peer group may NOT be common knowledge in another.
Plagiarism: Is knowingly or unknowingly taking another person’s words, language, thoughts, ideas and/or expressions and presenting them as your own original work.
Attribution: Giving credit for writing, art, formula, or other ideas to the originator. (Example: Citing the original author of an idea used in research.)
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Types of Plagiarism
Direct Plagiarism (a.k.a. Copy & Paste) – to copy word for word text from original source material and use it without attribution.
Mosaic Plagiarism (a.k.a. Scaffolding or Rogeting) – to use phrases and ideas from a source without quotation or attribution often by finding synonyms for the author’s original language while keeping the same format and/or structure found in the original work.
Self Plagiarism – to use one’s own previous work from another class or situation without citing that you used it before.