Everyone knows that cutting a paragraph from a web document and pasting it into a paper without citing is plagiarism, or buying a paper from a term paper web site is plagiarism. But, examples of the more subtle forms of plagiarism are provided for illustration. (Note: The citation portion of each example is not based on any style manual.)
Exact Words:
Original
The exact words of someone else without quotation marks around those words. This form of plagiarism can include copying exact wording without quotation marks even if a student provides documentation in the “Works Cited” section.
Plagiarism
A person is guilty of plagiarism when he uses the exact words of someone else without quotation marks around those words. This form of plagiarism can include copying exact wording without quotation marks even if a student provides documentation in the “Works Cited” section. (Calvin College English Department, Policy on Plagiarism)
Why
Even though the writer cited the source, the exact words of the original author were not identifed with quotation marks.
Acceptable
A person is guilty of plagiarism when she uses “the exact words of someone else without quotation marks around those words. This form of plagiarism can include copying exact wording without quotation marks even if a student provides documentation in the “Works Cited” section.” (Calvin College English Department, Policy on Plagiarism)
Better
According to the plagiarism policy created by the Calvin College English department, a person is guilty of plagiarism when he uses “the exact words of someone else without quotation marks around those words. This form of plagiarism can include copying exact wording without quotation marks even if a student provides documentation in the “Works Cited” section.” (English department’s Plagiarism policy)
Why
Identifying the source of the quoted section aids the reader in determining the importance and weight of the quoted portion.
Paraphrasing:
Original
A paraphrase of someone else’s words without documentation. This form of plagiarism includes reordering or replacing someone else’s words while keeping the main idea or the central information.
Plagiarism
When you paraphrase another person’s words without citing the source, even if you reorder or replace words, you are guilty of plagiarism if you keep the main idea or central information.
Plagiarism
When you paraphrase another person’s words without citing the source, even if this includes reordering or replacing someone else’s words while keeping the main idea, you are guilty of plagiarism.
Why
The author is using a combination of paraphrasing and using exact phrases. Even short phrases must be enclosed in quotation marks.
Acceptable
When you paraphrase another person’s words without citing the source, even if you reorder or replace words, you are guilty of plagiarism if you use the main idea. (English Department’s Plagiarism policy, p. 2)
Why
Nothing remains of the original wording, yet the source of paraphrase is identified.
Note
“When paraphrasing, you must rewrite the original language, change the original sentence structure, and cite the source according to the expectations of the discipline.” (Hamilton College. “Using Sources” 24 August 2004. From Hamilton College Plagiarism
Summarizing (Written):
Original
A professor spends years, often dozens of years, getting to know a subject. She discovers there is always one more level of detail that eludes her and that the knowledge-base she has created represents only an approximation of reality. However, the expert researcher has accumulated a formidable storehouse of knowledge. She knows who the important authors are, what books or articles are considered foundational, and knows who the current experts are. She has spent countless hours pursuing elusive facts, has gone back to the beginning numerous times to establish a fresh trail, knows which library tools will yield the best results, and understands the pitfalls and obstacles associated with her particular intellectual pursuit. And to make the expert model even more intimidating, a portion of what she knows was discovered by accident!
Plagiarism
Even though expert researchers may spend many years researching a topic, the knowledge they acquire may only loosely represent reality. Nonetheless, they do gather up a large body of knowledge. They know who the experts are, they know what tools to use, and they understand what the pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Ironically, often expert researchers discover new knowledge by accident.
Why
The author is saying nothing that the original author didn't already say. The ideas expressed by the original author are simply restated.
Acceptable
In describing the characteristics of an expert researcher, Glenn Remelts, Calvin College library director, points out that even though these researchers may spend many years researching a topic, the knowledge they acquire may only loosely represent reality. Nonetheless, they do gather up a large body of knowledge. They know who the experts are, they know what tools to use, and they understand what the pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Ironically, often expert researchers discover new knowledge by accident. From Being Fluent and Faithful in a Digital World Chapter Four
Why
When completely rewriting someone else's ideas, assign ownership within the body of the rewritten section. This action clearly acknowledges the fact that you are borrowing from someone else.
Summarizing (Visual):
Original
Plagiarism
It's hard to determine why the number of births to unmarried mothers under the age of 15 has decreased from 11,000 in 1990 to 7,000 in 2001. Some people attribute this to birth control education in schools.
Why
The author clearly took his information from the chart without citing where the data came from.
Acceptable
It's hard to determine why the number of births to unmarried mothers under the age of 15 has decreased from 11,000 in 1990 to 7,000 in 2001. Some people attribute this to birth control education in schools. (Statistical Abstract of the United States, Table 92: Births to Unmarried Women by Race of Child and Age of Mother)
Better
Based on statistics gathered by the United State Census Bureau, the number of births to unmarried mothers under the age of 15 has decreased from 11,000 in 1990 to 7,000 in 2001. It's hard to determine if if this is due to birth control education in schools or some other factor. (Statistical Abstract of the United States, Table 92: Births to Unmarried Women by Race of Child and Age of Mother)
Why
The source of the data is provided to the reader in the body rather than buried in the footnote.
Anonymous Publications:
Original
In general, age-adjusted prevalence was greatest among white males and lowest among Hispanic females. In 2002, the age-adjusted prevalence of any self-reported cardiovascular disease condition was 39.9% for white males, 31.5% for white females, 27.7% for black males, 32.3% for black females, 29.8% for Hispanic males, and 21% for Hispanic females. From The Center Of Disease Control
Plagiarism
In general, age-adjusted prevalence was greatest among white males and lowest among Hispanic females. In 2002, the age-adjusted prevalence of any self-reported cardiovascular disease condition was 39.9% for white males, 31.5% for white females, 27.7% for black males, 32.3% for black females, 29.8% for Hispanic males, and 21% for Hispanic females.
Why
Even though there is no clearly identifiable author, lifting a passage without citing the source is still considered plagiarism.
Acceptable
Based on a report published on the Center for Disease Control website, "age-adjusted prevalence was greatest among white males and lowest among Hispanic females. In 2002, the age-adjusted prevalence of any self-reported cardiovascular disease condition was 39.9% for white males, 31.5% for white females, 27.7% for black males, 32.3% for black females, 29.8% for Hispanic males, and 21% for Hispanic females." From The Center Of Disease Control
Why
The author stated where the information comes from, places the information within quotation marks, and cited the source.
Non-Copyrighted Material:
Original
No example supplied
Plagiarism
Many people confuse copyright with plagiarism. They mistakenly think that if a book or article is out of copyright, in the public domain, that they don't have to acknowledge the source. Even if you use material from a book published in 1873, clearly in the public domain, the same rules governing plagiarism apply.
Plagiarism Examples 
