What is Plagiarism?

Instructors expect you to do your own work, acknowledge sources and avoid plagiarism. This information sheet explains what plagiarism is and what you can do to prevent it. The goal is for you to be successful in your studies.
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At the College of New Caledonia, “academic integrity and honesty, as well as personal accountability and responsibility, are expected and valued." (CNC Academic Conduct Policy). Your success as a student is based on this. Instructors expect you to do your own work, acknowledge sources and avoid plagiarism. This information sheet explains what plagiarism is and what you can do to prevent it. The goal is for you to be successful in your studies.

What is plagiarism? 

The College Academic Conduct policy defines it as follows:

“Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work, words or ideas as if they were one’s own."

Plagiarism may be deliberate or accidental, and occurs when:

  • an idea, phrase, sentence or longer passage is submitted as one’s own work;
  • one hands in someone else’s partial or entire paper, whether bought, stolen or acquired on the Internet, as one’s own;
  • ideas are summarized or paraphrased without acknowledgment in text citations, footnotes/endnotes or by other accepted academic practices;
  • sources of thought and writing obtained are not referenced