How is plagiarism defined in research?

Plagiarism is fundamentally defined as the act of using someone else’s ideas, words, or intellectual property without giving appropriate credit. This means that if a researcher takes thoughts or phrasing from another source, whether it be published work, presentations, or any other form of creative output, and presents those as their own without proper attribution, it constitutes plagiarism.

Using someone else's specific ideas or direct quotes without proper citation infringes upon the intellectual rights of the original author. It undermines the integrity of the research process and can lead to serious consequences in the academic and professional world, including loss of credibility, disciplinary action, and even legal repercussions.

While improper citation, excessive quoting, and paraphrasing without acknowledgment are related issues, they reflect different aspects of scholarly writing and can lead to plagiarism, but they do not encapsulate the full definition of plagiarism itself as comprehensively as failing to give credit for someone else’s ideas or expressions.