Plagiarism?!
So, where’s the plagiarism in our quotation above? Let me help you out by showing you this passage from a 2003 Greenpeace article:
Another concern is that EU member states will not be obliged to act against the contamination of conventional or organic agriculture with GMOs. They “may”, rather than “shall” take action to prevent neighbouring farms from being contaminated.
And now, to remind you, our extract:
However, the new GMO rules aren’t perfect. EU member states will not be obliged to act against the contamination of conventional or organic agriculture with GMOs. They’re given the option of intervening, but they don’t have to act.
Question
Which sentence from our quotation is NOT plagiarized?
- “However, the new GMO rules aren’t perfect.”
- Correct!
- “EU member states will not be obliged to act against the contamination of conventional organic agriculture with GMOs.”
- “They’re given the option of intervening, but they don’t have to act.”
Explanation: Remember, plagiarism is not just stealing words, but also ideas!
Final Thoughts
All of this could have been avoided if we’d just created a citation. If you need more help citing your sources to stay out of trouble, check out the UIUC library’s guide on the topic. And for more great information on plagiarism, check out Best Online College’s “Ultimate Plagiarism & Textbook Piracy Guide.”