Writers often claim that because they are the authors, they can reuse their work, either in full or in excerpts, over and over again. How can re-publishing one’s work be defined as plagiarism if the author has only used his or her own words and ideas? Reusing your work without acknowledgment and proper citation is considered self-plagiarism. It can range from re-submitting an entire assignment to reusing passages or data from something you’ve turned in previously without citing them.
What is self-plagiarism?
Self-plagiarism is defined as a form of plagiarism in which a writer uses their work in its entirety or reuses portions of a previously written text while authoring new work. Writers often assume that because they are authors, they can use their work as they wish while thinking that they can’t plagiarize their work as the words are originally theirs.
So, when is a paper you submit considered self-plagiarized? When a student submits a whole paper or a substantial portion of a paper to fulfill a course requirement, even though that same paper had been submitted to satisfy the requirements for another course taught by a different professor. Many college undergraduates and even some graduate students are not aware that this type of practice is a serious offense and constitutes plagiarism.
Examples of self-plagiarism
- Group assignments
During your studies at the university, you’ll often be asked to work on group projects. Even if you contributed the most to a group assignment, you cannot reuse the same piece of paper without properly citing the authors. You must indicate your classmates’ names as well as your name.
- A previous essay
After, researching a topic that you are assigned in your academic work, you may be tempted to reuse previous ideas in the new assignment. You have the right to do so but it will not be considered unintentional plagiarism, as long as you indicate the source.
- Paraphrasing
If you decide not to use quotation marks and italics to cite a passage from an assignment you’ve previously written. You prefer to paraphrase, by restating the idea in other words. In this particular case as well, you must indicate the source so as not to be accused of plagiarism
- Personal writing
You wrote a post for your blog but it isn’t part of an essay, paper, or academic research-based work. You decide to use it to support your topic on an assignment. Beyond granting points based on whether you’ve cited your sources correctly, teachers will appreciate your enthusiasm for writing.
How to avoid self-plagiarism
Self-plagiarism is considered unethical because it misrepresents the originality of your work and deprives readers of the full context of your research. It can also lead to inflated publication records and distort the scholarly record. To avoid self-plagiarism:
- Do Original Research
There is nothing wrong with writing about topics you have worked on previously. However, writing again on similar topics may lead researchers to self-plagiarism. Often, writers rely on old research when writing on topics similar to their previous work. They reuse old information and intentionally or unintentionally repeat what they have written formerly. Even if you are well-versed on the subject, consider researching again as doing research from scratch can help writers discover new insights and information. You may access information you didn’t have access to before. Likewise, it ensures that you don’t recycle old ideas and thoughts due to familiarity.
- Cite Your Previous Work
If you must use previously published research, ensure that you cite properly. Just as with standard plagiarism, reusing content after acknowledging the author of the published work is not considered unethical. While doing so, ensure you mention the date of your cited work alongside your paper to make verification easier.
- Reframe Your Ideas
Sometimes you may be necessitated to research a previous topic but for a different audience. In such a scenario, you could reframe the previously written passages and modify them to suit the new audience. Doing so allows you to reuse text without self-plagiarizing your content. You can also consult the notes from your previous research to reframe ideas effectively and at the same time, consider adding pieces of information you have gathered from your new research and add them to your current body of work.
- Talk to your instructor
Consulting your instructor before using your previous work in an academic setting is vital. Your instructor can help you find a new direction for your ideas if you want to revisit a previous academic paper by expanding on your existing work and growing academically.
5. Get permission from the copyright holder
If your work has been published already for example, in a journal or on a website, then the publisher will need to permit you to reuse ideas from that piece. Otherwise, you may inadvertently infringe on the copyright, which could put you and your new publisher in a bind.
By following these practices, you can maintain academic integrity and avoid the pitfalls of self-plagiarism.
How do educational institutions detect self-plagiarism?
Educational institutions can detect self-plagiarism in several ways;
- By using plagiarism detection software: Many institutions use plagiarism detection tools, like Turnitin that can compare the work submitted by students against the institution’s database of previously submitted papers. This allows the software to identify if a student is reusing their work without proper citation and acknowledgment.
- Using institution’s internal databases: Institutions often maintain their internal databases of student assignments and papers. These databases allow them to check if a student is resubmitting work they have turned in before without properly citing.
- Checking cross-institutional databases: Some institutions have access to databases shared between multiple educational organizations. This expands the pool of previously submitted work that can be checked for self-plagiarism.
- Educator’s familiarity with student work: Professors who are familiar with a student’s writing style and past assignments are often able to distinguish if a student is reusing their work, even without the aid of software
Although automated plagiarism detection tools help detect cheating and plagiarizing in academic work, the responsibility of ensuring academic integrity is upheld ultimately lies with students, as well as, instructors. Institutions must foster a culture of integrity and guide students on properly citing their previous work.
The issue of self-plagiarism is becoming more and more prevalent, and some fields, particularly in STM organizations, such as biomedicine, have seen a rising trend in self-plagiarism.
