The Oxford English Dictionary defines plagiarism as: "The action or practice of plagiarizing; the wrongful appropriation or purloining, and publication as one's own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas (literary, artistic, musical, mechanical, etc.) of another."
Plagiarism is the use of another's words and ideas without giving proper credit.
Most cases of plagiarism by college students is unintentional and due to mistakes or misunderstandings. For a fuller explanation of plagiarism and best practices on how to avoid it, visit the Purdue University's Online Writing Lab website Avoiding Plagiarism
Common knowledge refers to information that is widely known, generally accepted as true, and not attributed to a specific source. It often includes facts like historical events, basic scientific principles, or universally recognized truths. For example:
The Earth orbits the Sun.
Water freezes at 0°C (32°F).
George Washington was the first President of the United States.
Using common knowledge doesn't require citations because it is public information.
Recognize Common Knowledge: Ask yourself if the fact is widely known by people in your field or the general public. If yes, it’s probably common knowledge.
Phrase It in Your Own Words: Even if it's common knowledge, try to express the information using your unique wording or perspective. For example:
Original: "The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west."
Rephrased: "The Sun appears to rise in the eastern sky and set in the western horizon."
Avoid Verbatim Copying: If you're tempted to lift sentences directly from sources—even for common knowledge—it’s safer to paraphrase them to maintain originality.
When in Doubt, Cite It: If you're unsure whether something is common knowledge or specific to a particular author, it's better to provide a citation. For example, scientific findings or theories often require attribution.
The Grammarly Authorship Report helps verify originality by analyzing writing patterns and comparing them to your past work. Here's how you can generate one:
Log in to Your Grammarly Account: Visit Grammarly’s website or use the desktop app and log in with your account credentials.
Upload or Open the Document: Import your text or open the document you wish to analyze within the Grammarly editor.
Access the Authorship Report Option:
Navigate to the report or insights area (specific steps may vary based on your version of Grammarly).
Look for the Authorship Report or an analysis feature related to originality.
Review the Report: Grammarly compares the writing style to previous works and highlights patterns to confirm authorship. It may also provide insights about tone, word choice, and syntax.
