10/05/06Date this page was updated

Plagiarism is described in a recent article in Science (26:631) as "the theft of ideas." Another recent discussion on misconduct in science gives a fuller description (Schachman, H. K. 1993, Science 261:148-149). Whereas plagiarism is described in the [National Academy of Sciences] report as "using the ideas or words of another person without giving appropriate credit," Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary defines "plagiarize" as follows: "to steal and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or works of another); to present as one’s own an idea or product derived from an existing source." Because of the increasing focus on "intellectual property" in recent years, plagiarism is best defined as "misappropriation of intellectual property." Defined in this way, plagiarism not only encompasses those cases in which sentences or phrases are used without attribution but also includes unauthorized use of ideas, data, and interpretation obtained during the course of the grant review process or the review of scientific papers being considered for publication (Schachman, op.cit.). A student found to have committed plagiarism will receive a grade of 0 on a homework, F for the course and the case will be turned over to the university administration for possible dismissal from the university.