Thinking Activity: Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

This blog is part of thinking activity by Prakruti Bhatt on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity.

The task helps students clearly understand what counts as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and unethical collaboration. Many students plagiarize unintentionally; this assignment prevents that by making expectations explicit.

Introduction

Academic research and writing depend on ethical practices such as proper citation, responsible collaboration, and respect for intellectual labor. The MLA Handbook clearly emphasizes that plagiarism is not limited to copying words verbatim; it also includes the unacknowledged use of ideas, structures, and arguments. The following situations illustrate common misunderstandings about paraphrasing, collaboration, and self-reuse of work. Each case is examined in light of MLA principles to clarify what constitutes ethical academic practice.

1. Paraphrasing without Citation

In the first scenario, the student rewrites a scholarly paragraph by changing sentence structure and vocabulary but retains the same ideas and sequence of argument, without providing a citation. Under MLA guidelines, this practice still constitutes plagiarism. Paraphrasing does not mean replacing words alone; it involves re-expressing ideas in one’s own analytical framework. Even when wording is changed, the ideas, structure, and intellectual ownership still belong to the original author.

Does paraphrasing require citation?

Yes, paraphrasing always requires citation. MLA clearly states that whenever ideas, interpretations, or arguments are derived from another source, proper acknowledgment is mandatory—even if no direct quotation is used.

What should be done and why?

In this situation, the student should add an in-text citation and include the source in the Works Cited list. This maintains academic honesty, respects intellectual property, and allows readers to trace the original argument.

2. Shared Structure and Argument Between Classmates

In the second scenario, two classmates study together, exchange notes, and discuss their essays. Their final submissions are not identical in wording but share the same structure, examples, and argumentative progression.

This situation exists in a gray area between collaboration and plagiarism. While discussion and idea exchange are often permitted, producing essays with identical argumentative frameworks suggests over-collaboration.

Is this plagiarism or collaboration?

It depends on the instructor’s guidelines. However, if the structure and examples are substantially similar, this may be treated as unauthorized collaboration, which many institutions consider a form of academic misconduct.

How should boundaries and credit operate?

Students should collaborate only at the idea-generation or discussion stage, not at the level of outline, structure, or examples. Each student must independently develop their argument and organization. If collaboration is substantial and permitted, it should be acknowledged where appropriate.

3. Reusing One’s Own Previous Work (Self-Plagiarism)

In the third scenario, a student reuses two pages from a paper submitted in a previous course without citing themselves.

Does MLA treat this as plagiarism?

Yes. MLA recognizes this as self-plagiarism, which occurs when a writer submits previously assessed work as new without disclosure.

What is this type of plagiarism called?

This practice is known as self-plagiarism or text recycling.

What would be an ethical approach?

• An ethical approach would involve:
• Informing the instructor
• Properly citing the earlier work
• Substantially revising or reframing the reused material to suit the new research context

Academic work is evaluated based on originality within a given context, and transparency is essential.

Conclusion

Across all three cases, the central principle emphasized by the MLA Handbook is intellectual honesty. Citation is not merely a technical requirement but an ethical practice that respects authorship, clarifies responsibility, and sustains academic credibility. Whether paraphrasing, collaborating, or reusing one’s own work, clarity, acknowledgment, and transparency are essential to ethical research writing.