Research Ethics – Open Learning

Misconduct - Plagiarism

Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity

Responsible Conduct of Research 2023

Authorship, publishing and dissemination

Definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism, or unacknowledged borrowing, refers to using others’ work or research ideas without permission or reference. This also violates the original authors’ rights to their scientific work. Plagiarism includes direct copying as well as adapted copying. 

Plagiarism includes presenting or using another person’s text or part of it, research plan, manuscript, article, result, material, idea, observations or programme code, translation, diagram, image or other visual materials as one’s own without appropriate reference.

Disregard related to demonstrating the relevance of scientific work or one’s own scholarly achievements:

• Self-plagiarism, i.e. publishing the same results multiple times ostensibly as new and novel results
  

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This learning materials explores plagiarism (misconduct) and self-plagiarism (disregard). The considerations include:

1. Definition of plagiarism
2. Risks of self-plagiarism
3. Ways to avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism

The lecture discusses 'misappropriation' as a separate category of misconduct. However, in the newest RCR guideline this category is included in the definition of plagiarism following the international categorisation.

Lecture - Plagiarism

Transcript

Handout

D1.1. Case Study - Role of the Editor

D1.2. Case Study - Self-Plagiarism?

D1.3. Case Study - Plagiarism and Peer-Review

D1.Optional Reflective activity - Plagiarism 

Resources:

• iThenticate: paper on Self-Plagiarism
  
• iThenticate: types of plagiarism and attribution
  
• How to paraphrase: tips and guidelines
  
• Izet Masic (2012) - Plagiarism in Scientific Publishing 
  

Plagiarism detection software 

• Feedback Studio (cost per paper submitted)
  
• PaperRater (free)