Plagiarism is the wrongful appropriation of someone else’s ideas and is not an infringement on copyright per se, so it is not “illegal.” Rather, it is a matter of academic dishonesty or academic integrity.
| Plagiarism | Copyright |
|---|---|
|
Plagiarism relates to providing attribution to original source materials. |
Copyright relates to obtaining permission to use protected works. |
| Plagiarism is often governed by honor codes and standards of academic integrity. | Copyright is governed by federal law. |
| Plagiarism disputes are often resolved through proceedings conducted internally by schools, publishers, etc. | Copyright disputes are often resolved in federal courts. |
Plagiarism and copyright intersect when
1) You use copyrighted content without permission;
AND
2) try to pass it off as your own.
Law and Ethics of Copying: Copyright Infringement vs. Plagiarism - The Authors Alliance