Source-Based Plagiarism

Abstract

Source-based plagiarism is an increasing problem in academia, since it can jeopardize the legitimacy and originality of scholarly work. Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of another person's intellectual property, such as ideas, data, or text, without due citation or attribution. This behaviour is deemed unethical and can have major implications, including the loss of academic reputation and employment opportunities. The issue of source- based plagiarism has been extensively researched in the literature, with numerous experts researching its prevalence, causes, and consequences. According to a study performed by (Devasena and Balaji, 2020), source-based plagiarism is a common practice that affects students, researchers, and even seasoned academics (Devasena & Balaji, 2020). The authors ascribe this to a lack of understanding about correct citation and citing procedures, as well as the pressure to generate original and new research. In the literature, many types of source-based plagiarism have been recognized, including verbatim copying, paraphrasing, and mosaic plagiarism (Shirazi et al., 2020). Verbatim copying entails repeating another person's work word- for-word, whereas paraphrase involves rephrasing someone else's thoughts in one's own words. Mosaic plagiarism, on the other hand, entails merging ideas and language from various sources without due acknowledgment. According to Davis and Carroll (2009), source-based plagiarism is defined as "the act of presenting the ideas or work of another as one's own, without giving appropriate credit" (Davis, M., & Carroll, J., 2009). To address the issue of source-based plagiarism, numerous tactics and technologies have been offered, such as plagiarism detection software, academic integrity training, and explicit citation and reference requirements (Karimzadeh and Karimzadeh, 2018). However, the effectiveness of these treatments is still being debated, with some academics challenging their impact on the underlying reasons of plagiarism (Rahimi and Yadollahi, 2021).