IRM1501
IRM1501
IRM1501
First Semester: PORTFOLIO
QUESTION 1
Discuss plagiarism and make examples where necessary.
[10 marks]
The Oxford English Dictionary defines plagiarism as, “the action or practice of plagiarising; the
wrongful appropriations or purloining, and publication as one’s own, of the ideas, or the
1
, expression of the ideas of another,” as well as the “fraud that occurs when a researcher steals
the ideas or writings of another or uses them without citing the source.”1For example:
• When a musician releases a song that contains the same words, beat or is the exact
same song of another musician but claims it to be his own without acknowledging
where the words, beat or song originated or who it was originally sung by. This is
plagiarism because the artist is taking credit for a song that is not completely his
creation.
• Where an author publishes a book or piece of writing and uses the story of another
writer, stating it as their own work. If the writer copies another and changes a few
details like the main characters’ names it is still plagiarism because he did not write
the story himself but copied the work of another writer and made minor alterations
to try to make it appear different but the overall piece of work is the exact same as
the original writer’s work. Or where the writer uses another’s work verbatim and
doesn’t cite the original author to indicate where the work came from.
• If a television show is made that is almost exactly the same as another, for instance
where the plot, characters, character’s appearance, the dialogue, set, scenery or
music is so similar to the other television show that it may be considered copying.
• Where someone steals the idea of another. For instance, if someone voices their idea
of making a new flavour of ice-cream but takes no immediate action to bring their idea
into fruition and finds out that someone overheard them and has made a plan to make
the said ice-cream flavour and say it is his own creation. It is plagiarism because the
idea for this new ice-cream flavour was stolen from another person and of which they
now receive remuneration for.
• Lastly, where someone steals the design of another. Someone could show their friend
a design idea for a movie poster only to have their friend steal the design, reproduce
it and it could become the official movie poster. It is plagiarism because the design
was stolen and presented as the friend’s design.
1
Study Guide for IRM 1501 Introduction to Research Methodology for Law and Criminal Justice page
44.
2
IRM1501
IRM1501
First Semester: PORTFOLIO
QUESTION 1
Discuss plagiarism and make examples where necessary.
[10 marks]
The Oxford English Dictionary defines plagiarism as, “the action or practice of plagiarising; the
wrongful appropriations or purloining, and publication as one’s own, of the ideas, or the
1
, expression of the ideas of another,” as well as the “fraud that occurs when a researcher steals
the ideas or writings of another or uses them without citing the source.”1For example:
• When a musician releases a song that contains the same words, beat or is the exact
same song of another musician but claims it to be his own without acknowledging
where the words, beat or song originated or who it was originally sung by. This is
plagiarism because the artist is taking credit for a song that is not completely his
creation.
• Where an author publishes a book or piece of writing and uses the story of another
writer, stating it as their own work. If the writer copies another and changes a few
details like the main characters’ names it is still plagiarism because he did not write
the story himself but copied the work of another writer and made minor alterations
to try to make it appear different but the overall piece of work is the exact same as
the original writer’s work. Or where the writer uses another’s work verbatim and
doesn’t cite the original author to indicate where the work came from.
• If a television show is made that is almost exactly the same as another, for instance
where the plot, characters, character’s appearance, the dialogue, set, scenery or
music is so similar to the other television show that it may be considered copying.
• Where someone steals the idea of another. For instance, if someone voices their idea
of making a new flavour of ice-cream but takes no immediate action to bring their idea
into fruition and finds out that someone overheard them and has made a plan to make
the said ice-cream flavour and say it is his own creation. It is plagiarism because the
idea for this new ice-cream flavour was stolen from another person and of which they
now receive remuneration for.
• Lastly, where someone steals the design of another. Someone could show their friend
a design idea for a movie poster only to have their friend steal the design, reproduce
it and it could become the official movie poster. It is plagiarism because the design
was stolen and presented as the friend’s design.
1
Study Guide for IRM 1501 Introduction to Research Methodology for Law and Criminal Justice page
44.
2
