What is Self-Plagiarism?
Every college student understands that you can’t plagiarize and plagiarism is prohibited. What many students don’t realize, however, is that self-plagiarism can also lead to disciplinary actions. Self-plagiarism refers to the reuse of work previously submitted in a prior class. Yes, there is such a thing as cheating off of yourself.
Why is Self-Plagiarism a Problem?
Students facing academic integrity proceedings are often confused about academic policies surrounding self-plagiarism. What students must understand about self-plagiarism is that self-plagiarism misleads the reader to believe that the work in question is original. If a student wants to reuse text or data from a prior academic assignment, the student should reveal that the work being submitted has been previously submitted elsewhere.
The Consequences of Self-Plagiarism
Penalties for self-plagiarism are often the same as those imposed for plagiarism. Schools can impose sanctions ranging from a zero on an assignment to failure of the class or even suspension and expulsion. When a student with a prior history of academic integrity violations is found responsible for self-plagiarism, the penalties are more severe.
The Role of AI in Detecting Self-Plagiarism
Given the prevalence of plagiarism detection software and artificial intelligence, coupled with student access to abundant online resources, a rapidly increasing number of students are facing academic integrity proceedings. Professors are using AI to scan and compare large swaths of texts to identify patterns and similarities in papers and assignments. However, plagiarism detection software and AI do not always tell the complete story of how a student completed an assignment. Over the years, we have successfully defended countless students who have faced a variety of cheating allegations.
Why You Need an Experienced Advisor
A student facing an allegation of self-plagiarism, or any other academic violations should hire an experienced advisor to ensure that the student’s rights are being protected. A fair process is essential. We have experience with self-plagiarism defense and have successfully navigated many students through these academic integrity cases.
