The Knowledge of Others (2/10)

It is required of an academic paper to draw on an existing body of knowledge on the topic and convey the author’s own thoughts and arguments that lead to well-founded results. Thus, you must research and engage with the existing sources on your topic, process these materials, and make sure that your arguments are traceable and methods are verifiable. This principle of intellectual honesty is a crucial part of academic work. Adhering to this principle is the responsibility of every student and breaching it may result in plagiarism.

Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of others as one’s own without giving proper credit to the original author(s). Plagiarism can lead to serious consequences, meaning one could not only fail an assignment but also be expelled from one’s study programme. To avoid plagiarism, you must always acknowledge the ideas and expressions of others.

The International Writing Centre of the University of Göttingen offers individual consultations and further information on citations and plagiarism. You can also refer to the webpages of your department or faculty for more details on plagiarism and good academic practices.

For more information about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, check out this material on Plagiarism: Academic Deceit and Dishonesty prepared by Simon Hicks (University of Bern) and Prof. Dr. Philipp Schweighauser (University of Basel).