In the strictest contexts, plagiarism is classified as a crime, whether of a moral, civil or commercial nature. At Uni Bremen (the environment that really interests us) plagiarism is classified as \u201cacademic malpractice\u201d and is defined as \u201cthe use of another person\u2019s words or ideas (in any kind of printed or online material) without appropriate acknowledgment\u201d (https:\/\/www.uni-bremen.de\/fileadmin\/user_upload\/fachbereiche\/fb10\/fb10\/pdf\/Verwaltung\/Information_on_Plagiarism_translated.pdf<\/a>).<\/p>\n The following is stated under \u00a718 (2) in the general information sections of the BA\/MA examinations regulations of the University of Bremen (since December 2021): \u201cAny unacknowledged use of someone else\u2019s work, i.e. incorrect or missing information on authorship, is seen as an attempt to deceive if the passages taken from previously published work are not identified as citations.\u201d<\/p>\n Direct translations without acknowledgment of authorship classify as plagiarism too.<\/p>\n What are the consequences in Uni Bremen for plagiarism cases?<\/strong><\/p>\n The consequences at Uni Bremen are not as severe as those at other prestigious universities around the world. However, they exist. These can range from failing a test to expulsion, in the most severe cases. The first thing a professor should do in case of suspicion or detection is to talk to the student (at least here the benefit of the doubt is given; in other universities, the expulsion is immediate when the evidence is unappealable, even if the reason is negligence and not malicious intent). If the incident escalates, the responsible Examination Board must be notified. This will be followed by an interview with the expert counselors of the Academic Advisory Office and, perhaps, the opportunity to retake the exam.<\/p>\n Serious or repeated cases are referred to the university legal department, under \u00a742 (4) of Bremen\u2019s Higher Education Act and \u00a711 (3) of the Application Regulation of the University of Bremen.<\/p>\n What can we do to avoid plagiarism?<\/strong><\/p>\n The first thing I recommend, when in doubt, is to review the Indiana University Tests and Tutorials, which I have always found very useful: https:\/\/plagiarism.iu.edu\/index.html. There you will find a decision table, step-by-step guides, examples of the 15 types of plagiarism (word-for-word and paraphrasing plagiarism), and documents with correct citations. Our article on the 4 phases of creativity is also interesting to spark writing inspiration: https:\/\/blogs.uni-bremen.de\/eule\/2021\/11\/12\/die-4-phasen-der-kreativitaet\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n Plagiarism decision table (IU, 2022).<\/p><\/div>\n Plagiarism test figure (IU, 2022).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition, there are many plagiarism detection apps. The most common is Turnitin<\/strong>. Grammarly<\/strong> also has the tool. Uni Bremen has an agreement (which includes Data Protection) with the PlagScan<\/strong> software. It is important to discuss with the professor if the work can be passed through this software beforehand. Sometimes tools detect when it has already been passed more than once and this can generate alerts.<\/p>\n While the above can be cumbersome, we should do the extra work to foster that culture. I wish we didn\u2019t have to distrust authorship, wish there was no need to ask: is this really yours? But since that ideal world does not exist, it is realistic to think about ways to prevent it, exact definitions and regulations, and possible consequences or sanctions to curb plagiarism. Ultimately, we all benefit from more rigorous academic ethics.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.uni-bremen.de\/eule\/files\/plagiat-table-300x229.jpg\")
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