Unintentional Plagiarism — Is It Possible?
Have you ever been pulled over for speeding on the highway? If so, you know that you can handle that situation in one of two ways: first, you can bow your head humbly, admit your mistake, and accept your ticket from the officer; or, second, you can try to talk your way out of it. If you choose the second option, however, you should also know that one particular excuse will not work. You cannot claim that you “didn’t know the speed limit.” If you try that particular line, you are definitely going to receive a ticket.
If you’re caught speeding, you can claim that you’re on the way to the hospital. You can claim that your accelerator got stuck. You can even claim that you’re trying to make it to class on time to take a critical exam. But you cannot claim ignorance of the speed limit. After all, claiming that you didn’t know you were speeding is a lot like claiming that you didn’t know you were plagiarizing. As a licensed driver and as a serious writer, you are expected to know both the speed limit and the rules of documenting sources.
So why, then, do you sometimes hear students and teachers talk about “unintended plagiarism?” Is it possible to steal another’s words or ideas without intending to do so? Probably. Does it happen at the college level? Most likely. But should the excuse, “I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong,” be an acceptable…
