Proper citation of sources is critical to avoid plagiarism, since plagiarism can be identified in various ways and may have legal consequences.

Proper citation

After carefully examining a source to confirm that it is reliable and that we want to use it, then we must ensure that we cite it properly. Proper citation that is conscientious and follows all the applicable rules ensures that plagiarism is avoided. However, avoiding plagiarism is not the only goal. Proper citations also play a role in:

• Supporting your own arguments
• Separating your own ideas from the thoughts of others
• Demonstrating your knowledge of the relevant literature and your familiarity with the field/topic
• Honoring the contributions of other authors
• Informing readers of the information sources, so they can check the sources themselves and dig deeper if necessary¹

Since exchange between researchers is a fundamental component of science , proper citation of sources is part of it in order to do justice to the value of the information.² However, what proper citation means may vary considerably depending on the context (depending on discipline, institution or publication body, etc.). This is why it always makes sense to make thorough inquiries into the applicable rules for the field or type of task. If no particular guidelines exist, then you can use one of the common citation styles and adapt it as needed.³

The sources used are usually listed clearly at the end of a paper. It is important to distinguish between a Works Cited list and a bibliography. A Works Cited list should only include the sources that were directly quoted or paraphrased in the paper. A bibliography, on the other hand, provides information on which literature was used and/or can be used to gain a general or deeper understanding of the topic.

The University of Basel library offers topical courses and advice on the relevant aspects of academic papers, including information, data and media literacy in general, as well as the proper use of citation software.

Suspicion and recognition of plagiarism

Whether an instance of plagiarism was intentional or unintentional, there are various ways to identify it. One common means is software such as Turnitin, which is used at many institutions. However, certain characteristics in an academic paper can spark suspicions of plagiarism even without the use of technological tools. These include the sudden, abrupt appearance of excellent formulations, the use of very specific foreign words, unexpected changes to text style or formatting, and/or lack of care with respect to orthography and grammar, or typos in proper names.⁴ These can lead to suspicions that “deliberately or through gross negligence, third-party work results and findings are presented as one’s own work (plagiarism)” and that “the intellectual property of others is infringed or their research activity affected in some other way”.⁵

At the University of Basel, students and staff have access via a campus license to the Turnitin software.⁶ The program has now been integrated into the ADAM learning platform, thus providing everything that is needed for the broad-based use of Turnitin in teaching. Students can also run an analysis of their own paper with the software. The library provides support and leads workshops on how to use the program. The courses on information, data, and media literacy also cover this topic.

Consequences of plagiarism

If plagiarism is ultimately proven, in some cases the consequences are regulated by federal law and can be punished by fines.⁷ Cases of plagiarism that have been discovered and proven have very often resulted in administrative consequences, such as exmatriculation. For the University of Basel, disciplinary measures are outlined in the “Regulation relating to academic integrity at the University of Basel”8 and in the current student regulations.9 Individual institute and department regulations also apply.

Many cases of plagiarism occur as a result of lack of knowledge rather than due to intentional misconduct. We have therefore found it very effective to expand students’ knowledge about the topic of plagiarism and good scholarly practice, and to establish a general culture of academic integrity. The focus is more on preventing problematic situations than on punishing students.¹⁰

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Literatur

¹ Cf. Eitel, Cornelia: Lecture Citation, Paraphrase or Plagiarism, University of Basel Library, November 2019.

² Cf. Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL)(2015): Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework (02.12.2021).

³ An overview of citation methods can be found at https://www.scribbr.de/richtig-zitieren/uebersicht-zitierstile/ (02.12.2021) or a guide from the University of St. Gallen: Anleitungen zum Zitieren. Ein wichtiger Eckpfeiler des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens ist das korrekte Zitieren. Retrieved from: https://www.unisg.ch/de/universitaet/bibliothek/recherche/anleitungenzumzitieren (02.12.2021).

⁴ Cf. Weber-Wulff, Debora und Wohnsdorf, Gabriele (2006): Strategien der Plagiatsbekämpfung. In: Information – Wissenschaft und Praxis, 57 (2), pp. 90-98. Retrieved from: https://agrar.uni-hohenheim.de/fileadmin/einrichtungen/agrar/Studium/Plagiate/strategien_plagiate.pdf (02.12.2021).

⁵ Cf. Reglement über wissenschaftliches Fehlverhalten (Research Integrity Reglement, RI-Reglement), Swiss National Science Foundation, 12 July 2016, Art. 2. Retrieved from: http://www.snf.ch/SiteCollectionDocuments/ueb_org_fehlverh_gesuchstellende_d.pdf (02.12.2021).

⁶ The website www.turnitin.com contains a description of the plagiarism prevention program’s functionality as well as valuable tips and materials for proper handling of information sources.

⁷ Cf. Art. 68 Unterlassung der Quellenangabe im Urheberrechtsgesetz, URG, 9 October 1992 (version from 1 April 2020). Retrieved from: https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1993/1798_1798_1798/de (02.12.2021).

⁸ See Regulation relating to academic integrity at the University of Basel (Integrity Regulation) from 3. May 2018, University of Basel. Retrieved from: https://www.unibas.ch/de/Forschung/Forschen-in-Basel/Werte-Grundsaetze.html (02.12.2021).

⁹ See especially § 11 Disciplinary measures, Student Regulations of the University of Basel from 13 November 2019, University of Basel. Retrieved from: https://www.unibas.ch/dam/jcr:0e9a0318-b926-40f4-a349-b12d1b4f5ec9/441_800_07.pdf (02.12.2021).

¹⁰ Vgl. dazu Kaufmann, Danielle (2010). Lecture Plagiarismus, UB Basel. Retrieved from: https://lawlibraries.ch/docs/tagung2010/plagiarismus.pdf (02.12.2021).