At some point in time, you might have used plagiarism and copyright infringement interchangeably. It is unsurprising since they both relate to the unfair use of someone else’s work. However, they are more distinct than you think and apply in different contexts. Keep reading to understand the differences better; it might help you next time someone steals your work.
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism refers to using a person’s work, idea, or research and passing them off as yours. It is very prevalent in academia. We all had to turn in an essay the next day, and Google came in handy. It would be plagiarism if you copied an academic paper verbatim and submitted it as yours. The plagiarism rule applies to published and unpublished works in print or electronic form. Hence, lifting ideas straight from journals, lecture notes, and students’ past essays would be plagiarism. But it will not count as plagiarism if you take ideas from someone’s work, and properly credit them or cite the reference.
What is Copyright Infringement?
Copyright infringement is the illegal encroachment of someone’s exclusive right to use, publish and reproduce a work or product they have created. Unlike the materials highlighted under plagiarism, copyright works are registered as the owner’s property under the law. Examples of copyrighted works include movie scripts, novels, academic textbooks, and music. To put this into perspective, movies downloaded through torrents are gotten by infringing on the copyright of the film studio. The copyright holder can, however, cede their exclusive rights and grant permission to others to use these works through an agreement or outright sale. Only then can you use copyrighted work legitimately.
Differences between Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
The definitions of these terms already give away some of the differences. Plagiarism is the unpermitted use of someone’s work and passing it off as one’s own, while copyright infringement entails stealing someone’s intellectual property for personal or commercial use. Other differences include:
- Plagiarism is a breach of ethics, while copyright infringement is a legal issue. This means that the obligation not to plagiarise is a professional courtesy to the owner of the work and a conscientious one. On the other hand, copyright infringement is a breach of a legal right protected by the relevant copyright laws.
- Copyright infringement is a crime and is punishable by law. Depending on the severity of the copyright theft, the culprit can pay huge fines or even, in some cases, go to jail for up to five years. On the flip side, there are also punishments for plagiarism, but they are usually within academia. They include retraction of the plagiarised work, mark deduction by the professor, and, in extreme cases, expulsion from the institution.
- Copyright infringement is an extensive offense that covers the theft of music, art, movie scripts, books, codes, and computer software. Whereas plagiarism usually applies to just printed and electronic written works.
- You can only use copyrighted works with the owner’s permission through a licensing agreement. The owner can also sell the rights to a bona fide buyer. However, written works not covered by copyright can be used without express permission as long as the author is properly credited or the source is cited.
Ways of Preventing Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
- When using a quote from a previously written work, ensure you encapsulate it in quotation marks, signaling that it is not yours.
- Cite authors and sources in your work, either in the footnotes or endnotes, and the reference list.
- Do not regurgitate ideas from someone else’s written work. It is normal to get inspiration from past works, but the concept should only aid in forming your independent thought.
- Reach out to the owner of the copyrighted work and request permission to use the work.