The term “plagiarism” is familiar to everyone, and many believe they understand its definition. A straightforward definition of plagiarism is: it refers to the act of claiming someone else's work as if it were your own. While some students copy work due to laziness, others do so because they are unaware of how to properly credit others' words or ideas. While in school, you composed essays on broad subjects "from memory," drawing from your general knowledge. If tasked with writing for a project or portfolio, you likely took text straight from books or copied and pasted content you discovered online.

At university, plagiarism is regarded as a highly important issue. Reproducing someone else's words or thoughts in your own writing without acknowledging that these were taken or borrowed, and without specifying the source from which they were obtained. At UiTM, consequences for plagiarism can include mark reductions, failing a course, or being suspended from classes.

This guide provides detailed instructions on incorporating words and concepts from reference materials into your academic writing while avoiding plagiarism.