According to The New Oxford American English Dictionary 1, the word "Plagiarism" originates from the Latin word for kidnapper and refers to the "practice of taking else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own." Obviously, cutting and pasting from internet documents, or buying a paper from an online "paper mill" are examples of plagiarism. However, so is improperly citing ones sources. We've put together this collection of resources to help you avoid plagiarism.
1 "plagiarism n." The New Oxford American Dictionary, second edition. Ed. Erin McKean. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Vanderbilt University. 18 May 2009.