Accidental plagiarism happens when a student makes mistakes in giving credit to outside resources. The student has made an effort to cite outside sources, but has done it incorrectly. This type of plagiarism happens all the time, and many people don't realize that it is a type of plagiarism. This is one reason why it is important to take time with your citations and make sure that you understand how to cite outside sources correctly in your paper.
Some examples of accidental plagiarism include:
Even though mistakes like these can carry a lesser penalty, USC Upstate still considers incorrect citations a form of plagiarism. Students can face consequences for repeated offenses of this kind. The integrity you practice in college will help prepare you for the standards that are expected in the workplace, so it is important to take care with your schoolwork and cite outside sources correctly.
Luckily, the Upstate Library has many different resources to help you avoid accidental plagiarism including our citation guides (MLA 9, MLA 8, APA 7, and Chicago/Turabian). You can also check with the Writing Center on campus if you have questions about accidental plagiarism.
Check out the video on your screen of John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, talking about how he accidentally plagiarized (and profited from) a teenage fan! Captions are available by clicking the CC button in the video.