Which statement best differentiates plagiarism from proper attribution?

• A. Plagiarism involves quoting with attribution; proper attribution omits citations.
• B. Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as your own; proper attribution credits the source through quotation marks, attribution, paraphrase with source credit, and linking.
• C. Plagiarism is allowed if you pay a fee; proper attribution is optional.
• D. Plagiarism applies only to images; attribution applies only to video.

Answer: (D)

Differentiating plagiarism from proper attribution hinges on recognizing that plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as your own, while proper attribution credits the source whenever you quote, paraphrase, or reference that person’s ideas. The best statement captures the full practice of giving credit: you quote with quotation marks to show exact wording, include attribution to identify the source, paraphrase with a clear source credit, and link to the original material when possible. This combination protects accuracy and allows others to verify sources.

The other statements misrepresent the practice. Quoting with attribution is not plagiarism, but rather proper attribution, and proper attribution does not omit citations. Payment does not make plagiarism permissible, and attribution applies to more than just video. Plagiarism can involve text, images, code, and other materials, not just images or a single medium.