🎯 Session Objectives

• Understand what constitutes plagiarism in academic research.
• Recognize the consequences of plagiarism—ethical, reputational, legal.
• Learn how to avoid plagiarism and uphold integrity.
• Understand how plagiarism prevention enhances global competitiveness.
• Discover tools for plagiarism detection and proper citation.

🌐 Introduction

With globalization, research outputs are highly visible and measurable. Institutions are now ranked by the quality and impact of their research, making integrity essential.

However, pressures to “publish or perish” often lead to cutting corners—compromising research quality through misconduct like plagiarism.

🔍 What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words, ideas, data, or work without proper acknowledgment. It may be:

• Verbatim: Copying text without quotes or citation
• Paraphrasing without credit: Altering sentence structure without citing the source
• Self-plagiarism: Reusing one’s work without disclosure
• Idea theft: Claiming others’ concepts as one’s own

🧬 Why Research Integrity Matters

• Academics: Career longevity and credibility
• Institutions: Reputation, funding, and rankings
• Society: Trust, innovation, and public impact

⚖️ Consequences of Plagiarism

🧭 Ethical:

It’s a breach of academic trust, undermining truth and integrity.

📉 Reputational:

Individuals risk job loss and institutions face reduced rankings and credibility.

⚖️ Legal:

Violates copyright law—penalties include fines, lawsuits, and grant retractions.

🌍 Global Competitiveness & Wigwe University

Top global universities enforce strict anti-plagiarism measures. Wigwe University aligns with global standards to:

• Attract partnerships and grants
• Promote originality in African research
• Lead in ethical research output

🤖 The AI Plagiarism Challenge

AI tools like ChatGPT pose risks due to undetectable paraphrasing. Solutions include:

• Using AI detectors (Turnitin AI, Copyleaks)
• Requiring disclosure of AI tool usage

📏 Acceptable Plagiarism Thresholds

• Under 10%: Ideal
• 10–15%: Flagged for review
• Over 20%: Risk of rejection

Context matters—citations, quotes, and references are often excluded from similarity scores.

🧰 Tools & Strategies

• Keep track of sources
• Paraphrase properly
• Use quotes and cite all sources
• Use plagiarism checkers: Turnitin, Copyleaks, Quetext

🎓 Conclusion

Academic integrity is the foundation of credible research. By preventing plagiarism and embracing ethical practices, we ensure that Wigwe University—and African scholarship—stand out on the global stage.