## 5.2 How do I prevent plagiarism?

Van Dale dictionary defines plagiarism as follows: “Copying someone else's work and passing it off as their own”

If you copy something from someone else's work without mentioning the source, you create the impression that it is your own creation. By including a source reference, you make it clear where information comes from, what is yours and what is someone else’s. It does not matter whether the material is printed or digital, is a text or an image, software or video. If the maker has made creative choices, and the work has its own original character, it is automatically copyrighted.
When do you have to specify a source?
Plagiarism by students happens unconsciously in most cases but can have unpleasant consequences. For example, the rejection of your thesis. You can prevent plagiarism by mentioning the source when you:

- Copy a quote from someone
- Use Ideas, opinions, or theories of someone
- Use information, such as statistics or graphs, that contains data collected by someone else
- Use Information such as drawings, photographs, or sound fragments

When do you not need to specify a source?

- When it is a fact or common knowledge. "Napoleon Bonaparte died on Saint Helena", is not original and therefore not protected by copyright. That is why mentioning the source is not necessary here.
- It is an idea that only exists in someone's head. Something must be 'perceptible to the senses' to be protected by copyright.
- You create something inspired by someone else's style. A style is not protected. You may paint in the style of Vincent van Gogh or make music inspired by Lady Gaga. However, it must be your own creation, copying or imitating something without permission is not allowed.