What you’ll learn to do: evaluate concerns about plagiarism and how to demonstrate academic integrity

Figure 1. Melania Trump

Parts of Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention in July 2016 were strikingly similar to Michelle Obama’s speech from eight years ago. How does this happen? Plagiarism at this level is typically the result of sloppiness, not outright theft, but it’s still just as egregious a result no matter the underlying cause. If you don’t want this to happen to you, then you need to be aware of plagiarism and how to avoid it.

In 2008, here’s what Michelle Obama said, in part (most of the highlights in these passages, which show the similar parts, are from a Wall Street Journal article about the plagiarism).

Like my family, they scrimped and saved so that he could have opportunities they never had themselves. And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them. And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children—and all children in this nation—to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.

And here’s the similar passage from Melania Trump’s speech:

From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily lives. That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son. And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.

You can watch a video of the similar snippets from their speeches here.

How Plagiarism Happens

Plagiarism is often unintentional. According to author Josh Bernoff, Melania Trump’s 2016 speech likely resulted from poor source tracking rather than deliberate theft. Her speechwriters gathered ideas, researched past speeches, and compiled notes—the result of that research was a bunch of fragments from all over the place. One of those fragments was the piece of Michelle Obama’s speech. As the fragments coalesced into a speech, that one got included, because the writers lost track of its provenance, or Melania Trump did.

Carelessness, not malice, is usually the cause. Even primatologist Jane Goodall blamed “chaotic note-taking” for plagiarism in her book Seeds of Hope. While public figures may face little fallout, students risk serious consequences.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

Do you track your research with bookmarks, Evernote, Zotero, or index cards? No matter your method, you should have a consistent and clear method to keep track of your sources. You wouldn’t walk around without clothes on; notes shouldn’t get around unless they’re clothed in source attributions. And you should make those attributions habitually and consistently, using the same format every time.

Though tedious, careful citation is far better than facing plagiarism accusations. In this section, we’ll define plagiarism, explore ways to avoid it, and discuss best practices for academic integrity.