Q. What is plagiarism?

The National University Writing Center describes it as:

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else's ideas or words as your own. A form of academic dishonesty, it carries potentially severe penalties, ranging from failing the assignment, failing the course, to expulsion from the university. You are responsible for the writing you submit at the university; you are accountable for representing the work of others fairly and accurately. Taking the words or ideas of someone and presenting them as your own constitutes theft, whether you meant to plagiarize or not.

Learn more about plagiarism on the NU Academic Integrity Guide.