Is this considered plagiarism?

[SquigglyQ]

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If I copy a paragraph from the final report I submitted to my dean report at the end of the semester (for a P/F grade) describing what I did in the lab into the activities section on AMCAS, is this plagiarism? I ask because I know you can't use an essay you wrote in a previous class and submit it for a grade in another class, but I don't know where this ends. (I'm burned out now and trying to use a minor shortcut.)

 

[LizzyM]

If you wrote the final report, I would say that re-using it in the AMCAS is not plagiarism.

 

[aldol16]

There is such a thing as self-plagiarism, but how would you get caught doing this? Seems like a low risk thing.

 

[cactusman]

There is such a thing as self-plagiarism, but how would you get caught doing this? Seems like a low risk thing.

Honor Codes often define use of the same writing for multiple assignments without permission as plagiarism even though it doesn't fit the widely-used definition. But yeah, this is a non-issue.

 

[SquigglyQ]

Thank you all! The paranoia seems to have kicked in. Thankfully, I'm submitting this week. Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[longhaul3]

Your AMCAS application is not an assignment that you are submitting for a grade to earn academic credit. For these purposes, if you wrote it, it's yours.

 

[aldol16]

Honor Codes often define use of the same writing for multiple assignments without permission as plagiarism even though it doesn't fit the widely-used definition. But yeah, this is a non-issue.

My point is that it does fit the widely-used definition - at least the definition most widely used in academia. Self plagiarism is a huge no-no. For example, you can't submit papers to multiple journals for publication. A lot of conferences also make you sign a statement saying that you have not submitted any or part of the abstract/poster anywhere else.

 

[cactusman]

My point is that it does fit the widely-used definition - at least the definition most widely used in academia. Self plagiarism is a huge no-no. For example, you can't submit papers to multiple journals for publication. A lot of conferences also make you sign a statement saying that you have not submitted any or part of the abstract/poster anywhere else.

Absolutely, but the Oxford #1 definition specifically mentions that the work is plagiarized from another person.

 

[aldol16]

Absolutely, but the Oxford #1 definition specifically mentions that the work is plagiarized from another person.

That's why academics have come up with the term "self-plagiarism." It's just a common misconception that you can't plagiarize from yourself and the dictionary definition is feeding into that misconception.

 

[LizzyM]

My point is that it does fit the widely-used definition - at least the definition most widely used in academia. Self plagiarism is a huge no-no. For example, you can't submit papers to multiple journals for publication. A lot of conferences also make you sign a statement saying that you have not submitted any or part of the abstract/poster anywhere else.

A journal doesn't want to publish what has already appeared in print and asks you to attest that this is new material that has not previously been published. The same does not apply to your AMCAS application. Put this to bed.

 

[aldol16]

A journal doesn't want to publish what has already appeared in print and asks you to attest that this is new material that has not previously been published. The same does not apply to your AMCAS application. Put this to bed.

I never said it applies to AMCAS. I said self-plagiarism is a thing but is low risk in this circumstance. The concept is what us academics adhere to but AMCAS could care less. Someone else wanted to get into the meaning of plagiarism.

 

[cactusman]

I never said it applies to AMCAS. I said self-plagiarism is a thing but is low risk in this circumstance. The concept is what us academics adhere to but AMCAS could care less. Someone else wanted to get into the meaning of plagiarism.

Oh, I misread your original post as "there is no such thing as self-plagiarism," and really couldn't figure out what your argument was. My mistake!