Chalo Chatu:Plagiarism
Plagiarism is taking credit for another person's words, ideas, or expressions as your own without proper acknowledgement. The University of Cambridge defines it as: "submitting as one's own work… without due acknowledgement."
Chalo Chatu follows principles similar to major encyclopedia projects—No original research prohibits adding one’s own ideas without reliable sources, while Verifiability requires content be backed by trustworthy sources. These policies help avoid inadvertent plagiarism.
Sources must be credited using:
- INCITE, i.e., inline citations immediately after the relevant text.
- INTEXT, i.e., naming the author directly in the prose when quoting or closely paraphrasing.
Together, this maintains **integrity**, making clear what supports each statement.
Plagiarism ≠ Copyright Infringement
Plagiarism is unethical appropriation of wording or ideas; copyright infringement is a legal violation of usage rights. Proper attribution may avoid plagiarism—but doesn't necessarily avoid copyright issues.
Forms of Plagiarism
- Copying text verbatim without citation.
- Poorly placed citations (e.g. at end of an article, not after specific material).
- Paraphrasing too closely without citation.
How to Avoid It
Follow best practices:
- Write from your notes, not directly from original text.
- When paraphrasing, ensure phrasing and structure are substantially different.
- When quoting or paraphrasing, provide both in-text attribution and inline citations.
Educational Note
Chalo Chatu emphasizes community education over punishment. If plagiarism occurs, editors may:
- Ask for corrections or improved paraphrasing.
- Provide guidance on citations and paraphrasing techniques.
