- Explain what academic dishonesty means
- Describe and give examples of plagiarism
- Describe proactive strategies to avoid plagiarism
- Explain best practices for using and citing copyrighted and openly licensed materials
What Can Go Wrong: A Real-World Example
In 2016, Melania Trump gave a speech at the Republican National Convention. Parts of it were strikingly similar to a speech Michelle Obama had delivered eight years earlier. 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 view the transcript for “Melania Trump and Michelle Obama side-by-side comparison” here (opens in new window).
The similarities were hard to ignore and led to widespread accusations of plagiarism. So, how did it happen? According to analysis by journalists and experts, it wasn’t likely deliberate theft. Instead, it was probably the result of poor note-keeping, losing track of sources, and carelessness during speech writing.
How Plagiarism Happens
Many people imagine plagiarism as someone intentionally stealing another person’s words. While that can happen, unintentional plagiarism is much more common, especially when:
- Research notes get disorganized.
- Writers forget where an idea originally came from.
- A draft gets rushed without tracking sources carefully.
Even famous figures like Jane Goodall have faced accusations of plagiarism, citing chaotic note-taking as the cause. Carelessness—not malice—is often to blame. But in academic settings, intent doesn’t matter. Even accidental plagiarism can lead to serious consequences, including:
- Failing an assignment or course
- Academic discipline
- Damage to your reputation as a student
How to Protect Yourself
Good habits are your best defense against plagiarism. Some strategies to keep your research organized include:
- Bookmarking useful sources right away.
- Using research tools like Zotero, Evernote, or citation generators.
- Keeping notes with clear attributions — every idea you write down should be immediately labeled where it came from.
- Building your citations as you write, not waiting until the end.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t walk around without clothes on—your notes shouldn’t walk around without citations either. Protecting yourself through consistent citation practices takes time, but it’s far easier than facing plagiarism accusations later.