 what is plagiarism? plagiarism is essentially using someone else's work as your own without giving them proper credit. at usu plagiarism also means getting or paying someone else to write your paper. plagiarism can happen intentionally or unintentionally and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. that's why you can never count on ignorance if you get caught plagiarizing. your instructors can often spot plagiarism. some immediate clues are a sudden change in voice or writing style in your assignment, the absence of citations to accompany facts or ideas, a paper that sounds a lot like a paper another student turned in, a paper that doesn't quite match the assignment, a paper that doesn't quite sound like your previous work, or a paper that's identified in the turn it in software within canvas as a paper containing plagiarized passages. whether intentional or unintentional plagiarism at usu can result in a failing grade in the course or even expulsion from the school. but the good news is that avoiding plagiarism and turning in your own work while correctly citing other people's work can be easy if you stick to the rules. if you have questions about avoiding plagiarism ask your instructor or a librarian.