Copyright Infringement vs. Plagiarism
Copyright infringement and plagiarism are two different things.
Copyright infringement happens when you use someone else's work in a way that violated that rights by copying it or sharing it without their permission. Copyright infringement is breaking the law.
Examples:
- Downloading 4 chapters from a eBook to share with others.
- Showing a movie on campus after class and charging admission.
Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words or work as your own. Plagiarism can result in Academic Misconduct and affect your progress in College.
Examples:
- Copying and pasting a whole paragraph found online into an assignment
- Handing in someone else's work as your own
- Quoting someone else's words without citing the source.
The following diagram and chart shows what actions fall into each category so that you can avoid them and prevent any disciplinary action!
Accidental or unintentional plagiarism is still plagiarism.

This image, "Plagiarism vs Copyright" by MLauba, was adapted by Sheridan College Libraries and is used under licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0,