What does plagiarism entail?

Plagiarism primarily involves the act of presenting someone else's work, ideas, or intellectual property as your own, without proper acknowledgment. This can include copying text, using specific phrases, or adopting the structure of someone else's argument. In academic and professional contexts, it is essential to give credit to the original creator to maintain integrity and respect for intellectual contributions. Thus, the act of representing another person's work without giving them due credit is a clear violation of ethical standards regarding authorship.

The other choices do not accurately capture the essence of plagiarism. Copying only images and diagrams does not encompass the broader scope of intellectual theft that includes text and ideas. Presenting original ideas without proper credit may seem like a form of plagiarism; however, the key aspect of plagiarism is the unacknowledged borrowing of work that is not original to the person presenting it. Summarizing content in one’s own words can be ethical if proper attribution is provided, differentiating it from plagiaristic behavior.