Purpose – Libraries and scholars face more frequent problems with and decisions about plagiarism than in the past. This article aims to look at complex cases where plagiarism may have occurred.
Design/methodology/approach – The method is anthropological and looks at specific cases, in which the situations are real but the actors have been fictionalised to protect identities.
Findings – Plagiarism tools, while invaluable for discovering potential problems, can also expose cases where judgments depend on complex circumstances.
Originality/value – The goal is to show areas where ambiguity in plagiarism cases exists. |