Of course, many people think that plagiarism only applies to written texts; that's incorrect. I've also noticed that even graduate students have a hard time with the concept of paraphrasing (using your own words to express another person's ideas without using the other person's words), which also requires attributing the original sources used; it's the ideas you're crediting, not the actual words chosen to express them.
- What plagiarism applies to: any printed, visual or audio source: online (including chatrooms, e-mails, Facebook, etc.); print (even menus); microfiche; digital; audio, video; etc.
- When it's black: taking a source word for word without quotations and attribution, paraphrasing without attribution, or outright stealing (e.g. using a movie clip and presenting it as your own work).
- When it's grey: informal situations (when to cite, how to cite). In these instances, I think at least acknowledging the source is important, which can be done by: including a link, identifying the writer or source, or at least acknowledging that someone else came up with the idea you're sharing, etc.
- When it's muddy: multiple sources with the same kind of information (common knowledge). However, if you're focused on a particular aspect of something, good scholarship requires that you acknowledge past contributors to your topic; this lets you point out what has been said (whether or not it supports your position), and how your contribution adds, extends or contradicts prior analyses. Another term for this is contribution to the field.
