Plagiarism and proper referencing – UGC NET Question

Statement D is wrong because reusing substantial parts of one’s own published work without citation is considered self-plagiarism and violates ethical norms. Statements A, B, C and E correctly describe different aspects of plagiarism and proper referencing: unacknowledged copying, correct use of quotations, the need to cite paraphrased ideas and the function of references in helping readers locate sources. Therefore, D alone is the incorrect statement among the list.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it groups A with D as wrong, even though A accurately defines plagiarism as using others’ ideas or words without acknowledgement. Treating A as wrong undermines a basic understanding of academic misconduct.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it singles out D, the statement that conflicts with accepted publication ethics, and recognises that the other statements accurately describe how plagiarism can occur and how it can be avoided. It highlights that even reusing one’s own material requires proper citation.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it includes C with D, thereby implying that paraphrasing without citation is not problematic. In reality, C correctly identifies paraphrasing without acknowledgement as plagiarism, so including it among wrong statements is itself incorrect.

Option D:
Option D is also incorrect because it mislabels statement B, which correctly explains the role of quotation marks and citation when quoting directly. By treating B as wrong, this option disregards a standard practice for avoiding plagiarism.