UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Plagiarism involves using another person’s intellectual work without giving proper credit. It can occur through copying text, ideas, figures or data and presenting them as original. In academic research, plagiarism is considered a serious ethical violation. Therefore, the dishonest practice described in the stem is correctly called plagiarism.

Option A:
Option A, plagiarism, directly names the act of presenting borrowed ideas or words without citation. It can be intentional or due to carelessness but is always unacceptable in scholarly work. Because the stem describes exactly this behaviour, this option is correct.

Option B:
Fabrication refers to making up data or results that were never actually obtained. It is a different form of research misconduct and does not focus on misappropriating others’ work. Hence, fabrication does not fit the description.

Option C:
Falsification involves manipulating research materials, processes or data so that the findings are misrepresented. It alters what actually happened rather than failing to acknowledge someone else’s ideas. So it is not the right term here.

Option D:
Debriefing is the process of explaining the true nature of the study to participants after their involvement, especially when some deception was used. It is an ethical safeguard, not a type of misconduct. Therefore, it cannot complete the stem.

Plagiarism involves using another person’s words, ideas, data or creative work without giving appropriate credit, thereby misrepresenting it as one’s own contribution. It violates academic integrity and can lead to serious consequences such as loss of credibility, retraction of publications or disciplinary action. Proper citation and quotation practices are essential to avoid plagiarism. Thus, the unethical practice described in the stem is correctly called plagiarism.

Option A:
Authorship refers to legitimate credit given to individuals who substantially contributed to a work and implies responsibility, not misappropriation. It is a positive recognition rather than an unethical act.

Option B:
Paraphrasing means restating ideas in one’s own words, which can be acceptable if accompanied by proper citation. Without credit, paraphrasing may become plagiarism, but the term itself does not inherently imply misconduct.

Option C:
Plagiarism undermines trust in research by obscuring the origin of ideas and preventing readers from tracing original sources. It also unfairly denies recognition to the true authors, which is why codes of ethics strongly condemn it. These characteristics correspond exactly to the stem, so this option is correct.

Option D:
Replication is the legitimate repetition of a study by other researchers to verify findings and is considered a healthy scientific practice, not an ethical violation.