Plagiarism
What Is Mosaic Plagiarism?
Learn about mosaic plagiarism, also known as patchwriting, and why it’s such a difficult type of plagiarism to detect.
There are several types of plagiarism. Mosaic plagiarism is a complex form of plagiarism, which is more subtle than just copying and pasting (typically associated with direct plagiarism).
Learn about mosaic plagiarism and tips for avoiding it in this comprehensive guide.
Then, use the Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker to review content for potential instances of plagiarism and publish with confidence.
According to the University Libraries of North Texas, mosaic plagiarism is also known as patchwriting.
Patchwriting happens when various ideas and concepts are borrowed, including phrasing and writing style, from one or more publications, without acknowledging the source or the author.
Here’s a quick example to illustrate a hypothetical scenario where mosaic plagiarism occurs.
A person is writing a detailed article on the effects of climate change at the Arctic Circle, particularly in terms of how it affects arctic animals that live on and around the ice.
In a hurry to get the article ready for publication, they come across a scientific report full of great information. To avoid making it look like they copied from the original author, they use some of the other author’s material, swap around a few words and rearrange different sections, mixing in a few of their own sentences.
They decide that the work is different enough to be considered their own — and choose not to cite the original author.
This is an example of mosaic plagiarism because the person presents another’s ideas and writing as their own original work and further they fail to properly cite and reference them.
Learn about the role of citation and referencing in avoiding plagiarism.
Review some common indicators that may be signs of mosaic plagiarism.
Then, for a more comprehensive analysis of plagiarism, try the industry-leading Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker.
By swapping out different words or entire sentences, a writer can use paraphrasing to attempt to avoid having their work detected as direct (copy-and-paste) plagiarism.
Santa Clara University, notes that mosaic plagiarism frequently incorporates paraphrasing. In particular, the guide describes mosaic plagiarism as, adding a few new and ‘original lines’ mixed in with a couple of sentences that are paraphrased.
Get insight into paraphrasing plagiarism detection at Originality.ai in our comparative Grammarly and Copyscape reviews.
The University of Toronto, emphasizes that a key aspect of mosaic plagiarism is that credit, sources, or citations are not provided to reference the original author.
Remember that if you take concepts and ideas from another source, failing to cite the original author of the idea is still plagiarism.
Learn about citation checkers and how they can help to review work for proper citation practices.
Beyond just partial paraphrasing, content used in mosaic plagiarism is often altered just enough to change the wording and style.
This may appear as a handful of synonyms here and a passage there, to make it look like an original thought, even though, with enough investigation, it really isn’t.
When it comes to mosaic plagiarism, words and phrases from different authors, including ideas, concepts, and explanations, are often blended together and pulled from various sources.
Patchwriting or mosaic plagiarism isn’t always done with the aim of plagiarizing.
In fact, the University of North Texas notes that incorrect paraphrasing practices are often at fault for mosaic plagiarism, “This type of plagiarism is frequently called patchwriting and it most frequently occurs when students fail to paraphrase correctly.”
Sometimes it’s entirely unintentional and accidental particularly if the writer doesn’t have a good grasp of how to properly paraphrase, or how to cite the author of the original work.
Taking steps to avoid mosaic plagiarism is a sign that you’re focused on publishing with integrity.
To help avoid potential patchwriting, follow these best practices:
Even if you’re writing about something scientific or complex, you can still state the concept in your own words.
This shows not only that you understand the material, but that you’re able to add your own unique inspiration or style to it.
Remember, every writer has their own style of writing. Show yours!
If ever in doubt, cite the author. It’s an overall good practice to follow, that will help you avoid unintentional or accidental plagiarism.
Citation-checking tools can help you organize and prepare your citations so that you don’t inadvertently miss any.
It’s a great idea to run a finished work through a plagiarism detector, such as Originality.ai. This will help you avoid any potential plagiarism, by highlighting text similarities, so you make sure to review where quotations and citations are required.
That way you can properly credit authors while making sure that the work is uniquely and authentically your own.
Plagiarism detectors like the Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker can spot this complex form of plagiarism.
Then, complement your use of a plagiarism-checking tool in the publishing process by taking concrete steps to cite your work correctly and phrase things in your own words using your own ideas.
Being able to understand the small yet important differences between paraphrasing and plagiarizing is one important step you can take to make sure that everything you write is published with integrity.
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