Plagiarism

Problems throughout the nation's law schools prompted the Legal Writing Institute to appoint a committee to investigate plagiarism policies and, if necessary, to create and disseminate a suggested policy. The committee contacted all ABA schools, and more than 120 schools submitted their policies, with comments and anonymous case histories.

The committee discovered:

  • many schools mention plagiarism only in a general Honor Code
  • plagiarism definitions are inconsistent and even contradictory from school to school, and
  • plagiarism penalties are inconsistent and contradictory from school to school.

Thus, the committee created a policy brochure that schools can modify to suit their faculty and student needs.

Plagiarism Brochure Download Here

Please note:  This brochure is in the process of being updated.

A thorough discussion of the committee's findings and recommendations can be found in Terri LeClercq's Failure to Teach: Due Process and Law School Plagiarism, 49 J. Leg. Educ. 236 (1999).

Additional Resources Can Be Found below

General Information

  1. Plagiarism and the Web. General information on plagiarism including educational strategies and resources for deterring plagiarism. 
  2. Plagiarism in Colleges in the USA. Discusses plagiarism from a legal perspective. 
  3. University of Maryland School of Law. Great examples.
  4. University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Good advice on avoiding plagiarism to share with students.
  5. Virtual Salt: Anti-Plagiarism Strategies for Research Papers. Comprehensive article on plagiarism.
  6. Georgetown University Law Center. Very specific Q + A format regarding plagiarism. 
  7. George Washington University. Very specific Q + A format regarding plagiarism.