Are copyright infringement and plagiarism the same thing?
No. Plagiarism means that you have not given proper credit for words or ideas taken from another person’s work. Copyright infringement means that you have violated the exclusive rights of the copyright holder to use or reproduce his/her work. Plagiarism is about giving credit for the use of another’s work; copyright is about having the right to use it in the first place. You should always include a citation when you are using elements – whether words, ideas, images, etc – of another person’s work. However, do not assume that because you have cited it that you also have permission to use it. Most limited uses of copyrighted material for academic purposes (teaching, writing, etc) are allowed by Fair Use and do not require permission. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with what does and does not constitute Fair Use.
