Autoplágio

Autoplágio, also known as self-plagiarism, refers to the act of using one's own previous work without proper attribution or citation. This can occur in academic, professional, or creative contexts. While not as legally fraught as plagiarizing another's work, it can still have serious academic and professional consequences.

In academia, self-plagiarism is generally considered a breach of scholarly integrity. Journals and academic institutions often have policies against it, as it can lead to the publication of duplicated research or the misrepresentation of original contribution. For example, submitting a previously published paper as new work to a different journal, or reusing significant portions of a thesis in a later publication without acknowledgment, could be considered self-plagiarism. The core issue is presenting existing material as if it were newly created.

The ethical implications of self-plagiarism center on transparency and honesty. Even though the author is reusing their own ideas or text, failing to disclose this reuse can mislead readers, reviewers, and academic committees about the originality and scope of the work. Universities and publishers typically expect authors to clearly indicate when material has been previously published or presented.

Consequences for self-plagiarism can range from a retraction of the published work, a failing grade on an assignment, to damage to one's academic or professional reputation. While the legal ramifications are less severe than with plagiarizing others, the impact on credibility can be substantial. It is therefore advisable for creators to always cite their own prior work when incorporating it into new contexts.