Självplagiat

Självplagiat, meaning self-plagiarism in Swedish, refers to the act of reusing one's own previously published work without proper attribution. This can occur in academic, journalistic, or creative contexts. While not a direct violation of copyright law in many jurisdictions because the author already owns the copyright, it is considered unethical in academic and professional settings.

The core issue with självplagiat is deception. When an author presents old material as new, they are misleading their audience into believing it is original work. This undermines the integrity of the publication and can devalue the author's reputation. Academic institutions often have specific policies against self-plagiarism, viewing it as a form of academic dishonesty, akin to submitting work for a new assignment that was already graded for a previous one.

Common forms of självplagiat include recycling entire papers, substantial portions of text, or even key ideas without acknowledgment. This can happen inadvertently due to haste or a lack of awareness of ethical guidelines, but it can also be a deliberate attempt to increase publication output without generating new content.

Proper citation is crucial even when reusing one's own work. Authors should clearly indicate that sections of their current work are derived from previous publications, citing the original source accordingly. This practice ensures transparency and maintains academic and professional standards.