Statement on Plagiarism in Translation

Please read the following statement carefully, to make sure you understand what constitutes plagiarism in a translation assignment. You may find it difficult to distinguish between your own translation and that of other translators. Plagiarism is often the result of ignorance rather than of an intent to cheat; once you know what the rules are, you are much less likely to break them by mistake.

There are multiple resources that you may use in preparing your translation, such as dictionaries (online or in books), online translation tools (e.g. Google Translate, Babelfish), translation software (e.g. Trados), community-source assistance (e.g. listservs, online forums, discussion groups), and existing translations (online or in print). While you are encouraged to use these helpful tools where relevant, it is important to acknowledge the sources you have used, and to recognize that they cannot replace your own work.

If you are confused or uncertain about how to acknowledge your sources, please consult first with the faculty member who gave you the assignment. For further questions or concerns, you can also make an appointment with the Translation Advisor.

If there is reason to believe that a passage in a translation assignment has been adopted verbatim from another source, you may be asked to complete a new translation of the same passage in your own words, or to translate another paragraph from the same text in the presence of an instructor.

If a translation assignment has been completely or substantially adopted from another source, you will receive a failing grade on your assignment and the instructor will follow LSA procedures for academic misconduct. For more information about plagiarism, consult the following links:

LSA Policies on Academic Integrity and Misconduct

UM Library Resources for Understanding Academic Integrity

Sweetland Center for Writing: Beyond Plagiarism

Please understand that, in the intellectual community of the University, plagiarism is a form of theft. If you are ever unsure if any part of your work might be plagiarism, there is a simple rule of thumb: if in doubt, acknowledge your sources!