While it may be true, as Shawn G. Clouthier writes, that "... most scientists agree on what constitutes scientific chicanery and malfeasance,"1 such agreement probably applies to the more egregious cases. Plagiarism, however, can manifest itself in a variety of subtler forms, and given the increasingly multidisciplinary and international nature of scientific research, these 'grayer' areas are likely to be a source of considerable disagreement.
For example, the question of which forms of rewriting represent instances of acceptable paraphrases vs. plagiarism can generate a wide range of opinion amongst academics,2 and such disagreements are probably more likely between those who work in divergent academic disciplines (e.g., natural sciences vs. the humanities and social sciences). Unfortunately, part of the problem with this particular form of plagiarism lies in the fact that most of the major professional writing guides are generally silent or offer only limited or unclear explanation about this fundamental ...
