Accidental Self-Plagiarism in College

Random question, but can you plagiarize yourself in college? Like if I write a paper for one class, can I use parts of it for another class without citing it? Is that considered self-plagiarism?

Yes, in academic settings, self-plagiarism is considered unethical. In most cases, self-plagiarism occurs when a student submits the same work, or parts of the work, for more than one assignment without getting the necessary permissions. It is often surprising to students that they can plagiarize themselves, but submitting the same work twice is seen as trying to earn additional credit for the same effort, which goes against academic honesty policies.

If you find that some aspects or sections of a past paper could fit well in a new assignment, your first step should be to approach your professor or instructor. Discuss the situation and ask for guidance on how best to proceed. There are instances where teachers might allow you to repurpose certain parts of previous works, as long as you cite properly. However, this is at the discretion of the instructor, and the general rule is that each task must be tackled independently to reflect your understanding and growth in the coursework.

Always remember that the goal of assignments is to foster intellectual growth and ensure you adequately grasp the material. Reusing old work doesn't quite meet these objectives. So, although it might seem time-saving or efficient to reuse old work, it can be detrimental to your learning journey and can have repercussions if not properly addressed.