Which of the following situations are examples of plagiarism in academic or professional writing?

Introduction / Context:
Plagiarism is a serious ethical and academic offence that occurs when someone uses another person’s ideas, words, or creative work without proper acknowledgment. Understanding what counts as plagiarism helps students and professionals avoid unintentional misconduct and maintain integrity in their work. This question presents three specific situations and asks which ones qualify as plagiarism, testing your understanding of citation and quotation rules.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement I: Using someone else's idea in your own writing, and including an in text citation that links to a works cited list.
• Statement II: Using someone else's words in your writing without putting quotation marks around them.
• Statement III: Reproducing a drawing or diagram without including information about where you found it.
• We assume standard academic citation practices are expected.

Concept / Approach:
Plagiarism occurs when borrowed material is not properly attributed. Using another person's ideas is allowed when you clearly cite the source. Using another person's exact words, however, requires both quotation marks and citation. Visual materials such as drawings, diagrams, and tables also require attribution. The key distinction is between properly credited paraphrasing or summary versus uncredited copying or close imitation of words and visuals.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate Statement I. Here, someone uses another person’s idea but includes an in text citation and a corresponding entry in the works cited list. This is correct academic practice and is not plagiarism. Step 2: Evaluate Statement II. Using someone else’s exact words without quotation marks suggests that the words are original to the writer even if a citation is sometimes present. Without quotation marks, it is treated as plagiarism because the specific phrasing has been copied. Step 3: Evaluate Statement III. Reproducing a drawing or diagram without giving source information fails to credit the original creator. This is also plagiarism, as visual works are protected just as text is. Step 4: Combine the analysis; only Statements II and III describe plagiarism. Step 5: Select the option that states II and III only as the correct set.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can check your understanding by recalling standard citation guidelines. Paraphrasing someone’s idea with your own words plus citation is encouraged; it shows engagement with the source. However, copying exact phrases or sentences requires quotation marks in addition to a citation to signal clearly that the wording is not your own. Likewise, figures and diagrams require captions or references that identify the creator and source. Any omission of these signals misleads the reader and constitutes plagiarism.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b claims that Statement I is plagiarism, but this is incorrect because proper citation is provided. Option c includes Statement I and III, wrongly labelling Statement I as plagiarism but correctly including uncredited visuals. Option a selects only Statement II, ignoring the fact that uncredited drawings or diagrams are equally problematic. Only option d correctly identifies Statements II and III as plagiarism cases.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is thinking that citation alone is enough when using exact wording; in reality, both quotation marks and citation are required. Another pitfall is forgetting that non textual materials like images, charts, and diagrams also need attribution unless they are clearly in the public domain or created by you. To avoid plagiarism, always ask whether a reasonable reader could distinguish between your own contributions and borrowed material, and provide clear credit wherever needed.

Final Answer:
The situations that represent plagiarism are II and III only.