In AP Computer Science Principles, plagiarism is using material created by someone else (code, images, text, music) without permission and presenting it as your own, which can carry legal consequences (EK IOC-1.F.4). It's tested in Topic 5.5 as a core legal and ethical concern raised by computing.
Plagiarism is taking someone else's work, whether that's code, an image, a song, or a paragraph, and passing it off as your own without credit or permission. In AP CSP, the College Board frames it specifically as a computing problem. Anything created on a computer is the intellectual property of its creator (EK IOC-1.F.1), and because digital files are so easy to copy and share, the internet makes plagiarism easier than ever (EK IOC-1.F.2).
Here's the part that trips people up. In programming, plagiarism isn't just about getting a zero on an assignment. Code is intellectual property, often protected by copyright or a license, so copying it without permission can have real legal consequences (EK IOC-1.F.4). The CED's flip side matters just as much. There are legal ways to use other people's work, like Creative Commons licenses, open-source software, and material in the public domain (EK IOC-1.F.5). The line between plagiarism and legal reuse usually comes down to two things, permission (does the license allow it?) and attribution (did you give credit?).
Plagiarism lives in Topic 5.5 (Legal and Ethical Concerns) in Unit 5: Impact of Computing, and it directly supports learning objective AP Comp Sci P 5.5.A, explaining how the use of computing raises legal and ethical concerns. Unit 5 is the 'big picture' unit of the course, asking how computing innovations affect society, and intellectual property is one of its core threads. Plagiarism is the failure case in that thread. You're expected to know not just what plagiarism is, but how to avoid it legally through Creative Commons, open-source licenses, and proper citation. This also connects to your Create Performance Task, where any code you borrow must be attributed in your written response or it counts against you.
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Intellectual Property (Unit 5)
Plagiarism only makes sense once you understand intellectual property. The CED says material created on a computer belongs to its creator (EK IOC-1.F.1), and plagiarism is what happens when someone treats that property like it's free for the taking.
Fair Use (Unit 5)
Fair use is the legal escape hatch plagiarism doesn't have. It lets you use limited portions of copyrighted work for purposes like education or commentary, but it never excuses pretending the work is yours. You still have to credit the source.
Citation (Unit 5)
Citation is the antidote to plagiarism. Giving credit through proper attribution is exactly what turns 'I copied this' into legitimate reuse, and it's required on the Create Performance Task for any code you didn't write yourself.
Computing Innovation (Unit 5)
Every computing innovation question in Unit 5 asks about benefits and harms. Easy digital copying is a classic example. The same technology that lets ideas spread instantly also makes stealing them effortless (EK IOC-1.F.2).
Plagiarism shows up in multiple-choice questions as scenario-based judgment calls. A typical stem describes a student building an app or website who finds code online, then asks which action would MOST or LEAST likely be plagiarism with legal consequences. The trick is reading the details. Did they have permission (open-source license, Creative Commons)? Did they give attribution? Did they present the work as their own? Copying open-source code while ignoring its license terms, or pasting borrowed code with no credit, points to plagiarism. Using public domain material or properly attributed Creative Commons work does not. Some questions also ask why plagiarism in programming carries heavier legal weight than in other fields, which comes back to code being licensed, copyrighted intellectual property. There's no FRQ in AP CSP, but the same rules apply to your Create Performance Task, where uncredited borrowed code can sink your score.
Plagiarism and fair use answer two different questions. Plagiarism is about honesty, did you present someone else's work as your own? Fair use is about legality, are you allowed to use a limited portion of copyrighted work without permission for purposes like education or criticism? You can commit plagiarism even when fair use applies. Quoting a fair-use-sized chunk of code without saying where it came from is still plagiarism. And citing a source doesn't automatically make your use legal if the license forbids it. On the exam, check both: permission AND attribution.
Plagiarism is using material created by someone else without permission and presenting it as your own, and the CED states it can have legal consequences (EK IOC-1.F.4).
Anything created on a computer, including code, is the intellectual property of its creator or organization (EK IOC-1.F.1).
The ease of copying and distributing digital information is exactly why computing raises intellectual property concerns (EK IOC-1.F.2).
Legal alternatives to plagiarism include Creative Commons licenses, open-source software, and public domain materials (EK IOC-1.F.5).
Avoiding plagiarism requires two things working together, permission to use the material and attribution that credits the creator.
On the Create Performance Task, any code you didn't write must be attributed, or it can cost you points.
In AP CSP, plagiarism is using material created by someone else, like code, images, or text, without permission and presenting it as your own work. It's covered in Topic 5.5 (Legal and Ethical Concerns) and the CED notes it can carry legal consequences (EK IOC-1.F.4).
Not automatically. Open-source code comes with a license that tells you how you're allowed to use it. If you follow the license terms and give attribution, you're fine. If you ignore the license or present the code as entirely your own, that's plagiarism, and exam questions test exactly this distinction.
Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work as your own (a credit problem), while copyright infringement is using protected work without legal permission (a permission problem). Fair use can make limited copying legal for purposes like education, but it never excuses skipping attribution. You need both permission and credit to be fully in the clear.
Yes, but you must attribute it. The Create Task requires you to cite any code you didn't write yourself in your submission. Uncredited borrowed code is treated as plagiarism and can cost you points or worse.
EK IOC-1.F.5 lists Creative Commons licensed material, open-source software (used according to its license), and public domain works. Each of these gives you permission built in, though giving credit is still expected.