Plagiarism is a serious academic offence

Plagiarism can be an academic as well as a professional offence. Professionals such as editors,

columnists, reporters and authors are also susceptible to plagiarised work taken either from
their predecessors and peers or in fewer cases even themselves. Students also fall prey to the
temptation of plagiarism for research papers or projects and the consequences are sometimes
dire.

There are many reasons why a person may knowingly or unintentionally utilise previously
created literary, conceptual or melodic works without crediting the source. Everything that is
thought to students by academic institutions has been previously researched or proven by past
historians, lecturers, scientists or even students. They are required to utilise this foundation and
build on it to present new ideas or solve relevant problems and at very best make a
revolutionary discovery that may disprove any known facts. This flawed foundation is laid with
potential for the misconception of original ideas. Our society is founded on the further
development of referenced information. Therefore most of what you know was taught to you
from inception for generations and it is from this knowledge base that we resolve problems and
develop ideas. The dilemma is revealed when there is no acknowledgement for this sub
platform. Consider a student who is required to write an essay or solve a problem without
research (for example during a quiz). At some prior moment the student would have processed
some information about the topic either in a classroom, within conversations, via the media or
probably by reading a book. Opposed to this, the student would have to think logically to
establish an appropriate answer. The resulting answer would have probably produced little to no
completely original arguments whether the student recalled it from external sources or
supposedly thought of it himself. If there were similarities in previous text and no sources were
cited the student could be accused of plagiarism while being convinced that all ideas were
unique because the content was not copied from any source. In actuality society would have
provided him with the necessary educational tools that the student unknowingly draws upon for
the resolution of the problem while simultaneously fuelling the act in which it ridicules. On the
other hand knowingly copying someone’s intellectual creations is completely unethical
nevertheless similar consequences are usually attached in both instances. To avoid these
occurrences, citations and referencing are the major factors in producing work that gives credit
where it is due while solidifying the current authors original ideas.

In most academic institutions when a student is convicted of plagiarism all previously submitted
works are brought into question and investigated to ensure that no violations were overlooked.
The student will fail the assignment and could by extension fail the course without the possibility
of any reassessment. Universities have also been known to disbar students for a determined
disciplinary period or in extreme cases permanent expulsion from the institution making it
difficult to seek future job opportunities. These penalties are usually subjected to a prior
investigation process involving academic panels whereby the student is allowed to defend
himself. If convicted the student may also become a social outcast as associates and lectures
may brand their character as corrupt. The consequences for plagiarism as a student are
serious but not always perilous as shown in the case of Kaavya Viswanathan. She was a
Harvard student that wrote the book, “How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a life,”
which had similarities to books that she had previously read. Although accused of plagiarism
and subsequently badgered by associates, Kaavya was fortunately allowed to graduate but the
publishers of the book retracted her deal valued at $500,000.00.

Because of the lack of morality associated with plagiarism just an allegation of this kind could
stain the reputation of figures in authority and those that are relied upon for accurate
untarnished information. Those persons whose occupation requires them to produce literary
compositions are affected greatly by claims of plagiarism and thread lightly when producing their
work. These allegations can be the difference between a literary masterpiece and a premature
resignation. Although the act of replicating ideas was committed as a student in the past, it can
still have a disastrous effect on the security of the person’s current job especially if the position
requires a high level of integrity and has societal influence. In 2012 the doctorate achieved by
the president of Hungary was revoked because the university found that a high percentage of
his 1992 thesis was plagiarised. Pal Schmitt, the country’s president at the time eventually
resigned. His decision was prompted by the pressure from varying groups including the
opposition party. This act of plagiarism was an academic offence that was so significant; it
impacted on the decision of a country’s president to resign.

Apart from the varying methods of copying from external sources, self plagiarism is an
interesting and complex issue. How can it be plagiarism if you borrowed from your own work?
This is a topic that many have argued is a wrongful accusation because the content belongs
and is unique to the individual who wrote it. Freed Zakaria worked at CNN and Time magazine
where he produced work that contained part of one of his previously written columns for another
company. He was briefly suspended for one week to permit investigation after which he was
reinstated. This case shows that not all persons deem this type of plagiarism as a momentous
offense and is therefore punished according to their belief on the matter. Although many people
share this view, writing using this method is still frowned upon by most of society and is
punished in similar ways to the other forms. Academic writing is distinguished by its references
and citations therefore its overall acknowledgement of previous material. This is the basis by
which they pass judgement on persons recycling their writing without informing the reader.
Other offenders such as Jonah Lehrer ultimately resigned after being accused of self plagiarism.
Disparity in the punishment for this type of plagiarism will occur due to the person’s view of its
importance.

One level of plagiarism that has no discrepancy in its degree of seriousness or punishment is
the complete or partial copying of someone else’s exact words without including quotation
marks as well as paraphrasing them without citation. This is found in student reports, projects,
assignments, newspapers, magazines, etc and is attempted for better grades, impressing the
opposite sex, for personal gain or just plain laziness to achieve a personal goal. In these
modern times a person may also be tempted to copy text as the access to information and its
availability for use is amplified with the creation of the internet. Advancement of technology has
also led to easier ways of detecting copied material via automated searches. To avoid falling
prey to this offense, if someone else's exact words are used, then it is of utmost importance to
quote the original source either in a cross-reference or in a citation. It is also important that you
attach the words in quotation marks to show that they are not your original words. Copying
exact content is a serious offence that should be avoided at all times. If it is not, this type of
plagiarism is usually met with the heaviest punishment namely failure of the course or expulsion
and in professional instances resignations or termination of employment.

Any type of plagiarising is academically unethical and a serious offence whether it was
knowingly or unknowingly reproducing past literature, copying from your past paper or from
another person’s previous column or even not identifying quoted material although it was cited.
Choosing to plagiarise in these manners as well as all other types of plagiarism has a
consequence and the severity of it depends on the circumstance in which the information has
been used, to what extent it has been used and the parties or policies involved in the evaluation
process.
References

 Bailey, J. (2012) 5 Famous Plagiarists: Where Are They Now? Retrieved 30 September
2013, from: http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2012/08/21/5-famous-plagiarists-where-are-
they-now/

 Ithenticate.com. 6 Consequences of Plagiarism. Retrieved 30 September 2013, from:

http://www.ithenticate.com/6-consequences-of-plagiarism/

 Plagiarism.org. What is plagiarism? Retrieved 30 September 2013, from:

http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism/

 Imbert, C. (2012, April 23). Copying, Fudging, Plagiarism. The Express Newspapers.
Retrieved 02 October 2013 from:
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Copying_fudging_plagiarism-
148616895.html