Understanding Plagiarism: Causes, Types, and Prevention

Introduction

There is considerable pressure on students in the academic environment to submit assignments in a timely manner. This pressure may encourage students to engage in practices that reduce the time it takes to produce a quality paper. One of those practices is plagiarism. Plagiarism is the bane of the academic world, and individuals who engage in such a practice quickly become academic pariahs. This essay defines plagiarism and considers the reasons students plagiarize. Additionally, the nature of plagiarism is explored in its multiple facets. The situation is such that it may be better to err on the side of caution rather than to be labeled a plagiarist.

Defining Plagiarism

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary provides four possible meanings for the verb "plagiarize." First, it means "to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own"; second, "to use (another's production) without crediting the source" (Plagiarize, 2010, par. 10). Third, it means "to commit literary theft," and finally, "to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source" (Plagiarize, 2010, par. 12). These four definitions suggest a degree of intentionality on the part of the individual and place the responsibility on the student not to engage in these practices. Plagiarism is a fraudulent act that involves attempting to pass off another individual's work as one's own (What is Plagiarism?, 2010, par. 10).

This action is not limited to direct quotes lifted from the work of another. It includes using another person's ideas without providing them credit. Some other behaviors classified as plagiarism include submitting another student's work as your own and omitting quotation marks from a quotation so that it appears in the text as your own words when it is not (What is Plagiarism?, 2010, par. 15). Additionally, providing inaccurate information "about the source of a quotation" also constitutes plagiarism (What is Plagiarism?, 2010, par. 16). Using the sentence structure of another individual qualifies as plagiarism, as does incorporating so much of another person's work into your own that it exceeds your original contribution.

Reasons Students Plagiarize

Students engage in plagiarism for a multitude of reasons. One of the simplest is time constraints. Students are often pressed for time, as they may have many projects and assignments to submit for grading. As a result, it is easier to copy the work of another person than to spend time doing the work yourself. It is also possible that the content of a paper may be beyond the knowledge of the student, who wants a good grade and decides to use someone else's work that is of far higher quality than they could produce on their own.

Harris (2009) suggests that poor time management and planning is another reason students engage in plagiarism (par. 6). The student may be capable but, having waited until the last minute to begin the paper, feels pressed for time and employs what they believe is a time-saving device. For a small number of students, plagiarism is a thrill (Harris, 2009, par. 8). These students are excited by breaking the rules and by the possibility of being caught or getting away with it. Whatever the reasons may be, it is academically unhealthy for students to engage in plagiarism.

Conclusion

The extensiveness of the problem of plagiarism suggests that the pressures and challenges of academic life are often more than the individual can handle. It also speaks to a lack of respect for the work of others and the decline of personal creativity. All students will benefit from scrupulous attention to detail and a sharp eye for unintentional plagiarism. The academic future of the student depends heavily on avoiding plagiarism.