
PLAGIARISM
Definition of plagiarism
Plagiarism
is the act of stealing work produced by some else. This includes text,
images, video, ideas, theories or even the structure of something.
Typically it is where someone copies text verbatim from a source. They
pass it off as their own without crediting either the source or the
author. Plagiarism is regarded as fraud and therefore a criminal offence.
Implications of plagiarism
Plagiarism
in education is a common problem, the internet contains so much information and
it is very easy to copy. Copying text verbatim from the internet and
including it in an assignment without crediting the source or author is
plagiarism. If that work is part of a graded assignment and the student
is discovered, their assignment will be rejected. Because of this the
student may fail the assignment or even their course and possibly be
expelled.
Universities
and businesses spend billions every year funding projects to develop ideas.
Because of this plagiarism in both the academic and commercial setting is a
real concern. The ideas could become commercial projects and
provide a return on the investment. If someone steals that idea and
markets it as their own, they will gain the reward rather than the true
owner. Copyright, Patents and Intellectual Property are ways of legally
identifying the owner of work and giving them protection in law. Every
year many cases of plagiarism are heard in courts around the world; large fines
and imprisonment are common for those found guilty of committing plagiarism.
Plagiarism checks
To
protect against plagiarism, there are tools available that can check for work
that has been copied. Educations establishments regularly use these tools to
check that submitted work has not been copied. Many web sites have
technology that will not allow the copying of text, images or videos.
Often images or videos display the Copyright symbol (©) to indicate that this
work is protected.
How to avoid plagiarism in your work
1. Look
for references to the author or publisher when researching your subject.
Often internet sites, especially academic or commercial ones, will give
guidance on how to cite their work.
2. Use citations whenever you copy work by someone else. For example:
“copied text from
another source included in your work” (Smith, A. 2010)
3. Don’t use too many words from the same place. Use synonyms instead and
change the phrases to alter the writing style.
4. The Modern Language Association (MLA) or Harvard Referencing have methods
for citing quotations, theories, ideas, etc.
5. Use your own ideas, your work should not be a list of other peoples work.
6. Study the subject thoroughly before attempting to write anything so you have
a clear understanding of the theory. This will help you avoid having to copy or
quote looking for resources every time.
TAGS: plagiarism
Comments (0)
ELN Limited, Registered in England and Wales - Company No 09746917
© Copyright 2021 | All rights reserved | Call Us 0203 371 7309
Developed by Web Design Company