Plagiarism is the act of stealing, borrowing, or claiming as your own someone else’s words, phrasing, or ideas. The word plagiarism comes from the Latin word “plagiarius” which means kidnapper. It sounds like a much more serious offense when you call it “kidnapping someone’s words, phrases, and ideas." People go to prison for kidnapping. Rarely do students recognize the gravity of plagiarism in school.
Students caught plagiarizing at school can face the following consequences:
-
An “F” on the plagiarized assignment
-
An “F” as a final grade for the class
-
College students may be asked to drop or withdraw from the class completely
-
The loss of respect and trust from teachers, faculty, staff, fellow students, and family members
In some schools, students committing plagiarism even lose their right to academic privacy, which allows teachers to inform each other about a student’s plagiarism.
Professionals caught plagiarizing can face the following consequences:
-
Loss of professional standing in their field or occupation
-
Loss of job (either project or job as a whole)
-
Loss of trust and respect from coworkers and bosses
There are different types of plagiarism: