Epidemic of Previously Unheard of Proportions

There is no need to be any kind of medical major to understand this outbreak. Since the early 2000's, plagiarism is on the rise (Fitzgerald 2). Just as the majority of kleptomaniacs are financially stable, most plagiarists are capable and talented people (found in Fitzgerald 2). If that is the case, then why is plagiarism popping up like California wildfires? Why is it still happening in such a widespread manner? Student plagiarism is a manageable if not preventable epidemic. In addition to advancement in methods to catch offenders, there are new advancements in studies of preventing it before punishment is required. Bringing down punishment should never be necessary for something that is so easy to control. To understand how to prevent plagiarism, it is crucial to know what it is, what causes it, and what the effects can be.

In order to understand how to prevent plagiarism, there must be an understanding of what plagiarism is. The term “plagiarism” refers to the use of someone else’s ideas, words, or information without acknowledging where that information came from (Axelrod & Cooper 487). There are times where citing is not necessary, though. Citing is not required for folk literature, common information, or obvious observations (Aaron 414). The information contained in those three forms are widespread common knowledge and typically do not have any clear, established sources to cite. For example, it is not possible to cite the phrase “there is more than one way to skin a cat” because there is no knowledge of who originally said it. There is also more than one way to commit plagiarism. Plagiarism can be split into two basic categories: deliberate and accidental. Deliberate plagiarism is outright cheating. It is knowingly presenting someone else’s ideas as your own. Accidental plagiarism is an unintentional failure to give credit for someone else’s ideas (Aaron 414). The difference between deliberate and accidental plagiarism is similar to the difference between stealing a car and buying a stolen car. Either it is clearly wrong and it is done anyway, or there is no knowledge of the immoral conduct that has taken place. Plagiarism is theft and theft is immoral.

If people know it is wrong, why does it happen? What causes plagiarism on the student level? It depends on whom you ask. According to William Badke, a couple of causes of plagiarism include ignorance and malice in forethought (1). It is certainly a stand to be considered, as it applies to both types of plagiarism. An equally simplistic explanation is poor notes, anxiety, and sheer ignorance, as suggested by Axelrod and Cooper (487). Others will blame the constant access students have to the Internet. Producing moderately well written paragraphs is now as easy as search, copy, and paste. The Internet will also include any of the critical thinking you may need, occasionally for a price. Student “help” sites are popping up more and more with the Internet being such a well-integrated technological part of our lives now (McLester 2). Some people are not so quick to point their fingers at students and their lazy tendencies. “Internet-age students see so many examples of text, music, and images copied online without credit that they may not fully understand the idea of plagiarism,” argues Suzanne Lovett, a psychology professor at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine (qtd. in McLester 2). Others believe there is a whole slew of causes that revolve around not knowing the proper way to cite or having the skill but buckling under deadlines (Fitzgerald 1).

Although not typically punishable by law, plagiarism will have serious and irreversible consequences. On most college campuses, when any kind of academic dishonesty is detected, expulsion is the answer (Aaron 412). This kind of crackdown is not necessarily a foreign concept to all incoming college students. In his eleventh grade English classes in Richardson, Texas, David Townsend keeps a reasonably tight ship with his zero-tolerance policy. If found plagiarizing, absolutely no points are awarded for the offending paper (McLester 4). Are these punishments achieving the desired results? “The very real possibility that you can bring a deliberate plagiarist to justice may deter others from trying to cheat,” notes William Badke (6). Students are not the only people in this world guilty of plagiarizing, though. Between 2003 and 2004, there were plagiarism scandals at The Hartford Courant, USA Today, and even New York Times. I have confidence most of America has heard the name “Jayson Blair” or “Jack Kelley” at some point, both of which are synonymous with “journalistic scum” (South 1). William Swanson, CEO at Raytheon, was found guilty of plagiarizing a small booklet he distributed to his employees and admirers. His salary was froze, meaning he will never be able to receive a raise. His access to restricted stock was also reduced by 20%. They were not particularly harsh reparations, but Swanson was thought to be an absolutely outstanding and very ethical man in his workplace and his offense was accidental (Marquez 1).

Plagiarism, no matter which one of many things causes it, is wrong. It is using someone else’s thoughts, ideas, or information without giving credit where credit is due. It is easy enough to prevent, though. Even accidental plagiarism will have consequences, so it is each author’s duty to cite appropriately and responsibly. This is becoming such a problem, especially for and with college students. Never be afraid to ask a teacher, past or present, for help if you are unsure if you have plagiarized or properly cited a paper. There is no need to feel the wrath of administration when everyone can control his or her part in this epidemic.

Works Cited

• Aaron, Jane E. The Little Brown Compact Handbook With Exercises. 8^th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.
• Axelrod, Rise B. and Charles R. Cooper. Axelrod & Cooper’s Concise Guide to Writing. 6^th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2012. Print.
• Badke, William. “Training Plagiarism Detectives: The Law and Order Approach.” Online. 31.6 (Nov/ Dec 2007): 50-52. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
• Fitzgerald, Mark. “Why They Do It.” Editor and Publisher 73.5 (7 Aug 2000): 23. Web. 6 Oct. 2012.
• Marquez, Jessica. “Sanctions on Raytheon CEO Deemed Fitting.” Workforce Management 85.10 (22 May 2006): 8. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
• McLester, Susan. “Accidental Plagiarists.” T H E Journal 38.1 (Jan 2011): 39-40. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.
• South, Jeff. “Ethics In The Classroom.” Quill 92.6 (Aug 2004): 10-13. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.