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Plagiarism

Lanie Smith

Texas A&M University- Commerce

Dr. Mary Dziorny, Instructor

ETEC 424

June 14, 2021

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Plagiarism is copying someone else’s work and taking credit for their work as if it is your

own. Plagiarism can have serious consequences, and it is important for students to recognize

what it is. It is important for students to pay attention to their work to make sure they are not

plagiarizing, but giving the author credit when researching someone else’s work and using it in

their research papers.

It does not matter if the plagiarism is intended or unintended, there are still consequences

to plagiarizing. “The consequences of plagiarism are far-reaching and no one is immune.”

(Turnitin, LLC). It does not seem as if there are many ways to explain away plagiarism, and have

it easily forgiven. Committing plagiarism is unethical and can lead to consequences that can

impact a student’s life forever such as being expelled from a college, or having a career ruined.

There are many ways to research plagiarism and learn how to properly cite your sources.

The cost of plagiarism can vary from a failing grade all the way up to expulsion from the

college. It is up to the college to decide if the plagiarism is intended or unintended and what type

of consequence they feel is necessary. Most of the time plagiarism is not swept under the rug.

“Apart from the immediate consequences, being caught plagiarizing is likely to result in a black

mark on your academic or professional record, creating problems for your future career. To

avoid plagiarism, it is essential to properly cite your sources in every piece of writing you

submit.” (Shabe, 2020). The student needs to make sure they know what the repercussions are if

they do not do their due diligence and checking for plagiarism.

There are many ways to avoid plagiarism! Some examples include understanding the

importance of citations, having excellent note taking skills, and making sure to ask your

instructor for clarification if you are unsure of what to do. “Many students worry that if they use

too many citations their instructors will think that they’re relying too heavily on the source
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material and therefore not thinking for themselves. In fact, however, using citations allows you

to demonstrate clearly how well you understand the course material while also making clear

distinctions between what the authors have to say and your analysis of their ideas.” (Plagiarism

2021). If a student is unsure of how to avoid plagiarism, always ask your instructor and always

remember to cite your sources.

Plagiarism is not in the best interest of the students because of the repercussions that it

holds. A student will not be able to simply say they made a mistake by plagiarizing because there

are many resources a student can find on how to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarizing can be

detrimental to a student’s college career and even future employment career. Always be sure to

look out for plagiarism and know the signs and how to avoid it.

References:

 6 Consequences of Plagiarism. Plagiarism Detection Software. (n.d.).

https://www.ithenticate.com/resources/6-consequences-of-plagiarism.

 Shabe, L. (2020, October 15). The Consequences of Plagiarism: What do Colleges Say?
Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/consequences-of-plagiarism/.

 Plagiarism. The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (2021,
April 14). https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/plagiarism/.