Mari Joy P.

de Vera
PLAGIARISM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER CITIATIONS

For centuries, our world has amassed a vast amount of information

that is either hidden, or unknown to the public. Publications from studies, and
scientific and legal papers that give credence to our human purpose of
passing our knowledge to the next generation. That’s why it is with utmost
importance that we as students, and teachers be ever vigilant to such
thievery. For with plagiarism, people are not only robbed from their works,
and ideas. But also, part of their lives, and the proper acknowledgements
befitting to them.

To give a good example of this is to tell the story of Pixar’s movie Coco.
Ernesto Dela Cruz, a famous actor/musician in the movie who is renowned
for his singing and song writing talent, is admired by the main protagonist
Miguel. As the story progresses, it was revealed that Ernesto’s fame was
due to the fact that he stole all of Hector’s, Miguel’s great grandfather, songs
when he killed him. In the end, Hector was robbed of his work, and his life,
and wasn’t even given due credits of his works.

It is with this, why the academic community is very strict to such

offense, because this can be equated to actual theft, promotes dormancy of
the mind, and against the philosophy of learning. Sadly, in the advent of this
digital information age, it has made it easier for one person to do such things,
thanks in part to search engines, ctrl+c / ctrl+v. To combat this today, it is
important for schools to teach young minds on how to properly express
oneself. By doing this, it can help us to circumvent the stagnation of a nation,
a place where old ideas are marketed as new.

To cite another example, when I was still in college. I was once tasked
to make a reaction paper for a movie, and being a lazy student that I was, I
opted to just search in the World Wide Web, find the movie synopsis, and
pass it off as my own. Seeing through my lies, my professor failed me on that
assignment.

What this example has shown me is that, it may sound or look trivial to
some, but the implications of the actions are enormous. A person was almost
forgotten and lost to history. A student was reprimanded and failed thanks to
this fact. All these consequences were unnecessary if only proper sources
were cited, and idle minds are inspired. That is why, we should act, by
stimulating our own minds through reading, learning, and motivate others to
do the same. This act alone, widens everyone’s perspective of the world,
lessening, if not eliminate the urge to copy other people’s work.

Be it as it may, we cannot learn, read and know everything. That is why

the academic community as a whole, should teach the importance of proper
citations of sources. This will serve as a foundation on the ethics of how a
thesis, and research papers should revolve upon. It would make the younger
generation learn of the old ways, the right way, and not be lenient in this age
of information.

All in all, everyone must do their part, as the problem itself is fought in
forms, and mediums other than literatures, and studies. Arts, film, and music,
for example is another place where plagiarism hotly debated, and frowned
upon. Some use their painting skills to fake an artwork, and pass it off as a
“missing” work of a famous painter like Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt. It’s
not plagiarism per se, but the act of copying art style can be considered as
one. That is why it is important for everyone to learn the values of a
someone’s work, and enrich ourselves with information, so we can also help
detect stolen works.

With this, not only can we help limit a place for poachers. But also steer
clear of future societal stagnancy. Most importantly, we should always
assume or know that even well-hidden act of plagiarizing will be caught.