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Aug 20, 2013 | #1
Academic Plagiarism Study
ABSTRACT STATEMENT
This study aims to reveal some of the most entailing details regarding plagiarism and describing variety of attitude towards these incidents. This research study will seek to identify the penalties for plagiarism in US academic institutions. In this study, it also intended to identify things that can be done to avoid plagiarism. And lastly, this research also aspires to indicate tools to detect plagiarism including its detailed functions.
OVERVIEW ON THE BODY OF LITERATURE
In recent years, there are growing concerns against offenders which can have the ability to over shine original scriptures, ideas, and knowledge of a skilled professional. These are counterfeited activities which are considered as fraud that intends to take advantage of the superior value of an imitated product. According to various views from dictionaries and almanacs, it pertains to the publication of another author's language, thoughts, ideas, and expression as your own original work. This is an illegal act and a threat that will destroy the essence of originality and the modern concept and ideology towards these practices as "effect" (Indiford 45). In academic perspectives, plagiarism made by students, researchers and professors can lead into academic dishonesty or fraud and these offenders will be subjected to expulsion and legal suits. This is a very serious and sensitive offense that benefits illegal offenders which is that is punishable by the law and can be applied in different countries around the world. Under the law, plagiarism is an immoral and unethical activity that is also considered as a cheating offense. This will potentially breaks the covert and overt rule for gaining variety of advantages as a purpose to overtake others for self-gratification.In academic perspectives, plagiarism is a very serious offense which can result into negative outcome such as failure particularly on that certain assignment. In some severe cases, the student copies the entire content and make as his own. This student may be suspended or expelled from the institution. For academic professionals such as professors, researchers, and administrators, employment suspension without pay are one of the most common punishments for initial offenses. Repeated offenses will immediately relieve them from their post and faces legal sanctions. Plagiarism seems to sound simple offense but there are lingering negative consequences as punishments for those who utilize these illegal acts such as imprisonment, and financial charges indicated as "consequences of plagiarism" (Hunsen 142). Large variety of companies takes plagiarism seriously which is why they often sue offenders to be fined with huge financial charges as a severe punishment to pay for the damages being caused.
To avoid issues of plagiarism as an implication, one of the simplest activities is to refrain from engaging in copying other's intellectual output and making as your own. Be creative enough to establish your own ideas and thoughts related to the topics that are being asked in your activities, assignments, and researches. Temptation is one of the most common problems by indulging students, professionals and researchers encouraging them to commit plagiaristic activities. Academic administration should always implement programs intended for their professionals to attend seminar workshops and training to curb against plagiarism because they are responsible for leading their students through supplementing proper education. The institution should also impose much more severe variety of sanctions that correspond to plagiarism even to create fear for these students and professionals to minimize illegal activities.
There are lots of tools to detect plagiarism which will minimize the existence and proliferation of these scrupulous activities and controlling criminal activities. Traditional methods such as manual proofreading document are able to identify replica of some phrases, sentences or paragraphs in the document. Education is one of the most important tools for determining plagiarism for the fact that it entails issues of plagiarism and necessary actions to avoid these activities. Plagiarism does not only require educational attainment, but also require simple instruction on how to identify that are suspected to be plagiarized. In the modern era, there are variety of computer mediated software that are programmed to detect plagiarized documents, files, or projects as one of the most utilized tools today. Electronic machines are also used as relevant tools to read and detect plagiarism contents by scanning the document described as "significant in plagiarism" (Darwin 68). These tools will help us to encapsulate our uniqueness and talents as a professional through uplifting our integrity to accomplish our tasks without taking advantage. Being creative and unique will allow more doors of opportunity to cross our paths that allows us to have the chance to become a successful person.
CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY OUTLINE
The study have determined significant details regarding plagiarism and described variety of attitude towards these activities. This research has identified relevant sanctions that are imposed that can be applied to US academic institutions. It also presented some important implications and recommendations to avoid plagiarism. And lastly, the study indicated tools with detailed function to identify plagiarized contexts to all documents that are needed to be scanned to protect all internal security from outside interests and perpetrators.
Works Cited:
Darwin, Michael. Significance of Plagiarism. New York: Academia. Print
Hunsen, Patrick Dave. Consequences of Intellectual Theft". Boston: Brown-Heather Publishing. Print.
Indiford, Raymond. Plagiarism: Cause and Effects. Pittsburg: Grollie. Print.
The Best Ways to Avoid Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism is an act whereby a person copies and publishes another author's ideas as if he is the generator of the expressions. On the other hand, academic dishonesty is a trait whereby a student earns his/ her grade by unethical and unfair means. Some students cheat on their exams in order to get better grades. In other places, students also recycle their previous work and hand it in for marking expecting to score good marks. These two vices have been recorded in institutions of learning. It feels bad when other learners take time to work tirelessly to achieve their grades while other malicious students copy their work without acknowledging their references.
In order to counter these atrocities in the world of scholars, learner must consider the following ways when reading any literature. It is important for every reader to understand whatever he / she reads. This enables him/ her to interpret the message in his /her own words. A good student takes notes on whatever he reads. The note taking skills when used in appropriate way will enable a scholar to create new phrases and understand the context properly. This means that the reader should paraphrase the text in his own word. This helps in avoiding plagiarism. It does not make sense for a student to copy paste another one's work.
Before writing any research paper or a composition, it is essential to have an outline to guide and systematize your ideas. When building the draft, you should try as much as possible to apply your own reasoning. The paper sections must flow logically to enable another reader elsewhere to comprehend the information the way it has been organized. In this way, the ideas are likely to flow hence you will maintain the integrity of the paper. Remember that not the paper may be used all over the world. It would only be worthy if your audiences appreciate your ideas. Revise the outline and break it down further to eliminate unnecessary repetitions that may make it boring. However, you should use your own words, in cases where you feel you should use exact words of the author, always quote. Such quotes must be well integrated into your reasoning to avoid controversial meaning of the paper. Additionally, you need to minimize the use of quotations in the whole paper. It must not look like a copy paste of the original author. Peeping at the original source may corrupt your thought process interfering with your work. This implies that you must only write whatever you understood from the source. Once you start to fix words from the source directly into your paper, just know that you are compromising the quality of your paper.
Proper referencing is another way to avoid plagiarism. Instructors always tell the students the preferred style of writing. If you are aware of the style of writing, it becomes easier to do in- text citation for the borrowed idea. After drafting the work, before you come to the final paper, consult your instructor to help you especially if you are writing a report.
Academic dishonesty is not a fair way of passing examinations. Students should always be frank with their teachers and ask them to clarify points that they are not conversant with. When reading through your notes, also make short notes for your revision. There is usually room to form discussion groups to help you share points. This enhances understanding and mastering of the topics taught in class. As wise-men stated; two heads are better than one. When you gather together, people have different levels of understanding. Individuals also possess various learning abilities. Slow learners may take time to understand a concept that bright students never have issues with.
Learners must try to deal with these issues of plagiarism and academic dishonesty if they want to become quality scholars in the future. They must practice the aforementioned activities while learning new things. These vices should be dealt with strictly in the institutions of learning.
