Plagiarism is a term that is frequently used in student circles, but what exactly is it? What causes students to plagiarise? And, more importantly, what exactly is plagiarism? Plagiarism is defined as the act of copying or passing off another person's work as your own. It is considered bad practise, unethical, and can land you in serious trouble. That being said, not every student intends to plagiarise.

In this article, you will learn about the various types of plagiarism, why it occurs, and the effects of copyright infringement on both professionals and scholars. While not an exhaustive guide, the following is intended to provide you with a better understanding of what to look out for and tips to avoid similar negative outcomes in the future. In case you are facing difficulties seek instant assignment help from SourceEssay.

When And Why Does Plagiarism Occur?

It may surprise you to learn that not everyone who is caught plagiarising did so on purpose. Students and professionals alike can fall victim to plagiarism without even realising it. One of the main culprits is the consequences of poor research and note-taking.

Unintentional Plagiarism

When working on a research essay, students may take hundreds, if not thousands, of pages worth of notes, and if that note taking system is disorganised, they can quickly get into trouble and face a plagiarism penalty. It's all too easy to jot down a brilliant idea only to realise later that you have no clue where it originated from.

There are also some misconceptions about what constitutes plagiarism. Some students believe that they only need to cite when dealing with direct quotations, which is obviously incorrect. Scholars require citations for any information that is summarised or paraphrased when dealing with quotations. Remember this, and you may be able to avoid a slew of plagiarism issues.

Intentional Plagiarism

Of course, while we recognise that some students fall into the plagiarism trap unintentionally, it is also true that some students have been caught plagiarising in college while fully aware of what they are doing. As with everything else in life, there are a variety of reasons for this, one of which is poor time management. Essay writing takes a long time.

There is reading, research, note taking, drafting, second drafting, and so on. If a student has a habit of leaving things until the last minute or cramming too much work into a short period of time, they may find themselves plagiarising out of sheer desperation. Do not attempt it. It's not worth it, believe us.

Plagiarism's Negative Effects on College Students

The big question is, what happens if you plagiarise? As with all crimes, punishment must be severe in order for prevention to be taken seriously, and plagiarism is no exception. But what are the consequences of plagiarism for students? If a student is successfully caught plagiarising, they may be expelled from a college or course, have their work destroyed, or face legal action along with a series of fines or penalties. That is, if you still believe plagiarism is illegal.

Furthermore, what many students fail to realise is that plagiarising in college can have long-term consequences that extend far beyond the confines of college or university. Every student has an academic record, which institutions are free to update as needed. For example, if a student is pursuing a degree and is expelled from their course due to successful plagiarism findings, it is likely that they will have a difficult time gaining admission to a similar course in the future. Other concerns could include:

  • inability to apply to other institutions for other courses
  • being barred from pursuing master's or doctoral degrees
  • A significant impact on long-term earning potential and career goals

How Do Universities Handle Plagiarism?

One could be forgiven for thinking that these plagiarism penalties are quite severe, but there is no doubt that universities take a hard line against offenders and are very serious indeed. Both Oxford and Harvard, two of the world's most prestigious universities, state unequivocally that plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, is never acceptable. All material used in your work, whether from manuscripts, print, or electronic means, must be cited. If you are caught plagiarising, you will be disciplined. My assignment help from SourceEssay will teach you how to write unique assignments.

Conclusion

Whether it was an accident or a deliberate act from the start, we must consider the consequences of plagiarism. It can be tempting to pass off the work of others as your own if you are short on time, have little interest in the subject, or are trying to maintain your high academic reputation. If you are caught plagiarising in college or at work, your work may be destroyed, you may be fined, or you may be expelled from your course or institution. Furthermore, with the possibility of criminal charges being brought against you and your future earning potential being skewed, the risk is simply not worth it.

The good news is that you can easily avoid falling into the trap in the future by always checking your work at fixgerald.com before submitting it. Check, check, and check again if something does not appear to have been written by you. Additionally, develop the habit of taking accurate notes. When taking notes from other people's work, make sure you have a system in place for referencing who wrote it, where they wrote it, and when. This way, you will never fall into the trap of mistakenly claiming the words as your own. You can also seek Plagiarism-free dissertation assignment help from SourceEssay.