Anything and everything can be stolen, even words.
However, you won’t hear sirens when words are stolen. It’s a much more subtle process, but it is still just as damaging.
While we’re only, or already, three weeks into the semester we feel it’s more important to stress to freshmen and remind seniors that plagiarism is as close to a crime as you can get at the university level. We place emphasis on “the university” level as this is the point after the fun-and-games of high school but we’re still allowed to make some mistakes before being considered professionals.
Plagiarism is one of the exceptions; the worst it can do to you is get you expelled.
The University’s definition of plagiarism is: the deliberate use and appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the student’s own. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas, expressions or materials taken from another source, including internet sources, is guilty of plagiarism. Any student helping another to plagiarize may be found guilty of academic misconduct.
Hopefully that information isn’t new to you. But in case it is, there it is.
According to the Student Code of Conduct, it is up to the University’s various colleges and schools how to deal with plagiarism. The colleges and schools then leave it up to the professors. If caught plagiarizing the student can face a formal or informal resolution.
A formal resolution could place a hold on your account and not allow you to register for classes as a vice provost evaluates the charges. In addition to a reduced or failing grade, this could lead to suspension, disciplinary probation, not being allowed to use University facilities and expulsion.
If a professor deals with the plagiarism him or herself that’s considered an informal resolution.
What might be new information to you, however, is the pledge we made as students of this university.
We pledged to be honest in our academic endeavors, not present others’ work as our own, and not to cheat or aid in someone else’s cheating.
So once that highlighted text gets pasted into your paper without any credit and submitted, you’ll eventually realize the University has positions you never knew existed but control your academic future. That applies to your classes, any research you may be involved with, or student organizations of which you’re a part.
Yes, even those organizations. And yes, even this organization. Neither The Beacon’s past nor present were immune to plagiarism, but hopefully our future is.
Plagiarism is so serious that we could file charges against one of our own reporters who we found to be guilty of plagiarism. That would be after we fire that person because, just like the University, we have a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism. Advisers could file a charge against a student caught plagiarizing.
So hope you have a forgiving professor, or student leader, if you intend to move on through college through other people’s work and ideas.
As far as definitions of academic misconduct, the University puts plagiarism on the same page as bribery, collusion and falsification of records. The act you thought was minor and might have committed a few years ago has the same possible punishment of something you’d never dream of doing– we hope.
Why risk such a noticeable blemish on your transcript when a simple citation would keep you safe? Or if it’s not that kind of paper, don’t copy the inspiration; just look at it and then type the results in your own words.
So think twice before you decide not to cite. It’s too late once you’ve plagiarized and got caught to take back your actions and not own up to them. Take on the consequences. Your first year in college could be over before Halloween, or your spectacular walk could end up being a grand fall.
Of course you’re going to get ideas from others – that’s what “standing on the shoulders of giants” means! So take advantage of boosting your cred by citing giants to make your points! Keep track of your words and the author’s words – it’s worth it!