Plagiarism

Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen Oct 22, 2006

There are several reasons why students plagiarize papers. First, a failure to understand the definition of plagiarism. Second: a blatant disregard for academic integrity combined with extreme laziness. The third reason: desperation. In my experience, plagiarism almost always results from the third reason.

It goes something like this: A student becomes overwhelmed with the chaos of college life and the never ending list of pressures and deadlines. A 10 page paper is due on Monday, and the student hasn’t even done the research yet! And a lot is riding on this paper, since the student got a D on the midterm and the paper is worth 40% of the grade. Plus the subject material is difficult and the student doesn’t fully understand what’s expected on the paper. Ack! Ack! Then someone stops by with a paper written by a student at a different school about the same topic. Or the student finds something on a college essay plagiarism website that just needs a few modifications to fit the assignment. If this were a sappy TV teen drama, this would be the dramatic moment of truth in the episode.

I understand the temptation, but believe me, if you’re ever faced with the temptation, avoid plagiarism. Professors know how to prevent plagiarism, and it’s not worth the risk of failing the class or facing expulsion. And besides, you know your education is worth more than this to you.

There are better strategies to approach this situation. First, figure out what the penalty is for a late paper. You might lose ten points, but that will give you more time to write a quality paper. If you have a good reason, such as two other papers due the same week, ask the professor for an extension. If turning in the paper late isn’t possible, find other ways to clear your schedule so you can devote the next few days to the paper. Offer your shift at work to someone who needs overtime. Postpone your Saturday night date until Wednesday. See if another professor is willing to give you an extension on some other impending assignment.

If none of this is possible, try to keep things in perspective. What’s the worst thing that will happen if your paper sucks? Will a poor grade in this one class affect your life dramatically? Probably not, and it certainly won’t affect your life as much than getting caught plagiarizing.