Plagiarism

Running Head : Plagiarism

Plagiarism : Moral issues and Rationalization

[name]

[Name of School]

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for [subject]

[Instructor 's Name]

August 14 , 2007

ABSTRACT

This work focuses on the varying definitions of Plagiarism as a whole , the alarming frequency of its occurrence , and the moral issues involving it , including some opinions cited by individuals concerning the occurrence of Plagiarism in the present . This work also gives some tips as to how plagiarism could be identified and avoided , some logical arguments as to why Plagiarism

should be considered unethical , why it should be made punishable by law and also in contrast some reasons as to why Plagiarism should not be seen thievery . Finally this work also contains a conclusive rationalization as a whole concerning the being discussed

PLAGIARISM : MORAL ISSUES AND RATIONALIZATION

I . Introduction

The Occurrence of Plagiarism in writing is becoming rampant nowadays We often see them in writen texts like articles and term s , which more often than not incorporates the written work of other individuals without properly acknowledging that the same was taken out from their work . We also inadvertently plagiarize ' information by using the ideas we see from undertakings made by other individuals in our own work . This action , may of course bring some reprisals which may range from expulsion from school and stiff fines to imprisonment . It is therefore of tantamount importance that we know when we are stepping off-bounds . We may be able to avoid this catastrophe by being humble enough to admit that we only borrowed an idea already incorporated on another 's work and of course , acknowledge the source of the information we use

As defined by Ruth Rikowski of the London South Bank University , UK Plagiarism is where the work of others is copied , but the author presents it as his her own work . Another definition given by Bowyer states that : Plagiarism is the taking of the ideas , writings drawings , words , or other similar intellectual property created by others and presenting it as your own . It is generally not a legal issue like copyright infringement , but it is an ethical one . For example , you can reuse writings in the public domain without worrying about the legal problem of infringing a copyright , but presenting them as your own without proper credit to their true origin is an act of plagiarism (Bowyer , 2001 ,

.267

The first two definitions are further clarified by this definition given by Merriam Webster . According to Merriam Webster , the phrase to plagiarize ' means : to steal and pass-off the idea or words of another as one 's own , to use another 's production without acknowledging the source , to commit literary theft , and to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

II . How Plagiarism is identified

Plagirism can be detected by professors and other professionals by looking into the text itself . A plagiarized work in itself follows the same flow of thought of the text written by its original author...