Plagiarism

I felt compelled to write about plagiarism.  Specifically, I wanted to write about paper mills.  Students are shortchanging themselves and missing out on learning opportunities when they use papers mills.  The opportunity to learn is a gift.  To be a lifelong learner, which is off value in today’s world, goes against this also.  There is never a reason to plagiarize.  Even when a student is under pressure to finish a paper or other work, there are ways of honorably doing so.  When time is limited, then students can get the work done, even if it means skipping a few editing cycles.  I am an editor at work for an internal newsletter and I know how much time can be spent on editing.  Just put down the pen and walk away.  You will benefit greatly by doing the work yourself, even if it’s not “perfect” when turned in.  What’s the point of going to school if plagiarism is a part of it?  Better to get a “C” than to not do the work.  Furthermore, what is the point of investing your time, money and energy just to risk being expelled from school?

"Citing Your Sources." Empire State College. Springshare, 18 Jan 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2011. <http://subjectguides.esc.edu/content.php?pid=51434&sid=377528>.

Tools exist for faculty to use in checking a student’s paper in order to ascertain whether plagiarism was committed.  So what’s the point of taking the risk?  Again, there’s no point in missing out on a learning opportunity.  Also, we, as students of ESC, have at our fingertips a tool that will set up your citations for you.  Simply go to the school online library.  Go to “Cite Your Sources.”  If using MLA formatting, click on “MLA.”  Other formats are available.  Listed under the “Style Guide Resources,” are various links.  The third one down is “MLA Citation Creator.”  I like this one.  On the next screen you will see to the left both printed and non-printed options.  Just follow through and vwala – your citation is created.  On page 151 of our Discovering the Internet book, you’ll find a reference to plagiarism and a site that can help students avoid plagiarism.  This site also offers other useful tools.  Check it out.  Instructions to get there are on page 151 in the section on the top of the page.

Did you know . . . Unintentional plagiarism is punishable by law?  Please check out this website:  http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_did_you_know.html

"plagiarismdogORG." iParadigms, LLC, 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2011. <http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_did_you_know.html>.