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Plagiarism: It's Kidnapping
D. Adelman, PhD, RN, CNS, CNA
In the academic world, there is no greater crime than to plagiarize someone else's work. When we take the words of another and claim them as our own, in effect, we have kidnapped the brainchild of the person who wrote them. The word plagiarism literally means just that, coming from the Latin word plagium, which means "kidnapping" (Plagiarism Prevention, n.d., ¶ 3). Plagiarism is defined as "a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work"or "taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own" (Plagiarism, 2000).
Because of the seriousness of plagiarizing, the academic community does not take the offense lightly. When done unintentionally, a student may be allowed to redo an assignment, but often the result is failure of course and, in the worst case, expulsion from the university. Every university and college has a policy and clear guidelines about what happens when a student is caught plagiarizing and it would be wise for students to read and reread that policy periodically to keep the information fresh when writing papers, theses, or dissertations. As with public law, ignorance or unintentional plagiarism is not considered an excuse.
There are several simple rules to keep in mind when writing. These will help one avoid the often irreversible error of plagiarizing. These include:
1. Cite, cite, cite. When not sure, cite. Then cite some more. No professor will ever object to too many citations. Write your reference list as you write your paper. Then no reference will be forgotten and no citation will be left out (Avoiding plagiarism, n.d.).
2. When taking notes, put the citation right with the note. This will save time going back and looking up references and will keep you from making the mistake of kidnapping someone else's brainchild.
3. Avoid direct quotes. Professors and APA, the most used of formats in the sciences, hate direct quotes. Professors hate them because they don't show us that a student can think critically, since anyone can cut and paste. Paraphrasing, "a restatement of a text or passage in another form or other words"(Paraphrasing, 2000), shows that you understand what you've read and tell us in your own words. Be careful not to just substitute one word for another or change the order of words. The idea must be expressed in your own words. Even when rewritten, the paraphrased idea must still be cited (Acknowledging plagiarism, n.d.)
4. Use citations to support what you write not to replace original thoughts of your own. You are not yet an expert in your field while still a student. Supporting what you say, even the obvious, is an important foundation to build your ideas on. Do not think that common knowledge means you don't have to cite. Cite, cite, cite, coming full circle back to rule 1.
Plagiarism/Copyright FAQ:
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_plagiarism_faq.html