Plagiarism Essay Example For Students

Plagiarism Essay Plagiarism Essay is defined in the Encyclopedia Britannica Online as the act of taking the writings of another person and passing them off as ones own. In my own words I define it as the stealing of someone elses literary work and taking credit for their writings. Sometimes it is done intentionally as an act of complete dishonesty. Someone may not want to exert the necessary effort required to research and write his or her own work. They assume it would be easier to just copy another authors work. Another example of deliberate plagiarism is the buying or selling of papers, or hiring someone to write a paper. Most frequently, plagiarism occurs without the writer knowing that he or she is plagiarizing. Simply quoting an author without stating where the quote was taken from and citing the name of author is plagiarizing. If someone uses an authors style of writing and/ or word usage throughout his/her paper that is also considered plagiarism. Whether done intentionally or in error, plagiarism is a crime that can warrant serious penalties Plagiarism is a severe problem because it has since become an epidemic and is being practiced at an alarmingly increasing rate. It has become widely accepted among students at many colleges and universities across the United States. The ensuing centuries have left us with no lack of cases, but clear-cut definitions are still hard to come by. Common sensealways in short supply on this subjecthas to settle the issue, says Thomas Mallon, author of the excellent history of plagiarism, Stolen Words (from which nearly the entire paragraph above is lifted). How much material is involved? How many instances? In Ambroses case, literary detectives have ferreted out numerous examples of borrowing/lifting/stealing in at least five books published over three decades. Does that make him a plagiarist? Mallon again: If there are 10 stab wounds, youre dealing with something other than a kitchen accident.Have You Read This Story Somewhere?Newsweek, 2/4/2002, Vol. 139 Issue 5, p10, 1/3p, 3c Jones, Malcolm .