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Why Plagiarism Is Bad

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Plagiarism is a problem that plagues high schools and colleges everywhere. According to Nadell and Langan, plagiarism occurs when a writer borrows someone else’s ideas, facts, or language but doesn’t properly credit that source. (464). If detected, it can lead to punishment such as a zero on an assignment, suspension, or even expulsion from school. It is also possible for prominent writers and journalists to lose their jobs by plagiarizing. “Jayson Blair, formerly of the New York Times, and Stephen Glass, formerly of the New Republic, have lost their jobs and their journalistic careers after their plagiarism was discovered.” (Gardner and Barefoot, 100). It is important that students and writers know how to properly cite their sources to avoid …show more content…

They may not have a full understanding of the rules of writing and submitting a paper. Many people believe it is acceptable to buy a term paper online or get someone else to write their paper for them. They figure they have the permission of the original author to use their work, so there is no problem. However, the grade the student receives will not be legitimate since it does not reflect his/her own ideas. A student may plagiarize because they are only concerned with getting a good grade on an assignment. The pressure a student gets from their parents to excel in school may be a cause. While a student’s plagiarized paper may get them a high grade, “grades mean nothing if you have cheated to earn them”. (Gardner and Barefoot, 101). If a student cheats and plagiarizes their way through a course, they may end up not knowing the information they need for the job they want in the related field. Another reason a student may plagiarize is poor time management. If they procrastinate and wait to start a paper the night before it is due, they may panic and use any method they can to roll out an essay and disregard any rules of academic honesty. A good way students can avoid this is to use an academic planner in order to properly manage their time between work and

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