The idea of intellectual property is a relatively new concept in history. A standard system of citation did not exist until the 19th Century when both MLA and APA were founded. Prior to that, knowledge was common property of the educated elite. Scholars could copy as much of another scholar’s work without having to reference the other’s work. This was not seen as cheating until much later in history. Even into the 20th Century, cheating wasn’t regulated as it is today. As education moved towards meritocracy (Wikipedia, n.d.), society started enacting anti-cheating policies in order to curb the amount of cheating that occurred in academia. Even though cheating can carry severe consequences for students these days, many studies report a high percentage of students who admit to cheating. A recent study conducted by Rutgers University, found that 64% of students admitted to cheating during an exam (Facts and Stats, 2014). The study shows that cheating is a serious problem in academia. As a result, many academic institutions have implemented policies and procedures that deter students from cheating. One form of cheating that is prevalent among students is plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as the use or imitation of another author’s work and representing them as one’s own (Merriam-Webster, 2014). Plagiarism.org also notes that plagiarism can also include using another’s work without properly crediting the original source, committing literary theft and presenting an idea without attributing the source(s) from which it was designed. Plagiarism is not a criminal offense, but it is considered fraud. Plagiarism infringes on a person’s intellectual property, which is copyrighted under U.S. Law. Society as views plagiarism as a moral offense thus it is wholly discouraged. To avoid plagiarism a person need only cite the sources from which they are drawing material. Citation is the means by which an author tells their audience that specific material and references are the original thoughts of another person. Citing sources actually builds credibility as it emphasizes the originality of an author’s work (What’s a Citation, 2014). By properly citing material, a reader has the ability to refer to the original references if they are interested. This is generally done through MLA and APA guidelines. Citations also indicate the amount of research an author conducted when completing their written work. Citations should be used, but not limited to, direct quotations, paraphrasing and specific references. This can be accomplished through use of quotation marks, parenthetical citations and footnotes/endnotes (Avoiding Plagiarism, 2014). Another tool being used to help students avoid plagiarism is SafeAssign. This has become increasingly popular considering how readily available material is online. Offered by Blackboard, SafeAssign compares a student’s work against other academic works and previously submitted assignments. Using an algorithm, it indicates any overlap between two bodies of work (SafeAssign, 2014). The SafeAssign database includes millions of works from a variety of databases including the Internet, ProQuest and institutional archives. Another database used by SafeAssign is the Global Reference database. This database includes original works donated by students who use SafeAssign, which serves to protect the originality of any work submitted. The SafeAssign process is quick and easy to use. Once an assignment is submitted, the site produces a report noting the percentage of text that matches other sources. It also highlights the text, in up to 30 different colors, so the student has the opportunity to review and make any necessary changes. The different colors make it easy to note which text matches previously submitted works (SafeAssign, 2014). Teachers and professors can also review the originality report of any submitted assignment. By reviewing the report, one can deduce how much of the assignment was copied from other works. Generally, scores below 15% do not require additional review whereas scores higher than 40% indicate heavy use from other materials and should be reviewed for plagiarism. As previously noted, plagiarism is a moral offense and many educational institutions have taken a hard line approach in an effort to curb cheating in among their student population. Most universities will include an academic integrity policy in their catalog. An academic policy is school’s opportunity to set the standard by which their students must abide by. For example, Keiser University's graduate catalog notes that is expects all students to respect one another’s work and acknowledge the importance of doing so (2014). The catalog also provides examples of academic dishonesty including plagiarism. Most universities, including Keiser, outline the consequences if a student is found guilty plagiarism. At Keiser, the penalties range from additional coursework and participation in an ethics workshop to course failure or even dismissal from the university (2104). The consequences of plagiarism are severe, but are designed to safeguard the intellectual property of students. It also encourages students to conduct thoughtful and meaningful research to ensure all work submitted are original in thought. Plagiarism is a fraud, and should be avoided at all times. Although the idea of academic integrity is relatively new to academia, many resources have been introduced to hold students accountable and assist them from plagiarizing another’s work. Using APA or MLA to cite sources is one of the more common ways to avoid plagiarism, and provides a framework by which material should be cited. By properly citing sources, students will earn credibility and legitimacy for their writings. Online tools, like SafeAssign, are available to crosscheck assignments against other works to ensure originality. Lastly, universities can hold their students accountable to cheating through use of academic integrity policies and enforcing punishment for plagiarism offenses. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and students should take all the necessary precautions to avoid infringement of another’s intellectual property. References
Avoiding Plagiarism. (2014). In The OWL at Purdue. Retrieved November 2, 2014 from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
Facts and Stats. (2014). In Plagiarism.org. Retrieved November 2, 2014 from http://www.plagiarism.org/resources/facts-and-stats/
Keiser University. (2014). 2014-2015 Keiser University Graduate School Catalog. Retrieved from http://www.keiseruniversity.edu/catalog/
Plagiarism. (2014). In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism
Plagiarism. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved November 2, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism
Plagiarism 101. (2014). In Plagiarism.org. Retrieved November 2, 2014 from http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/overview/
Safe Assign. (2104). In The Official Blackboard Help Site. Retrieved November 2, 2104 from https://help.blackboard.com/enus/Learn/9.1_SP_12_and_SP_13/Instructor/090_Assign ments/030_SafeAssign
What’s a Citation. (2014). In Plagiarism.org. Retrieved November 2, 2014 from http://www.plagiarism.org/citing-sources/whats-a-citation