What is Plagiarism and How Do You Avoid It?

Plagiarism, by definition, means the use or close imitation of the language and ideas of another author and representation of them as one’s own work. The word plagiarism derives from Latin roots: plagiarius, an abductor, and plagiare, to steal. Although plagiarism is a very ancient practice, it wasn’t done at such a high level in those times. Every annum, we see a considerable rise in the number of plagiarism cases. Even the most loved writers have been accused of plagiarism. It is said that Shakespeare, the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s preeminent dramatist, stole most of his historical plots directly from Holinshed. The extent of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s plagiarism has been debated by scholars since a couple of weeks after Coleridge’s death in the year 1834.

To understand the significance of avoiding plagiarism, one must first understand one of the basic tenets within academic tradition. It suggests that the ideas and data used by an author or scholar belong exclusively to them and cannot be used by another person without providing proper references. In simple words, it ruins the originality of somebody’s work. Thus, plagiarism by students, professors, journalists or researchers is considered a serious act of misconduct and a breach of ethics. Offenders are subject to academic censure, suspension or termination. I have been writing since I was in 6th standard and am aware of how people utilize other’s ideas without appropriate acknowledgement. I have witnessed many cases of plagiarism and have been prey to this crime a couple of times. Work that has not been copyrighted is most vulnerable to the act of plagiarizing. For instance, articles published in school magazines are not copyrighted and are used by cunning people for their own benefits.

When it comes to evading literary theft, it requires attention from both – writers and copiers. Writers must always remember to copyright their work. Plagiary can be either intentional or unintentional but offenders in both cases are severely punished even if people provide justification in the latter case. So one must be careful while using other’s ideas. It can be avoided by direct quoting of ideas or data and correct referencing. To prevent people from the act of intentional plagiary, there must be laws for the same and, of course, they should be strictly enforced.

Being a plagiarist equals being a criminal. Ideas and data are created through somebody’s efforts and they lose their value if copied by somebody else. So, do not plagiarize. It is a serious offence.