Phabian

Penalties for Plagiarism in US and UK Academic Institutions

Phabian Teddy

ResearchWritingCenter

Test Assignment

Date

Phabian Paper Outline

I.

Introduction
A. Definition of plagiarism.

II.

Body
A. Reasons why plagiarism should be discouraged. B. Anti-plagiarism policies employed in the US and the UK academic

institutions.
C. Penalties imposed on plagiarists.

III.

Conclusion A. Justification of the Penalties.

Phabian Penalties for Plagiarism in US and UK Academic Institutions Stealing is defined as the act of taking someones possession without their

consent, and acting as if the possession is yours. Going by this definition, plagiarism is, thus a form of stealing that should be subjected to full wrath of the law. Plagiarism refers to the act of stealing someones ideas and expressing them as if they are your own original work (Rozakis, 79). This is not a fair practice in the literary world. It is imperative for scholars to give acknowledgement to the authors whom they borrow ideas from. Plagiarism is one of the main problems facing the literary world today. it has negative effects on students academic development as it impedes students creativity. Instead, it turns the students into copycats. Plagiarism is unethical and should be uprooted from the academic discipline even if it takes enforcing harsh disciplinary measures to achieve this. Plagiarism should be discouraged because it instills a culture of dishonesty in institutions of higher learning. Students are supposed to produce their own work in schools and colleges. When students plagiarize, they limit their capacity to develop. Assignments and tasks are essential in evaluating students progress and development. Plagiarists earn marks dishonestly, and this creates an unfair competition in the institutions. A student who presents someone elses ideas not only cheats the instructor but also cheats him/herself. The students will not be able to put the writing skills they learn in class into practice. They will only grow into copycats. As the old say goes, imitation is limitation. By copying, the students impede their own progress.

Phabian Students who practice plagiarism also suffer psychologically. Apart from being a form of lying, plagiarism can damage ones reputation. It infringes copyright laws and makes one unprofessional. In some professions like journalism, those found copying face stiff measures that can include losing ones job. Besides, one may come to experience the full force of the law. Following its counter-progressive nature, most institutions are striving to eliminate plagiarism. Academic institutions in US and UK follow anti plagiarism policies to eliminate plagiarism. Through the plagiarism policies, the institutions are able to scrutinize and distinguish between inadvertent plagiarism and intentional dishonesty. These institutions use technology supported methods to detect plagiarism instances in students work (Marsh, 125). There is numerous plagiarism detection software used by

most colleges and universities. The institutions educate their students on the dangers of plagiarism and why they should avoid it. One of the policies that most institutions apply to curb plagiarism is the declaration of originality. In this policy, students are to sign some statements anytime they submit their work to commit that their work is original. These statements tie students and students are to be ready to accept any disciplinary measure that can be taken against them. Most frightening of all is where the institution authorities notify the offended authors. In these institutions, the lecturers and professors have the mandate to forward the culprits to the authors of the plagiarized articles. Under this policy, the plagiarist can be taken to court and be charged (Anderson, 97). This policy has helped eradicate plagiarism in most institutions.

Phabian

The authorities in the institutions of higher learning in UK and US have the power to take appropriate action against perpetrators of this academic vice. The institutions can decide to suspend, fine or even expel the students found plagiarizing. Because of the heavy fines associated with this act, most institutions motivate their students and make them well aware of the implications of plagiarism. In US and UK academic institutions, plagiarism is a serious issue in the academic discipline. As a result, these institutions impose heavy penalties on those students found plagiarizing. In UK and us institutions, the penalties imposed on plagiarists vary depending on the degree of plagiarism detected in a students work. Most common penalties administered include withholding of the degree pursued, suspension from the institution or even expulsion depending on the recommendation of the senate. In some cases, the plagiarizing students can be fined heavily. Whenever the institution employs these measures, the disciplinary committee notifies the parents or guardians of the affected students. Even after imposing fines on a student, the student will also be awarded zeromarks for the plagiarized work submitted. Worse still, such students cannot be considered for academic awards by the institutions. Where an institution detects repeated acts of plagiarism in a students work, such a student can be suspended from the institution for some specified time. In serious cases, the student can be expelled from the institution. This is psychologically damaging to the students. It is imperative for scholars to accredit all the sources that they use to build their research. Much of the knowledge published today stem from previous contributions by

Phabian some authors. It is an honest practice to give credit to these authors who have contributed so much to what we know today. A scholar should be encouraged to be creative and provide authentic analysis of his or her writings. Where a student derives information from external sources, the original authors should be recognized and appreciated. One who ignores previous scholars contributions and presents other peoples works as his own deserves punishment. By being copycats, we deprive the literary world of the opportunity to grow in ideas. Imitation is limitation. Strict disciplinary measures should be taken to eradicate this vice from academic institutions. While it is true that different people can have a common thought about something, it is not possible for them to express their statements or words in the same order. It is not an ethical practice to express other peoples thoughts and ideas as your own. The heavy penalties are just.

Phabian

Works Cited Anderson, Judy. Plagiarism, Copyright Violation, And Other Thefts Of Intellectual Property. Jefferson: McFarland, 1998. Print. Marsh, Bill. Plagiarism: Alchemy And Remedy In Higher Education. New York: SUNY Press, 2007. Print. Rozakis, Laurie. Schaums Quick Guide To Writing Great Research Papers. New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2007. Print.