PLAGIARISM

 

 

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?

Plagiarism is a misconduct in the world of academics and  scientific writing. It can be defined as taking someone else’s idea or work in any form and using it as your own without acknowledging the original source. That is taking credit for someone’s idea or work and it is a serious violation of academic integrity. Simply put Plagiarism is intellectual theft.

The basic principle of scientific or academic writing  is that whatever you write or publish  must be your own  idea put in your own words. In scientific or academic writing, it is acceptable to incorporate someone else's words, idea, diagram, figures, pictures in your paper only if you clearly acknowledge the original source and sometimes permission must be sought and obtained.  

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT PLAGIARIZE

 1.  Plagiarism is an Intellectual theft: When you substitute another person’s idea, word, work.  figures, pictures, understanding or expression in your paper without acknowledging or obtaining the necessary permission, then you are committing a crime and also putting to question your academic and professional integrity. This is because  plagiarism can be defined  as a form of stealing or copyright infringement

2. Plagiarism defeats the purpose of writing original scientific article. When you incorporate  another person’s work, idea, understanding or expression as your own without acknowledging the original source, you miss the opportunity of using and improving your own expressive ability.

3. Plagiarism is a form of lying because you are presenting another person’s work as your own

4.  Plagiarism defeats the purpose of scholarship. The goal of scholarship is to discover and create through research, understand and publicize. That purpose is defeated when old knowledge is fraudulently presented and recirculated as original and new.