Although most American school systems begin teaching the concept of plagiarism at the earliest possible opening, most U.S. citizens are still not able to adequately define the word in terms of written and other published content. Plagiarism, at its most basic level, is the use of work by another without crediting, attributing or gaining permission. In those early school days, most teachers saw plagiarism as students copied text, word for word, from encyclopedias or other source material when doing reports. Students are heavily encouraged to read the source material and then rephrase into their own words. For many young students, this is not an easy task. Teachers may be better off encouraging their students to first make sure they understand the written content before trying to rephrase it.
Plagiarism in the upper grades of high school more often applies to copying work from previous students. Many unscrupulous students over the years have borrowed or purchased previously submitted work from former students and presented it as their own. Teachers have become more savvy about this process, and by the middle of the first semester or so, many educators can spot the glaring differences in vocabulary and tone that is common in plagiarized work.
By the time they reach college, students should be aware the plagiarism is a serious offense. Many colleges will fail, suspend and even expel students who have been found guilty of plagiarism. Additionally, plagiarism becomes even more complicated when students are asked to comment about various published works. Many young people are unsure how much of what they say has been influenced by their reading, and exactly when and how often those source materials should be acknowledged in citations and footnotes. Every college student should study the concept of plagiarism before attempting written work in order to ensure that they have the principles and rules for citation fully defined and incorporated into their practices.
