Why Plagiarism Is Bad

What is Plagiarism? According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own. According to U.S laws words really can be stolen. There are copyright laws, infringement laws, and other precautions to make illegal to steal or use someone else's words or ideas. Although if you haven’t written it down and if you haven’t a copyright on it, then it is free to use. All forms of original ideas fall under copyright protection as soon as they are written down or saved in a computer file.

Who plagiarizes and why do they do it? The most common plagiarizers are students. There is an infinite number of reasons students plagiarize, at least that’s what they’ll tell

It’s punishable by jail time, by being expelled from your school, or fired from your job. Not only are there legal repercussions, but reputation is damaged as well. As a student your reputation will be damaged if you are caught plagiarizing. Teachers no longer give trust or freedoms. You will be watched carefully and no slip ups will be permitted. Even the tiniest mistake will result in complete dismissal. It’s not limited to just student reputation, your professional reputation will suffer as well. Plagiarism follows a person for an entire career. Whether it be a writer or politician that kind of infringement does not leave a reputation or a resume. Not only will they likely be fired or asked to step down from their present position, but they will surely find it difficult to obtain another respectable job. Depending on the infraction, they may even have their name ruined forever, and finding another meaningful job may become impossible. Not only will you lose your job, but the person you stole from may come to find you, sue you, and take your money, even further ruining your name. Sometimes there are even monetary fees you must pay as student for plagiarizing just like paying off a parking

Student, adult, writer, politician we all do it or have been exposed to it at one time or another. With our current advancements in technology it has become far too easy to do. Whether you write it down, or save it in a file; people can steal it. Unintentionally and intentionally it can and will be done. There are so many ideas and words floating around it’s almost impossible to avoid. But it is not impossible to use your own ideas in creating a piece. Even if they have been stated before, everyone has their own way of expressing their ideas. But to steal someone else’s ideas is unacceptable. That is what plagiarism is. The unacceptable and illegal form of stealing ideas and making them your own. It isn’t tolerated, it isn’t nonpunishable, and it isn’t right. It should never be done, and should never go