Ethics in an Academic Environment – Plagiarism

Essay by M. KukoyiCollege, UndergraduateB+, October 2007

download word file, 11 pages 4.0 1 reviews

AbstractAs a team we are required to write a research paper on Ethics in an Academic Environment. In this research paper, we will explain how a particular issue, plagiarism, relates to ethics in an academic environment and how it affects everyone involved in it. In today's world of high speed internet, high powered computers and free access to thousands of databases and publications, access to a vast amount of information is just a "click away". When used properly, this information can benefit students and general academics around the world. When used improperly, it can help create one of the biggest problems facing the Academic environment today, Plagiarism.

Plagiarism is when someone uses another's idea, opinion, or theory in a way that would benefit them, without giving the appropriate credit. The information can be heard, seen, explained, etc. It doesn't really matter how it is acquired, it's not theirs.

Plagiarism has been going on for a while and there have been some important people caught plagiarizing. For example, one of the most common forms of plagiarism encountered in our modern day and age is information taken from the internet and copy and pasted into one's work. The person using the copied information would either plainly insert it into their work, or modify the structure of some sentences in order to blend it with the rest of their text, which is, by the way, still considered plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a severe problem. It is becoming an epidemic and is being practiced at an alarmingly increasing rate. It has become widely accepted among students at many colleges and universities across the United States. It has gotten to the point that many students don't even consider it as cheating. This fact alone makes it even more serious and harder to control. It...