Plagiarism is becoming more and more prevalent in today's society, with at least 70 percent of college students admitting to cheating at one time or another in their academic careers. (Megehee & Spake, 2008) It can be intentional or unintentional, but the consequences are the same no matter what.
Intentional plagiarism is the most common, and there are multiple explanations as to why college students are partaking in this act. The most obvious reason is a student receiving a failing grade, which may make them feel as if there is no other way. Pressures to succeed from an important figure in a student's life can also influence the choice to plagiarize in order to get the best grade possible. A large college class with little supervision is a temptation to a student considering plagiarism. (Euchner, 2008) It creates an easy way to get the grade, without all the hard work.
Students in the incubation room at the Woodbine Ag...
Group of Woodbine Agricultural School students, Wo...
Illustration for Cheating Français : Illustration...Plagiarism is also something that can be unintended. There are occasions where some students either may not understand exactly what constitutes plagiarism (Megehee & Spake, 2008), or they simply don't have the skills needed to properly cite sources or paraphrase correctly. A student may have little time to finish an assignment due to poor time management, and they don't take the extra time to be more watchful of the things they are writing. Either way, intended or unintended, plagiarism is still a major form of academic dishonesty.
Academic authorities are incessantly trying to come up with ways to catch and stop students from plagiarizing. Colleges and universities always have the option of enforcing stricter honor codes, which would not completely stamp out the problem, but it would become more obsolete with time. Professors can change exams and writing projects every year, instead of keeping the same material. By doing so,