The consequences of plagiarism are unfathomed. Literally, the word plagiarism has a Latin origin, plagiarius means hijacker or kidnapper, thus plagiarism can be defined as – the unoriginal use of material from other texts, legalized and unpublished where the author has not been given ownership of these ideas.
In a similar but more straightforward manner, plagiarism is the evil deed of receiving work done by some other individual and presenting the same as own output, without citing the author of the improvised and assimilated ideas and words through references and citation. If you allow yourself the question you might want to know what are the repercussions of indulging in plagiarism. On the other hand, here the primary impact of plagiarism will be present, and all the rest will be considered as secondary effects. These are as discussed below.
The Consequences of plagiarism
Legal Repercussions
Ideas for the main consequences of plagiarism are penalties which can vary from warnings to various types of legal sanctions, where the secondary consequences again appear in the form of warnings and other negative and mandatory consequences. The overall consensus of sanctions in theory is complete, however, the consensus on when, where, and how to apply such sanctions is virtually nonexistent. As pointed out above, plagiarism has several corrective effects on academic research regardless of its cause as highlighted in the following analysis.
Destroys Originality
In its attempt to usurp creativity, which is one of the fundamental objectives that a research assignment is set out to accomplish, plagiarism takes the life out of it. It is one of the most significant ideas that fund any writing, whether it is scientific or not, that generates new ideas and perceptions for unearthing existing issues rather than simply reiterating what has been previously developed. There are few rules of structure with regard to what can be considered original and a study has to be imbued with innovation and ideas. Originality is therefore lost when:
- The report of a study is not written by the original researchers
- There is ambiguity in identifying the research and explaining its method.
- Ideas belonging to other people are unacceptably integrated into the work without giving the deserved credit or citing the source properly.
Plagiarism being recycled research is devoid of any form of innovativeness and renders a research report empty of its freshness and eliminates its genuineness in the long run.
Academic expulsion/consequences: Destroys Student Reputation
In essence, plagiarism erases the reputation of students; scholars of today are under colossal pressure to secure a fabulous job hence doing whatever it takes to obtain the highest pass that they deem necessary to get them a perfect job, therefore, the act of plagiarizing is on an upward trend.
Also, the internet has raised the rate at which students get information within an essay on a given subject. The author also seems to have a misconception, it is dangerous to conclude that as much as the temptation and the frequency to plagiarize have gone up, so have the penalties.
The consequences of being caught emulating are severe because once the institution is found to have put down a student based on emulating, the scar remains with them right from accessing other institutions for higher learning to even finding a job after completing the course.
Disciplinary Actions/sanctions
In the instance that there is a plagiarism offense, a fine might be given on your transcript and this might be viewed by other universities and colleges in which you want to transfer as an undergrad or even go to post-graduate school. It remains obligatory for a student who has been charged with plagiarism to face either disciplinary probation, suspension, or even expulsion from school.
You have to understand that for every academic dishonesty, no refund of tuition fees is allowed, and international students getting expelled from school may lead to deportation. For instance, if one affirms to have written a paper and copied it from elsewhere, one may be disqualified from receiving a scholarship or grant. If you have used grant funding to do the research and you are then caught submitting work that involves plagiarism in relation to the grant funding then you can even be barred from undertaking work that is funded by that particular organization or any other organization that is affiliated to it.
Legal Consequence
As a student, if you are caught or found guilty of plagiarizing the content of another author, there can be legal repercussions. This is because the student who plagiarizes may be breaching copyright laws, specifically copyright infringement with regards to submitting data that is not their own without proper acknowledgment and citation of the original author. An author has the legal right to sue a plagiarist in court.
In the worst case, plagiarism can become a criminal offense and is legally enforceable, however, this is more relevant in the journalism and publishing/media industry. Concerning copyright laws in particular, students must take great care in avoiding plagiarizing the work of other authors in the field as if they are made aware of it, they can choose to sue them in civil court, pay fines, or serve a jail term.
Conclusion
The consequences of plagiarism are far-reaching, and no one is immune. Neither ignorance nor stature excuses a person from the ethical and legal ramifications of committing plagiarism. Therefore, before attempting any writing project, you must learn about plagiarism.
# Call to action: So what do I do to avoid the serious consequences of plagiarism?
To avoid the serious risks of plagiarism and protect yourself from legal, academic, and personal repercussions, it’s crucial to arm yourself with the right knowledge and skills. At Sonic Papers, we’ve got you covered with comprehensive guides to help you stay on track.
Read our article “Master the Art of Paraphrasing in 3 Simple Steps” to learn how to express ideas in your own words effortlessly. Or explore “Paraphrasing vs. Plagiarism: How to Avoid Costly Mistakes“, where we break down key differences and show you how to stay plagiarism-free. Plus, don’t miss out on “Quoting: The Proven Strategy to Avoid Plagiarism“, which will help you use sources effectively and ethically.
You can also trust Sonic Papers to deliver 100% plagiarism-free papers, checked thoroughly using tools like Turnitin and Grammarly for both plagiarism and grammar accuracy. Our content is also guaranteed AI-free, ensuring you receive high-quality, original work.
Avoid plagiarism pitfalls today by diving into these valuable resources and services at Sonic Papers!
