USA: +1 (725) 712-1730 
Sign in
In your initial response (Due Thursday): -Search for, and post here, a definition of plagiarism. (Remember to cite the source of the definition!) Provide examples of plagiarism that you have observed (or committed, if you want to go there!). Answer one or more of the following questions: o Why is plagiarism wrong? o What should the penalty be for plagiarism? what kinds of things constitute plagiarism?
Expert Answer
1. A very basic and simple definition is that plagiarism is the act of passing of someone else’s ideas, thoughts or words as one’s own ideas, thoughts or words. When a person uses someone else’s idea and words without crediting the source of those words and idea it is akin to stealing those words and ideas. This is plagiarism.
Source: “What is plagiarism” (May 18, 2017) from plagiarism.org
2. Examples of plagiarism that I have observed:
i. Jane Goodall’s book – Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants – had several parts of its text contained several borrowed elements that were not sourced or cited to the original authors. This is plagiarism as Jane Goodall attempted to pass of other’s writings as her own.
ii. During the 1987 presidential election Joe Biden stole pages from speech books of other individuals in the fray. He lifted not only phrases but entire paragraphs as well from speeches of others.
3. Plagiarism is wrong as it is akin to stealing. It is a form of cheating as it involves copyright violations. Thus on a legal as well as ethical grounds plagiarism is wrong.
