Regardless of the nature, every crime comes with consequences depending on the severity of the offense. Plagiarism, which is considered a threat to academic integrity, is no exception to this rule. In this article, we will delve into the mild, moderate, and severe consequences of plagiarism academically, professionally, legally, and in the community.
Consequences of plagiarism academically
Plagiarism has serious consequences in high schools, colleges, and universities. Many institutions follow a “no-tolerance” policy that comes with severe punishments when a student’s paper is caught plagiarised. However, punishment in schools is slightly less than the punishment in high schools and universities.
But there are several repercussions that one must face if they are caught plagiarizing in academic life.
- Students will undergo academic warnings
- They will receive a failing grade or an automatic zero
- They will face either academic probation or expulsion
- Students are often referred to the disciplinary committee of the institution that deals with cheating
- Students might encounter a loss of scholarship or any financial benefit they are getting from the institution
So, students need to understand plagiarism as it can lead to severe consequences that might impact their careers. Therefore, to maintain academic integrity it is essential to avoid every possible consequences of plagiarism.
Consequences of plagiarism professionally
Not only for the students, but for professionals like professors, researchers, and writers’ plagiarism comes with serious consequences.
- Plagiarism in the profession can lead to immediate firing or termination of employment.
- It can professionally disqualify the person from continuing his career.
- Plagiarism can limit growth opportunities because other companies/institutions won’t hire those who are a threat to their reputation.
- It will also lead to the retraction of published work
- Professionally, the consequences are quite severe and can cause internal guilt and dilemma.
Moreover, they might have to face legal action if plagiarism involves the infringement of copyright laws.
Consequences of plagiarism legally
Plagiarism is an illegal crime when it infringes the copyright laws. When legal action is taken against someone who is guilty of plagiarism, it will not only tarnish the reputation of that person but will also involve continuous court hearings.
While ending up in jail is a rare outcome, it can happen in extreme situations. However, the most common legal repercussions are:
- The committed person can face financial penalties or fines between $1000 to $250,000
- The guilty person must face continuous and costly court hearings
- Plagiarism can disqualify a person from professional growth
- In extreme cases, the person is publicly humiliated due to the record of the offense that is publicly available.
Apart from the personal, professional, and legal consequences, did you ever imagine how plagiarism can impact the community or society overall?
Consequences of plagiarism on society
Plagiarism is a theft that has consequences beyond the individual, institutional, and professional levels. It can even harm society in several ways:
- Due to plagiarism, there is a lack of creativity that will hinder the innovation of new knowledge.
- It disregards the hard work of the original creators by giving exceptional advantage to the ones who plagiarized their work
- Plagiarism also reflects the downfall of society as it degrades ethical practices and undermines originality
There is a dire need to raise awareness regarding the consequences of plagiarism to promote an environment of ethical integrity, innovation, and honesty. Hence, there are many ways to avoid plagiarism, some of which are mentioned in this blog.
Common Ways to Avoid Plagiarism
To maintain an ethical environment, there are several ways to avoid plagiarism:
- Thorough Research:
Giving proper time to your assignment can reduce the chances of plagiarism as you will be more likely to generate new ideas after the revision of your work.
- Avoid hiring others for your work:
No one can guarantee you the originality unless the paper is written by yourself. You never know whom you are hiring for your assignments will submit your work as their original thoughts or not. Therefore, to avoid plagiarism it is necessary to simply write your own paper.
- Take your notes clearly:
When you are working on a paper, it is essential to write down the sources from where you are taking the ideas. Because it will help you to cite your work properly without missing any reference details.
- Cite and Write:
No matter what form of content you are using, whether it’s image-based, video-based, or text-based, you should always give credit to the original author and should cite your work properly.
- Use plagiarism-checking tools:
The last step to avoid plagiarism is simply using the tools to get the plagiarism report of your paper. At Skyline Academic, you will get access to the most advanced and reliable plagiarism detection tool that will not only spot traditional plagiarism but will also detect AI-generated or ChatGPT-generated content.
Key Takeaways
- Plagiarism can ruin the trust and reputation of a person.
- Plagiarism has severe consequences in academic, professional, and legal spheres of life.
- Academic consequences range from mild to extreme including failing grades, probation, or expulsion.
- Professional consequences include job termination, potential legal actions, and lack of growth opportunities.
- Legal repercussions involve hearings, fines, financial crisis, and record of offense.
- Plagiarism can impact society by hindering critical thinking and innovation.
- Plagiarism can be avoided by doing complete research, taking notes, citing properly, avoiding ghostwriting, and utilizing plagiarism-checking tools.