Is plagiarism is on the rise? No, the awareness increased.
The Editorial team and I are indeed proud that our journal has been growing continuously, but in spite of all the hard work some acts remind us that there is tremendous scope for refinement.
An act of plagiarism has been brought to my notice and I must state here that after checking with the authors the intent was not malicious, although it was surely forgery.
Today's students learn quickly that finding and manipulating data on the Internet is a valuable skill. With the wealth of information available online, the production of original analysis and interpretation may seem like 'busy work' compared to finding the best or most obscure sources. Sometimes I believe teachers often choose to ignore students who are cheating!
Although many instructors are aware of the problem, most feel powerless to stop it!
Many think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas! However, in reality terms like 'copying' and 'borrowing' can disguise the seriousness of the offense.
One of the top two problems facing the country today in my opinion are: (1) Education and (2) Decline in Ethics, as a result of the pressure to publish. I am quoting the meaning of the word 'plagiarize' from 'The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary,' which defines it as - to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own; to use (another's production) without crediting the source; to commit literary theft; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud! It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward! It is indeed a deplorable act and certainly lowers the standard of Ethics. It is truly a violation of copyright laws. In our country due to certain pressures of publication by the regulatory body, peers are in the process of crossing boundaries and violating intellectual property rights. A sheer phenomenon of quantity versus quality.
Then do we see a solution to these problems in the near future? Certainly yes! Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, by citing sources. Simply acknowledge that certain material has been borrowed, and provide the readers / students with the information necessary to find that source.
I take this opportunity to request my colleagues to teach their students that the real skills they need to learn are interpretation and analysis - how to process the information they find, and not to look for easy searching options. I know it takes a great deal of pressure off of those who want to work honestly but are afraid of falling behind their peers.
Friends and colleagues, the easiest thing to do is follow the maxim, 'When in doubt, cite sources.'
The Editorial team and I are indeed proud that our journal has been growing continuously, but in spite of all the hard work some acts remind us that there is tremendous scope for refinement.
An act of plagiarism has been brought to my notice and I must state here that after checking with the authors the intent was not malicious, although it was surely forgery.
Today's students learn quickly that finding and manipulating data on the Internet is a valuable skill. With the wealth of information available online, the production of original analysis and interpretation may seem like 'busy work' compared to finding the best or most obscure sources. Sometimes I believe teachers often choose to ignore students who are cheating!
Although many instructors are aware of the problem, most feel powerless to stop it!
Many think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas! However, in reality terms like 'copying' and 'borrowing' can disguise the seriousness of the offense.
One of the top two problems facing the country today in my opinion are: (1) Education and (2) Decline in Ethics, as a result of the pressure to publish. I am quoting the meaning of the word 'plagiarize' from 'The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary,' which defines it as - to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own; to use (another's production) without crediting the source; to commit literary theft; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud! It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward! It is indeed a deplorable act and certainly lowers the standard of Ethics. It is truly a violation of copyright laws. In our country due to certain pressures of publication by the regulatory body, peers are in the process of crossing boundaries and violating intellectual property rights. A sheer phenomenon of quantity versus quality.
Then do we see a solution to these problems in the near future? Certainly yes! Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, by citing sources. Simply acknowledge that certain material has been borrowed, and provide the readers / students with the information necessary to find that source.
I take this opportunity to request my colleagues to teach their students that the real skills they need to learn are interpretation and analysis - how to process the information they find, and not to look for easy searching options. I know it takes a great deal of pressure off of those who want to work honestly but are afraid of falling behind their peers.
Friends and colleagues, the easiest thing to do is follow the maxim, 'When in doubt, cite sources.'
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