Why Do Students Commit Plagiarism

A charge of plagiarism can result in a student’s receiving a zero for an assignment, failing a course, and/or being expelled from school; and although instances of plagiarism occurred in the past, with the advent of the Internet and the subsequent ease of information retrieval, it is now becoming almost epidemic in its frequency. Yet, as for exactly why students resort to plagiarism, although the motivations are as diverse as students themselves, there are nevertheless four main reasons.
Lack of Knowledge Leads to Plagiarism
Some students think that as long as they provide a reference at the end of an assignment, they’ve covered all the bases. This, however, isn’t the case, for they must clearly differentiate between their own words and ideas and those belonging to any utilized sources. Moreover, they must do so throughout the entire body of the paper.
Compounding the problem, some students do not understand what constitutes common knowledge, which is information the majority of people already know, as compared to information that isn’t common knowledge and, therefore, unknown to most people, in which case a source must be acknowledged.
Example of Common Knowledge
George Washington was the first president of the United States; and legend has it that he chopped down a cherry tree when he was a child; then when his father asked him if he knew who had cut down the tree, George replied, “I cannot tell a lie,” after which he admitted his guilt.
Example of Knowledge not Considered Common
George Washington first attracted public attention when he carried a message of warning from the governor of Virginia to the French forces that were advancing into Ohio.
Since the latter example is not considered common knowledge, except perhaps to a group of historians, students would need to cite the source:
George Washington first attracted public attention when he carried a message of warning from the governor of Virginia to the French forces that were advancing into Ohio (Columbia, 1998).
Of course, for the above examples, students would also need to provide full biographical data for the source on the reference page:
The Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia (1998) George Washington. New York: Viking Press.
Finally, some students simply don’t know how to cite sources, in which case they should purchase a guide, for example, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or the Harbrace College Handbook, or else ask for assistance from their instructors.
Carelessness Leads to Plagiarism
Some students get careless. They are concentrating so hard on locating information to support an argument, provide examples, and/or substantiate an analysis that they fail to record where they found that information. Then, as a result, they forget which information belonged to which source or if it belonged to a source at all, so they shrug it off and fail to cite a source.
In order to avoid this oversight, students should immediately jot down the source of any information. For example, they might insert the author’s name or an abbreviated form of the title directly after the information. They should, of course, also record full biographical data so it will be available for the reference page.
Desperation Leads to Plagiarism
Some students are notorious procrastinators. They put off assignments until the very last minute. Consequently, in desperation, they resort to plagiarism, perhaps hoping that instructors either will not catch the transgression or, they do, will be lenient and let it slide. Most instructors, however, are adept at recognizing plagiarism and far from lenient when it comes to punishing this serious academic offense.
Obviously, students should not procrastinate but instead, begin assignments well in advance of due dates. If it comes down to the finish line, however, and they have not completed an assignment, students should speak with their instructor and ask for an extension, even if it means a reduction in grade. After all, it’s far better to earn a lower grade than to fail a class or face expulsion from school.
Laziness Leads to Plagiarism
Some students want to get by with as little work as possible. These are usually the worse offenders, for they are most likely to purchase papers from websites that offer papers for sale. They are most likely to copy and paste large blocks of text from online sources and then fail to acknowledge the sources. They are also most likely to “borrow” entire articles and attempt to pass the articles off as original papers.
What is the solution when students are lazy? Sadly, unless they decide to take their studies seriously, the only solution is probably a wakeup call, one that will be delivered in no uncertain terms by an instructor who catches them in the act of plagiarism, rewards them with a failing grade, and perhaps even files charges for academic dishonesty. Then, when they find themselves unable to get into another school because of the grievous “stain” on their academic records, these students will finally realize the seriousness of plagiarism.
Regardless of the seriousness of this academic violation, however, students have always resorted to plagiarism, mainly for the reasons stated but also for other less readily identifiable reasons, and students will continue to do so. After all, it can never be prevented entirely, but if students are educated regarding its possible grave repercussions, perhaps at less a few will make a valiant effort to avoid committing plagiarism, and, ultimately, they will be able to influence their peers.

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