Introduction
Writing and speech activities are often used in universities and other educational institutions as form of learning assessments. Relatively, it could be understood that somehow, this form of assessment aims to make a distinct impact on how much students are able to retain in their thoughts and are likely going to be able to apply once they have already left the classrooms and are already living within the real walls of living. This is the reason why it is important for the students to note on how much worth these written activities actually have on their marks and the way they are going to be seen in the actual world when they are already specifically looking for a job or a profession that would define their real-life status which would actually identify well with the kind of future that is waiting for them.
However, it could be realized that somehow, writing and speech activities involve a distinct utilization of both time and effort that could provide an assurance on how the works would turn out to be. There are instances when students often try to find an easier way out from the process than actually learning from this form of assessment. Due to the desire of doing other things and spending their time on other matters such as dealing with their friends or completing other works that have been assigned to them accordingly, some students try the best to find other resort to be able to complete their task immediately. One of the resorts that students take is the option that the internet provides. Usually, this act is noted as plagiarism. Question is, what really is plagiarism and how does it affect the actual concept of learning that students undergo at present? In the discussion that follows, a distinct indication on what plagiarism is and how it redefines the culture of learning among modern students shall be given specific attention to.
What is Plagiarism?
The terms ‘copying’ and utilizing the words and ideas of other writers without their knowing or without referencing the resources [may it be a book, a journal or a person who verbally mentioned about the said words]; and publishing the said works as another person’s writing. The wrongful process of utilizing such words often brings about the sense of confusion especially on whose ideas are actually posted in the publication. Students however see this matter lightly; considerably, they see it as an escape from thinking on their own.
Writing and other works relatively dedicated to the expression of one’s thoughts and understanding as well as one’s opinions about a particular matter or a certain subject often requires research. Research is however a tedious task that invokes the need of a person to seek through a number of references, gain a definite understanding of the topic to be discussed and gain a specific command of authoritative expression regarding the issues included in the discussions. This would require both effort and time from the author of the said works; these two elements are things that most students may not want to render.
As a response to this need, the students then go to the internet, hoping to get the information they need to complete their researches especially required to give a better and higher quality of value to their research pieces. There is however the existence of scrupulous act of ‘copying’ and ‘pasting’ information from the internet. This process is noted as a relative process of plagiarizing. This process has long become decay of learning culture for most modern students at present. Another aspect that puts the students in trouble is the act of patchwriting; whereas the students hope to complete their tasks through paraphrasing thoughts and written ideas from other authors; however they fail in actually defining the lines from their references through the use of their own words. In a way, this is not an act of plagiarism, however, it could not be denied that somehow, such action creates a distinct impact on how the finished written works turn out to be.
The Emergence of Plagiarism in the field of Education
Presenting another’s work as one’s own is considered as an academic act of stealing. The thoughts and ideas of another person [especially those posted in published works] are considered as intellectual properties. Once another individual uses such thoughts, he is held responsible for quoting or paraphrasing the said lines and making sure that he references the original owner of the said thoughts. Considerably, the inability to do this makes the act scrupulous and punishable under academic rules and policies that particular universities impose.
The act of plagiarism and the way it has gone under the covers through the past years have specifically affected the culture of learning among students and how they view the importance of particular assessments used to redefine the way they are able to grasp the real value of the subjects and the lessons presented to them in class. More students become accustomed to the idea of simply copying or referring from available information online and specifically handling the most crucial points of the most determining aspects of their learning process. Considerably, it could be understood that somehow, there are instances when students begin to lose idea on how the development of learning is supposed to tread and how it is supposed to affect their personal and professional development accordingly.
The capacity of learners to become more effective in the way they understand their lessons and gain the best value from what they are presented in class is specifically being affected by the way learning process takes place especially in relation to the way students handle their responsibilities of writing and research. Likely, it is because of this that the learners at present are beginning to lose the essence of what learning is about. They also begin to lose the essence of what critical thinking is about and how it is supposed to affect the way they reason out and give attention to the critical issues in the society they need to discuss in most of their written activities. This aspect of the plagiarism culture specifically hurts the real value behind learning and studying options provided by the universities and other learning institutions as a means of mental training to their students.
Another aspect of downside that the culture of plagiarism has especially affected the way the students view the value of honesty. Most often than not, it could be realized that when this value is removed especially in relation to how the students understand the need to be honest, the situation affects their whole being especially in relation to how they distinctively separate the ethical issues of being able to pass on their own works and the need to simply finish their tasks that they are assigned with. This specifically creates a distinct impact on how the behavior of the students become more effective especially when it comes to developing an understanding to manage the situations that are relatively connected to the idea of being honest with what they do. In a way, plagiarizing seems to be a distinct impact on how the value of honesty is stripped off from the characteristic of an individual. In a way, it affects the overall being of a student into becoming a more responsible individual and a better person who can handle the different challenges that life offers accordingly.
Conclusion
Based on this discussion, it could be learned that plagiarism involves more than just the copy-pasting culture that students develop through the internet resources. It invokes the capacity of a person to develop according to the values of honesty and hard work. In the long run, it is feared so much that with the intensified process by which plagiarism is becoming a common culture among modern students, these young learners’ behavior would be hurt from such idealism on presenting a scrupulous work as their own.
This is the reason why it is very important to control the situation relating to plagiarizing among students at present. Doing so would protect the students from developing wrong attitudes towards their learning and their behavior towards personal growth. With such hurtful effects that are left by plagiarism on the part of the students, it is expected that the young learners at present would develop wrong attitudes towards facing the most crucial challenges in life. Somehow, others might see this as an over assumption to the matter in concern; nevertheless, taking it seriously could create a more distinct impact on how plagiarizing could be controlled if not stopped among universities and other learning institutions around the globe today. Relatively, being able to control the situation would serve a great value towards developing more dependable and ore responsible students who are able to face the great challenges in life on their own with the right skills and capacities needed for them to survive the overall context of what real living is all about. Writing, research and other tasks asked of students to complete in school are mere points of training that are specifically needed to create a more dependable individual; getting the most out of them through applying proper culture and practice is then considered essential and helpful in helping individuals live through an honest way of culture that does not only affect their scholastic activities but their whole living culture as well.
Reference:
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McBride, K. (2012). Patchwriting’ is more common than plagiarism, just as dishonest. http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/everyday-ethics/188789/patchwriting-is-more-common-than-plagiarism-just-as-dishonest/. (Retrieved on February 27, 2014).
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