Plagiarism is a serious academic crime.
Plagiarism, from the Latin "kidnapper," is the presentation of another's words, work or ideas without attribution. It is, according to Yale University, "considered a form of theft, a breach of honesty in the academic community." A student plagiarizes when he buys a paper, submits the work of a friend or hires someone to write papers for him. Copying and pasting whole passages without using quotation marks and attribution, or simply quoting or paraphrasing without acknowledging the source, are other forms of plagiarism.
Fail or Rewrite the Assignment
If you are found guilty of plagiarism, you will at the very least have to rewrite the assignment or fail it. Professors of introductory courses often discuss plagiarism in the classroom or in their syllabi to ensure that all students know what plagiarism is, so the likelihood that a plagiarizer will go unpunished by claiming ignorance is slim.
Receive a Low or Failing Grade in the Course
If a professor discovers that you have plagiarized, she may bring you up on judicial charges. If you are guilty of plagiarism, most colleges will look at their honor or judicial codes to determine what the consequence will be. The code at the University of Maine at Farmington, for example, dictates that the student's course grade will be reduced by a full letter, so a final grade of "C+" will turn into a "D+." A second incident results in a "F" with an "X." The "X" denotes failure due to plagiarism.
Conduct Probation
Some colleges may place you on conduct probation. Iowa State University describes conduct probation as "a period of review and observation during which the student must demonstrate the ability to comply with university rules, regulations and other requirements stipulated for the probation period." This may be as simple as keeping a clean record during the probationary period, or a school may also require you to demonstrate your trustworthiness in some other manner, perhaps by meeting regularly with a college official or counselor or performing public service.
Suspension from School
Depending upon the school's policy and your judicial record, you may be suspended from school. Suspension means that you must leave campus and stop attending classes, but you may return at the start of another quarter or semester, after the suspension period ends. The suspension may affect your financial aid.
Expulsion from School
The ultimate academic consequence of plagiarizing is permanent expulsion from school. Most schools will not resort to this first, but depending upon the circumstances, expulsion can happen. The University of Maine at Farmington, for example, will expel a student who has been found to be responsible for plagiarizing three times. Other factors at other schools may include the student's judicial record and her year in school. Colleges may treat upper level students more harshly.
Lose Your Degree
If you have graduated, but are later discovered to have plagiarized in the course of getting your degree, the college may revoke your degree. The University of Maine lists this as a consequence, and in 2007, Ohio State University revoked the master's degree of a mechanical engineering graduate after the school discovered he had plagiarized parts of his thesis.
Tags: University Maine, conduct probation, Farmington example, from School, from school