In my school days, a friend of mine used to read my assignments before writing his own just to have an idea about the topic. I had no problem with that.
But one day, he copied my assignment word for word. Our teacher was furious about it and punished both of us. After that, I never let anybody read my assignments.
It may seem like a minor issue in homework and assignments, but in writing, like research or publications, it is a punishable offense. Presenting somebody’s content as your own is termed “global plagiarism.”.
It is a global issue, and this type of plagiarism is the most common among students in almost every country. It is also one of the most severe and easiest to detect.
Global Plagiarism
When you take an entire piece of someone else's work, like copying an essay or using someone's old assignment, an image, or even a speech, and pass it off as your own, that's plagiarism. It's not just copying a few phrases or sentences; in global plagiarism, you're taking the whole work of another person.
For example, if you ask your friend to write an essay for you and then submit it as your own, taking all the credit, do you think that's fair to your friend?
The most disappointing part is that you do it deliberately. It's not like you forgot to add a citation or accidentally used a phrase you read somewhere. It's unethical and goes against the whole purpose of learning.
And don’t you ever think about what happens if you are caught? It can lead to serious consequences, such as failing, suspension, or even expulsion.
Different ways of global plagiarism
People copy content in many ways. In school, you might copy homework or an assignment. In music, it can be melodies or lyrics. In research, you might copy data or findings. In content marketing, it can be ideas or strategies.
But academic writing is the most common example of plagiarism, where students or researchers copy text from sources without proper attribution.
Here are four common ways global plagiarism happens:
- Students deliberately copy an entire article from another student or an online source and submit it as their own.
- They buy a paper or hire someone to write it for them and present it as their original work.
- Reuse old assignments from previous classes without permission or proper citation.
- Submit paid or free previously written downloaded papers for academic work.
6 reasons why you should avoid global plagiarism in academic writing
Students are mostly unaware of the severity of copying content. That is why it is common among students to copy each other’s assignments and homework.
Here are 6 reasons why you should avoid global plagiarism in academic writing:
1. It is unethical
Schools teach us ethics; do you think they will tolerate unethical behavior?
Plagiarism is one of the most unethical things a student can do, much like stealing and claiming someone else's work as their own. It undermines trust, violates academic integrity, and devalues genuine effort and learning.
2. It undermines learning
If you stop using your brain and rely on other sources to fulfill your work requirements, how can you learn and improve your thinking abilities?
You need to understand and learn from what your teacher teaches you, focus on your studies, and use your brain to grow and achieve success in academics.
3. Causes severe outcomes
As I mentioned before, it can lead to serious consequences. If you get caught, you could definitely fail the course. You may also be suspended or expelled from your institution, or even have your degree revoked.
4. It is disrespectful
What about your respect in front of your teacher and friends? Can you face them easily after getting caught or failing? When you are stealing someone else's efforts, how can it be considered respectful?
You lose your integrity as an honest person and devalue the efforts of genuine learners.
5. It can be detected easily
Detecting grammar mistakes, robotic language, and plagiarism is not a big challenge for AI tools these days—they have become highly advanced.
With modern plagiarism detection tools, it is increasingly easy for instructors and institutions to identify any form of plagiarism. As a result, it has become very difficult for someone to commit plagiarism and get away with it.
6. Education gets devalued
A degree is not just a piece of paper; it holds significant value. You should respect your degree and the institution that provides your education.
Academic integrity is crucial in college. When you plagiarize, you undermine the value of your degree and the hard work you put in to earn it honestly.
Real-life examples of global plagiarism
- The author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, sued an author in 2008 for plagiarizing substantial portions of her work in a novel titled "The Adventures of Willy the Wizard.
- In 2014, a German defense minister resigned after it was revealed that she had plagiarized parts of her doctoral dissertation, which had been published and made available online.
- Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams paid $7.4 million in 2015 when their song detected some copied elements from Marvin Gaye’s song from 1977.
How to avoid global plagiarism
It is your moral and legal responsibility to avoid any plagiarism. You have to take measures to avoid it. If you have to use it, quote it using quotation marks and provide a reference.
I am writing some tips that I use while writing anything:
- First of all, learn the copyright laws of different countries that protect creative works.
- If you have to copy something, provide proper citations along.
- Check for plagiarism in your work before publishing.
- Rules may vary with the location, so keep an eye on that.
Conclusion
Global plagiarism is a major issue because it involves copying others' work without credit, and it can happen anywhere, especially online.
It has to be avoided because it will not only hurt the original creator but also sabotage your career. Every work of yours will be seen doubtfully.
Having small portions of plagiarism in your content is justifiable; you can say it was a mistake. But you cannot justify global plagiarism.
You have to understand the severity of the offense and have to avoid it. Learn about it and teach others also. Share this article with your fellows so they refrain from doing it too.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of global plagiarism?
When a student copies an assignment from his friend and submits it as his own, it is an example of global plagiarism.
Why is global plagiarism unethical?
Global plagiarism is simply a type of stealing, and how is that ethical? You claim your right to somebody else’s efforts by doing global plagiarism. It is nothing but stealing.
How to avoid ChatGPT plagiarism?
Paraphrasing is a crucial skill for using ChatGPT and avoiding plagiarism. Rewrite the content in your own words, making sure you understand the original idea, and put it in your unique style.