Why Instructors Are Concerned About Plagiarism

In order to understand plagiarism, it is worthwhile togenerally the next step is for you to write a paper in
understand and respect the process of sharing andwhich you analyze one or more aspects of what you
creating new ideas in the university setting. First, itjust read. Thus your opportunity to explore the new
should be understood that all knowledge is built fromstructure you build. If that is too abstract, let's keep it
previous knowledge. Very little that we do within thesimple. When instructors are asking you to site your
world of academics or business would be possible if itwork they really want to know the following things:
were not for those who went before us. As we read,Â- First and foremost they want to know that
study, experiment, and gather perspectives, we areyou actually read the assigned work.
merely "standing on the shoulders of giants". This is notÂ- Second, they want to see that you have a
to say that all that can be learned has been, it justclear understanding of the material you've been asked
simply means you realize the process of knowledge isto read. By the time you reach university the
less about the individual and more about fields of study.instructor's job is to challenge you as a student, not
However, by building on other people's ideas, wesimply supply you with facts.
hopefully create our own original thought.Â- Third, professors want to see you refer to
So what happens when you put your ideas down onyour sources to support the ideas you have
paper? When you do this your instructors will be abledeveloped. Professors will generally only assign books
to distinguish between the building block ideasor essays by authors that they respect. Thus citing
borrowed from other people and your own newlyspecific pieces of an authors work gives the
reasoned perspectives or conclusions. When you writeprofessor a chance to see whether or not you were
a research paper or essay you make theseable to pick out the key concepts.
distinctions by citing the sources for your building blockÂ- Fourth, and probably the most important,
ideas. On a side note, giving clear credit for your ideasprofessors want to see that you can distinguish your
matters in the professional community as well as theanalysis from the author's analyses. Anyone can recite,
academic community.but analysis takes more work.
So why are professors so strict about citing sources?Lastly, remember that when you cite a source you are
Think of it this way: in the vast majority ofusing an expert's ideas as proof or evidence of your
assignments you'll be assigned while attendingnew idea. It is important to communicate this clearly to
university, your instructors will ask you to readthe reader. Do not think of sources as a way of filling
something. OK, easy enough. These assigned books,your paper with random facts, professors want to
journals, essays, and papers are the building blocks forknow what you think.
your new thought. Upon reading you assigned work,