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'''Plagiarism''' is the use of another person's words or ideas with the goal of deceiving readers into thinking the plagiarist originated the ideas and deserves credit for them.  It is considered a very serious offense in the academic world, and students, professors and even college presidents are regularly punished for it.   

'''Plagiarism''' is the use of another person's words or ideas ''with the goal of deceiving readers into thinking the plagiarist originated the ideas and deserves credit for them.'' It is considered a very serious offense in the academic world, and students, professors and even college presidents are regularly punished for it.   

Colleges have elaborate rules on how students can avoid plagiarism by quotations and citations. Note that when academic credit for original writing is not at issue, plagiarism does not happen. Thus officials of government or the private sector often give speeches or reports, and take credit for them, even though some staff member actually did the research and writing. That is not plagiarism because no academic credit is claimed, plus the speech writers are paid for their services.

Colleges have elaborate rules on how students can avoid plagiarism by quotations and citations. '''''Note that when academic credit for original writing is not at issue, plagiarism does not happen.'''''  Thus officials of government or the private sector often give speeches or reports, and take credit for them, even though some staff member actually did the research and writing. That is not plagiarism because no academic credit is claimed, plus the speech writers are paid for their services.

Plagiarism is intellectually dishonest, and in the [[academic]] and professional community is considered to be a serious offense, and can lead to academic suspension, expulsion, or loss of a job. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/media_ethics/casestudy_blair.php</ref>

Plagiarism is intellectually dishonest, and in the [[academic]] and professional community is considered to be a serious offense, and can lead to academic suspension, expulsion, or loss of a job. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/media_ethics/casestudy_blair.php</ref>

==Academic standards==

==Academic standards==

[[Dave Pierre]] of ''[[NewsBusters]]'' quotes Harvard University that define plagiarism and emphasize personal responsibility:

Dave Pierre of ''[[NewsBusters]]'' quotes the [[Harvard University]] definition of plagiarism as cited at Harvard's ''Faculty of Arts & Sciences'' which defines plagiarism and emphasizes personal responsibility:

 

{{cquote|<big>'''Plagiarism is passing off a source’s information, ideas, or words as your own by omitting to acknowledge that source—an act of lying, cheating, and stealing.'''</big>}}

the definition of plagiarism as cited at Harvard's Faculty of Arts & Sciences (click "Writing with Sources: Misuse of Sources"):

 

Plagiarism is passing off a source’s information, ideas, or words as your own by omitting to acknowledge that source—an act of lying, cheating, and stealing.

See also Harvard's "Writing with Sources: Common Questions about Sources" (emphasis added):

See also Harvard's "Writing with Sources: Common Questions about Sources" (emphasis added):