Written by Shawn 2022 Cohort
From academics to publications, plagiarism is always considered serious misconduct. It can range from copying a paragraph from a book without citation or presenting others’ research as your own. The problem of plagiarism happens widely, causing copyright infringement and stealing other people’s academic achievements. Therefore, it is essential to prevent plagiarism, especially in colleges where the situation is more common.
In my country, an imperial examination system existed for thousands of years, similar to the modern one in western countries. According to historical records, plagiarism was rampant and even included famous literary figures[1]. In a highly competitive environment, many people take risks to gain better social status and living conditions.
However, the plagiarism problem persists, even with the development of technology that makes it easier to detect. Individuals need to understand the importance of academic integrity and the consequences of plagiarism. Nowadays, most universities in China require students to submit well-formatted papers that follow proper citation guidelines and low levels of duplication. This requirement is often only raised near their graduation, understood and applied in the final thesis. In other words, due to insufficient supervision, most students need more time to understand this concept during their undergraduate studies fully.
In the process of browsing SFU’s academic integrity document[2], I was impressed by the comprehensive regulations within it. It explains the definition of academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, and provides clear guidelines for proper citation and referencing. It’s encouraging to see that universities place a high emphasis on it in Canada and take steps to educate students on its importance.
As a student, avoiding plagiarism is crucial, and there are many ways to achieve this. For example, get familiar with citation guidelines, properly cite sources, and seek help from professors or advisors to ensure our work is original and maintains academic integrity.