WHAT IT IS, WHY IT
MATTERS, AND HOW
TO STOP IT
P L A G I A R I S M
When you plagiarize you essentially steal someone
else’s material that they worked hard to create. This
theft of ideas is unethical. You also cheat yourself out
of a genuine educational opportunity. Lastly, copying
another’s academic work is unlawful. Plagiarism is
considered a Class 2 Misdemeanor in North Carolina
and can result in jail time/community service and hefty
legal fines.
be investigated by the Assistant Vice President for
Student Affairs
have a conference with the Vice President
possibly have academic credit revoked for that
particular assignment
According to the GC Student Handbook, any student
suspected of plagiarizing will:
Recycling your previous content from
old papers/courses may sound like a
good idea, but it is still considered
plagiarism because you are not
adequately applying yourself to the
assignment at hand by generating
fresh, new work.
Plagiarism is the practice of taking another’s
work/ideas and claiming them as your own. Although
some countries may see taking others’ ideas as a form
of respect, in countries like the United States plagiarism
is a serious issue.
WHAT IT IS
Even if you do not intend to copy your
past work or another’s work, it is still
considered plagiarism when you take
content that does not belong to you.
WHY IT IS A PROBLEM
While Gaston College does not have an extensive
policy concerning plagiarism, four-year universities
will expel students who plagiarize.
