As Pennycook puts it, “the borrowing of words is often discussed in terms of 'stealing,' of committing a crime against the author of a text” and “originates in the peculiarly Western conjunction between the growth of the notion of human rights and the stress on individual property” (14). In North American universities, plagiarism is generally considered a serious offense, with negative consequences ranging from a verbal warning to expulsion-being removed from the University.
Punishable here meaning that one may face failure of that assignment, failure for the entire course, and/or suspension/expulsion from that university.įor a detailed discussion of plagiarism, see: Avoiding Plagiarism on the Purdue OWL. Occasionally, ESL students are unaware that in United States universities this is a punishable offense called plagiarism-the academically dishonest practice of using another’s words or ideas as your own. Introductionĭo you find yourself struggling to meet your instructor’s expectations for your writing when you are learning not only the subject matter, but also the English language? Does your instructor talk about the importance of “writing in your own words?”Īccording to scholars like Pat Currie and Alastair Pennycook, writers new to the English language might copy language from published works in order to cope with their challenging learning situations and busy academic schedules. Exercises on plagiarism can be found on the Purdue OWL by visiting: Safe Practices: An Exercise. Additional information on plagiarism in general can be found one the Purdue OWL by visiting: Avoiding Plagiarism. This resource provides a look at plagiarism and the unique situation faced by many ESL writers working and learning in North American Academic contexts.