Digital Smarts - The Unobvious Consequences of Plagiarism

Teaching children not to plagiarize is sometimes not as easy as just having a discussion. It is a crime as old as the first pictograph and to kids, it often seems a victimless crime or one they don’t completely understand because there are so many different kinds of plagiarism . What other persuasions can you add to your argument beyond “just don’t do it?” Take a look at the 15+ Unobvious Consequences of Plagiarism in Academia on the PlagiarismCheck.org site to see what teachers from all levels of education have to say on the subject.  Some remind kids that the loss of reputation is everything. Others talk about how it is a killer of creativity, and that students should learn to value their own thinking and learning. The final remarks of one commentator reminds kids that broken trust between students and teachers is very hard to repair.