Plagiarism

Plagiarism is important to avoid for a few good reasons.  First, is because it is unethical.  It is stealing someone else's ideas and calling them your own.  Second, your teacher is having you do research for a reason.  You don't get any good out of claiming somone else's writing to be your own.  You won't actually learn anything about your topic if you just copy and paste everything.  Third, plagiarism could void any credibility that you have.  It doesn't come off as good when you claim someone else's ideas are your own.  Fourth, is the academic penalties.  In some colleges you could be expelled for plagiarism or you could just receive a zero on the paper.  This is because it is illegal and colleges don't take it lightly that you are trying to cheat your way to a degree. 

Kunka, Jennifer. "Research." Prentice Hall Reference Guide. By Muriel Harris. Custom Edition for Ozarks Techinical Community College ed. Upper Saddle River NEw Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2011. 378-79. Print.