Just Say No to Plagiarism

Admit it, we've all taken the easy way out at least once in our lives. There have been plenty of times when students use SparkNotes instead of actually reading a book, when we Google the answer to our problems, or when we take shortcuts when driving home from work. But what happens when journalists try to take the easy way out?

Plagiarism is one of the biggest crimes to commit in the writing world. While one of the worst, it is also one of the easiest. How simple is it to just copy someone else's work and then stamp your name on the byline? It saves endless hours of searching for the perfect story; the perfect quotes, the who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Unfortunately several journalists under pressure have turned to this blatantly unethical tactic, such as New York Times reporter Jayson Blair, famous for plagiarizing and fabricating several of his stories. Blair resigned from the Times once he was caught, costing him not just his job, but his credibility as well. A journalist's credo is to always be honest and truthful in their reporting, and plagiarism is one of the biggest manners in which this belief is violated.

Taking the easy way out doesn't fly in the journalism world. Sure, it may spice up a seemingly dull story, and it may save time and effort, but journalists, before you plagiarize ask yourself this: is it worth risking my job and my credibility as not just a reporter, but a human being?