.

Having said this, of course, there are degrees of plagiarism. Normally I will give a paper a grade of “0” if more than 20% of the text of the paper is identiocal to some other published source without attwempt at citation. If a major assignment such as a research paper were found to be plagiarized, it would probably lead to a failure for the course. However, there are some schools which will expel a senior for plagiarizing a majhor assignment.

If plagiarism is permitted, why should teacher bother to read students’ work at all? And since the temptation to copy is so great, the anctions to discourage it must be severe as well.

Someone would take it so if it was their child that was plagiarized. They did the work. they made the effort. they finished the work

Expanding on another’s ideas is fine, even more than fine. To take someone else’s ideas and say they are your own, is worthy of death…thus, the “grave” offense.