Plagiarism not to be taken lightly

For as long as students have been required to write papers, teachers and professors have been talking about plagiarism. Most students have realized that whatever they write had better at least sound original, and if they do choose to quote another source, they need to take the time to put it in MLA, APA or whatever format their professor wants it in.

The Constitution states that Congress has the power and responsibility “to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.”

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce.

Regardless of whether one supports the extensiveness of these laws, it is undeniable that many students fail to grasp the full importance of protecting their own intellectual property, nor do they truly understand all the fuss about respecting the work of others.

Branding one’s work is a long and often difficult process, but if a person is partial to an idea, it is important to go through the process of obtaining a patent, copyright, trademark, trade dress or trade secret.

It’s also important to realize that people unknowingly break copyright laws every day. Quoting a person without giving them credit, drawing a trademarked symbol in a public place or downloading illegal music all violate these laws.

Though it is agreed that some artists and business go overboard in the quest to protect their work, people have to understand that they are stealing others’ thoughts and ideas.

These images, slogans and secrets come from gifted and creative minds that have helped shaped the society we live in, and we ought to respect that.

Liz Price is a communication junior and may be reached at [email protected]