As high school and college students, and even in the professional world, we are asked to research and write about topics that are considered important. The research we are asked to do has been done many times in the past, which means that people are forced to use the ideas and words of others without any acknowledgment, sometimes even without knowing it. This leads to plagiarism, which many people have heard of, but never learned the true definition and the damage it can create. Schools and society need to be more proactive in explaining what plagiarism is, how to write correctly in order to prevent it and teach the consequences of plagiarism. What is plagiarism? According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, “to plagiarize” means: “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of others) as one's own, to use (the production of others) without crediting the source, to commit literary theft , present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source” (“Plagiarism Merriam Webster,” 2014). Few people realize this, but plagiarism is an act of fraud since you steal something and claim it as your own (“Overview-Plagiarism,” 2014). It may seem that copying text is irrelevant under the law and is not important enough to constitute a crime, but US laws recognize original ideas as intellectual property. The original ideas and words documented are protected by copyright law (plag.org). An additional source, The Writing and Humanistic Studies of MIT, states that the definition of plagiarism is: Plagiarism is the use of someone else's ideas or language without recognizing that they have not been created by you. This definition applies to unusual ideas, words and structures, regardless of where you find ...... middle of paper ...... integrity and plagiarism. (nd). English language and literature. (2014). Accessed January 20, 2014, from https://liberal-arts.wright.edu/english-lingual-and-literatures/university-writing-program/academic-integrity-and-plagiarismAvoiding Plagiarism. (nd). Writing and humanist studies. Accessed January 20, 2014, from http://writing.mit.edu/wcc/avoidingplagiarismOFFICE OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND STUDENT CONDUTION. (nd). Code of Conduct. (2012). Retrieved January 20, 2014 from http://www.wright.edu/students/judicial/integrity.htmlOverview - Plagiarism.org - Best practices for ensuring originality of written work. (nd). Plagiarism.org. Retrieved January 20, 2014 from http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/overviewPlagiarism. (nd). Merriam Webster. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism