Plagiarism has been on the rise among Lowell students, especially honors and Advanced Placement students. The English department voted unanimously to enact a new, hard-line policy on plagiarism this semester. Prohibiting students who choose to imitate others’ work from honors English classes may seem a harsh consequence, but we support the new policy as a necessary measure to stop plagiarism in this school.

Plagiarism is a direct violation of the principles of conduct expected of all students. To take on the demands of the honors curriculum is a privilege that many students wish for, and those given this opportunity cannot take it for granted. Students who cheat on their coursework are not worthy of honors. They deny more deserving students places in honors classes.

The rise in plagiarism is telling of the academic culture created by peer competition at Lowell. Several students interviewed said the need to achieve good grades led them to consider cheating. Students are under so much pressure to do well, they feel the need to lie in order to succeed.

But, there are no excuses for cheating or plagiarism. Students who cannot handle the work that comes with honors level courses must reevaluate their personal limits, independent of their peers and families, and decide whether the “honors” label is worth the additional stress and risk of intellectual dishonesty.

While we welcome this stricter policy, teachers cannot overlook the potential for abuse of power. The English department must ensure due process by laying out a procedure by which students may appeal accusations of plagiarism. The department must also define standards for conclusive evidence of academic dishonesty before handing out punishment. Turnitin.com makes this easier for teachers, but they must plainly establish how much and what components of a student’s work might be plagiarized to warrant the harshest punishment. The primary object of the new policy should not be to expose plagiarizing students and publicly shame them, but to prevent students from committing future acts of plagiarism.

The English department is setting a precedent for the entire school. The administration should consider a stricter school-wide policy on cheating to send the message that the school will not tolerate cheating or plagiarism of any kind.

A version of this article first appeared in the Jan. 27, 2012 print edition of The Lowell.

Illustration by Vivian Tong