Media reports frequently highlight the ills of plagiarism in academic circles. The immediate reason behind plagiarism is that universities require teachers to publish or perish, forcing them to contribute to journals or write books for which they fall back on already published materials.

Some argue that it's impossible for people to complete their research in a short period. Or say why don't they work harder?

Considering the hard life an ordinary Chinese teacher leads, we may excuse them for their behavior. But people working in many other fields work hard.

Plagiarism should be a taboo for all teachers irrespective of whether he/she teaches in an "ordinary" school or a reputable university. It is time we eliminated the plagiarism malaise once and for all from academia.

Lixin670504, via e-mail

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(China Daily 10/20/2011 page9)