Plagiarism is a form of cheating, theft or stealing, and deceit. When you plagiarize, you are:
Misconceptions
Do not be misled by these common misconceptions:
Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense:
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.
According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).