World Wide Web Makes Copying Easy.

The World Wide Web is the home for millions of pages of information on every topic the human mind has been able to conceive. It also is a home for plagiarism, according to Stuart Offenbach, professor of psychology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "As of now, there is no good form of electronic protection to prevent someone from just copying what's on your Web site. With a mouse and a few clicks, you can write the classics."

As a psychologist, he understands why plagiarism is considered such a large offense in academia and journalism. "It helps if you look at the roots of the word plagiarism. It means a kidnapping. To the author, it's the equivalent of stealing a child; there's nothing more precious for a writer than his or her own words. It gives you that same sinking feeling as when you walk into your house and find that someone has broken in and stolen a family heirloom that can't be...