IntroductionWilliam W. Savage, Jr., writer and history professor, has certainly felt the implications of plagiarism, which involves dishonesty, deception, theft, and betrayal. Despite the fact that plagiarism is serious o∂ense, not much has been done to rectify the situation in which Savage has found himself. It should be noted that in court of law, the consequences of dishonesty, deception, theft, and even betrayal, all involve some sort of punishment or disciplinary action. Somehow, though, in cases of academic dishonesty, these laws just do not seem to apply.Savage, in opinion piece, My Favourite Plagiarist: Some Reflections of an O∂ended Party, chronicles triumphs and conquests in multiple attempts to implicate and shame his plagiarist. In the abstract to essay, he indicates that a professor may build substantial career in the modern university by stealing the words of others, as long as care is taken not to steal too many at one (Savage, 2003, 2i4). In Savage's experience, this is precisely what has happened. First, he found that his had copied someone else's words and had used them in an article. Some time thereafter, Savage's own words became the written material of his plagiarist, not only once, but several times. After many attempts to try to bring this culprit to justice, and few meaningless apologies written to journals in which plagiarized material had been published and to Savage himself, the plagiarist still continues activities and remains renowned faculty member at institution, much to Savage's frustration (Savage, 2003). Savage has gained the personal satisfaction of catching and implicating favourite as the only means of justice in situation.In more highly publicized case, renowned historian Stephen Ambrose was accused of lifting several paragraphs from the work of another historian, Thomas Childers, and in 2002 placing them in own book, Wild Blue. Instances of plagiarism in many of other works were also found by researchers (Lewis, 2002). Much like Savage's favourite plagiarist, Ambrose himself issued apologies to those he o∂ended and received minor slap on the wrist. Ambrose was regarded as master of biographical, presidential, and military histories. Perhaps we should forgive and forget? Try to tell that to the authors who were victimized by choice to take their eloquent prose and use it as own. He capitalized on the intellectual capacities of others. David Plotz assessed this situation perfectly: Ambrose's assertion that he's not thief is ludicrous. One plagiarism is careless. Two is pattern. Four, five, or more is pathology (Plotz, 2002, i).Certain questions may come to mind concerning the nature of plagiarist and or her actions. Does it really make di∂erence who plagiarist is? He or she could be famous historian. On the other hand, he or she could be college student. In light of these two examples, we must also briefly consider the means of punishment for each. Savage's favourite and Ambrose received mild sanctions for their actions. Apologetic statements were su[double dagger]cient in their cases, and perhaps more scornful watch by those o∂ended by their actions, but nothing more. Mark Lewis, in Forbes.com article on Ambrose, points out that students get failing grade on paper when caught in the act of academic dishonesty (2002). Did Ambrose fail on account of plagiarism? Not by long shot. Ambrose still garnered publicity and profits from many works. He made minor changes to some of the books called into question, but is this fair compensation to the authors whose material he used (Plotz, 2002)? As we will see later, plagiarism can deeply a∂ect those victimized by the action on number of levels of complexity.From this brief analysis, we may say that life just isn't fair. …