Can words and ideas become stolen?

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.

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:

• to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
• to use (another's production) without crediting the source
• to commit literary theft
• to present as new and original idea or product derived from an existing source

​Is it Plagiarism to Pay Someone to Write for Me?

Paying someone to write an assignment for you is contract cheating, unethical, and does not allow you to own the work you buy.

Plagiarism Policy

Institutions that are prepared to prevent or handle plagiarism benefit from higher levels of academic honesty. This section contains best practices and advice for building educational integrity policies to support your education community.