Why is plagiarism scientific misconduct?

One of the main pursuits in science is to gain a better understanding and knowledge about the world we inhabit. This is done by testing hypotheses and theories, or by presenting new ideas, attitudes or perceptions. To let all this knowledge grow in a structured, organized and falsifiable manner, it is necessary to know who is responsible for which information. Scientists therefore agree to refer to each other’s work when presenting their own contribution on the matter. This way the scientific method is maintained and scientists get recognition for the work they provide.

When you commit plagiarism, you suggest you did the work of others yourself. This is at the expense of the precision and reliability of the scientific method and the credibility of yourself as a scientist. Plagiarism is therefore taken very seriously and depending on the severity, several penalties may be taken (The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity Revised Edition, 2017)