Plagiarism

[terryandrene]

Plagiarism is the practice of claiming or implying original authorship of (or incorporating material from) someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into one's own without adequate acknowledgement.

Since it is very easy to steal content from the web by simply copying and pasting, the problem of online plagiarism is growing. This phenomenon, also known as content scraping, is affecting both established sites and blogs.

I copied the above paragraphs from wikipedia, and since I am referencing Wikipedia and am now giving them credit for the writings contained on their site, I am not plagiarizing, I am copying.

We have observed many instances of posts on EO recently, where it was obvious that the poster was not the author of all or part of the posting. Using the web to research a topic is a wonderful thing, quoting the fruits of that research can be a wonderful thing if the author of the work is given attribution.

Let us all keep EO a reputable expedited freight information center by giving credit where credit is due.

 

[60MPH]

Terry are you talking about like when someone copy's spec's of something off a manufacture's website??? like tire's or other gadgets??? Or is it just when someone copy's something from like the washington post then put's it up here without giving the author credit?? Just wondering

 

[60MPH]

Had to look at my catch phase there I am plagiarising something-- MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU I got this pharse from the movie " STARWARS ESP. IV A NEW HOPE -- DIRECTOR GEORGE LUCAS- WAS SAID IN MOVIE BY SIR ALEC GUINNESS -AKA- OBI-WAN KENOBI. IT WAS SAID TO MARK HAMMIL-AKA- LUKE SKYWALKER. It was said many other times but this is the first time I can remember hearing it on the big screen. I do not know who wrote the phrase so I can only give the actors credit.

 

[nightcreacher]

think he was talking about a coup;le post i put in from email that i received,but in no instance did i say i had written it

 

[terryandrene]

60: I'm talking about all of the above. Some things like manufacturer's specs specs are obvious, but a reference to the source would not only be appropriate to the owner of the material, it would be useful for the reader to be able to verify or expand his knowledge.

More common on here and other sites is the copying of all or a significant part of an article from the archives of a news source or magazine, book or journal and not giving the author credit. When a poster has a signature line under his post, that poster is implying, either intentionally or unintentionally, that all of the post is his creation.

For example: I recently posted a Trucker Slang list in the Newbies FAQ. I gathered this list of about 250 slang words and phrases from many sources, some from other lists on the web, some from listening to the CB radio, some from EO members. All of these words and terms are in the public domain and I did not copy any list from any source. When I first posted a short list a year or two ago, I added words to the list and gave credit to the persons providing them. My recent list was merely a revision of the original and I plagiarized no one.

A second example is a posting about a I-64 closure in STL that I researched and developed and posted, giving credit where credit was due. I also sent this to my carrier for dissemination to the fleet, which they did. While visiting another website, I saw my article posted there over the signature of one of that site's members. I was not given credit (nor would I have wanted credit) for the work I created. That was plagiarsm

 

[terryandrene]

Now I'm not trying to ruffle feathers and neither made nor implied and reference to Nightcreachers posts, nor to sig lines that are quotes of everyday phrases like "may the force be with you". I also am not referring to any of the myriad jokes and phrases that we all pass along from time to time, unless you claim to be the originator of that joke when we all know its been around since hector was a pup. I am mainly talking about articles written by someone else, republished here and not giving credit to the author.

 

[nightcreacher]

no feathers ruffled sir

 

[arkjarhead]

It can also get you kicked out of college. Last semester in my US History 1 class a guy copy and pasted a term paper from Wikipedia. The instructor found the paper online. Then the instructr noticed that the orginal author made 18 typos and gramar errors in his paper. Then he discover the student made the same exact 18 mistakes. He was suspended, and flunked all his classes. It's a form of theft. Simple as that.

 

[cheri1122]

I'd like to give credit to the authors of the song from which my sig line was copied, "I'm on my way" by Craig and Charlie Reed, aka The Proclaimers, because it's a great song, and they deserve the credit.
Terry is right to point out that the copying of another's words, without attribution, is theft, and could lead to legal action, should the author desire.

 

[TeamCaffee]

A good analogy would be if you traced Mickey Mouse and then signed your name to it!

 

[x06col]

Wow!! This is getting pretty business like round here. Jes wonder'in why a member'd be so concerned?? But, i'll try not to fuffel any fedders by plagertoot'in.

 

[Paul56]

The relevant sections of text should be in quotes followed by a reference to where the proceeding quote... in quotes... was obtained from.

I'm certain I've posted at least something on this forum that could be found on the Internet.

Yes, I knew it... I used Google to search "relevant sections of text" and found 8850 hits. LOL

 

[copdsux]

I have asked, on a couple of occasions, that someone share where their information came from. One this week was asking where the poster got the material to post what amounted to a hatchet job on a presidential candidate.

I think it only fair to give attribution to the author, if known. Or, at least tell us where you found it, so that those of us that would like to dig a little deeper can do so.

 

[Turtle]

I think it only fair to give attribution to the author, if known. Or, at least tell us where you found it, so that those of us that would like to dig a little deeper can do so.

People in informal community forums such as these tend to think and write the same way that they tend to think and talk to others directly. It's rare that in a conversation with a friend that one would make it a point to indicate where they read or heard something that they are using to make a point.

However, in face-to-face communications if one were to pull out a paperback and point to a paragraph or page (or pages) for the other to read, it's equally rare that the reader would be unable to know the name of the book or who wrote it. The same should apply here.

Formal footnotes are quite unnecessary in such an informal forum as this, but if one chooses to copy and paste large chunks of text, the very least they should do is provide the source so that others who wish to dig a little deeper into the subject can do so easily.

I will often (well, not often, on occasion, well, once in a while, well, not very often, but it happens) snag a sentence here or there, or perhaps an idea, and use it make a point. But it's always my point, and not someone else's passed off as mine.
I am not prepared to defend another's point, only my own.

When one passes off another's thoughts and ideas as their own, they inevitably tumble when pressed to defend it. There was no thought process to reach their conclusions, they have no self-reference, and therefor have no solid foundation on which to stand.


"When you steal ideas from two or more people it's not plagiarism, it's research." - Comedian Steven Wright, who stole it from playwright William Mizner.

"Influence is used as a nice word for plagiarism." - Gilbert Gottfried, Comedian

"Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation." - Edward R. Murrow, Journalist

"Self-plagiarism is Style" - Alfred Hitchcock, Filmmaker

 

[dhalltoyo]

Everything that is being said, or will be said in the future, has been said before.
- Reverend David Hall

Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
- God

The above references can be verified. Everybody feel warm and fuzzy now.

PS. I have been on the road so I am just getting up to speed on your concerns. No problem! I replied in the proper forum regarding the attributes to the so-called hatchet job. Of course, it was only so deemed by those with a differing point of view or should I say those with a differing political allegiance. I never even considered calling the disrespectful comments regarding Senator McCain a "hatchet job". Oh well, I guess you can bury the axe now. Wait a minute and allow me to turn around for you. Now I can't be accused of not being gracious.

 

[kg]

Original ideas in the truck driving world, what a thought!







just my opinion

 

[silverdollar]

Someone meeds a job.

 

[greg334]

You know if we go down the path of foot notes and such, it will not be worth it. If someone asks, ok throw out a link.

As for copying others stuff, there are two things that stick out that I am going to comment on.

As far as list go, there is no way one can determine an authorship of a list, it is like saying just because the AFI has a top 100 list, my list is a copy of theirs - which it is not.

As far as what happened to Terry, it's happen to me, even here. My political rants that I posted have ended up on other sites without my knowledge or even referenced. Even things I posted here, that I copied from my other site(s) (should I have asked permission from myself?) has been taken and posted as someone else's - I say big deal it is not worth the effort to chase everything down. I feel it is necessary to cover myself so I have most of my rants on file with where they were posted and when and I have my work fall under non-commercial fair use governed by Creative Commons.

As Turtle pointed to the facts of an informal forum, I say let's keep it that way but do follow up on people's questioning of things when they arise.

 

[dieseldiva]

Wow!! This is getting pretty business like round here. Jes wonder'in why a member'd be so concerned?? But, i'll try not to fuffel any fedders by plagertoot'in.

Agree Col, while giving credit where credit is due is a good thing, balance in all things works for most. Let us not forget where we are here lest we discourage the common person from participating at all.

First spelling and grammar complaints, now plagiarism, before we know it, Rhodes Scholarship will be required for membership or posting privileges.

It's not rocket science folks, it's small business for some and simply TRUCKING for others.

 

[cheri1122]

No matter what the subject, atrocious spelling & grammar is rude, IMO, and presenting the words of another as your own is dishonest. Common courtesy and truthfulness are not too much to expect, I hope. (And neither bears any relationship to intelligence)