Archive for the 'Plagiarism Discussion' Category

Is Plagiarism a Moral Problem?

Published on 2010/09/01 in Plagiarism, Plagiarism Discussion, Plagiarism News, book publisher and student plagiarism. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Stanley Fish of the New York Times wrote an interesting article earlier this month titled “Plagiarism is Not a Big Moral Deal.” Fish argues that the rules of plagiarism are not something people inherently learn from a very early age.  Stealing a loaf of bread, for example, would universally be considered bad across most cultures.  But stealing somebody else’s words?  Fish doesn’t believe this act has the same moral stigma.

Fish compares plagiarism to golf, in that both have very particular rules that would be hard to determine without learning the playing field first: “The rule that you not use words that were first uttered or written by another without due attribution is less like the rule against stealing, which is at least culturally universal, than it is like the rules of golf…. Plagiarism is like that; it’s an insider’s obsession.  If you’re a professional journalist, or an academic historian, or a philosopher, or a social scientist or a scientist, the game  you play for a living is underwritten by the assumed value of originality and failure properly to credit the work of others is a big and obvious no-no.”

Fish isn’t saying that plagiarism is OK or condoning it in any sense.  In fact, he recounts his own story of plagiarism: a section of one of his books was ripped off, nearly word for word, by another academic.  Fish is stating that plagiarism doesn’t necessarily hold ground in a moral or philosophical sense; but instead plays more of a utilitarian role within specific professional sectors.

In many industries, producing content is a business model. Most publishers produce books, journals, magazines and websites as their means of attracting readership, subscriptions and revenue.  Plagiarism is a direct attack on this business model. If the integrity of a publisher’s content is not protected, it dramatically lessens the value of the service they are providing their customers.

Simply stated, the originality of an author’s content is not the point of a philosophical or moral debate but rather the centerpiece of a business model.  The ability to produce unique content without having it plagiarized is like securing a software or biotechnology patent.  A patent is an inventor’s method of protecting their intellectual property and livelihood.  If a biotechnology firm makes a discovery, it is in their interest to protect their rights to that invention.  In the same vain, an author or publisher needs to protect their content from getting plagiarized.

In academia, the originality of content, whether produced by students or educators, is central to the business of education.  If student plagiarism were to go unchecked it would drastically diminish the value of a degree.  How much would a PhD be worth if the majority of students plagiarized their dissertations?

The rules of plagiarism are certainly not ‘innate’ and need to be learned over time.  This fact, that plagiarism is not entirely common sense,  reinforces the necessity to provide education on plagiarism.  From the time a student enters grade school to their entry into the workforce, plagiarism will be a ‘game’ for which they need to learn the rules.

Citations:

Fish, Stanley. “Plagiarism Is Not a Big Moral Deal“ The New York Times 9 August 2010. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/plagiarism-is-not-a-big-moral-deal/

Perspectives on Plagiarism

Published on 2010/08/04 in Plagiarism, Plagiarism Case Studies, Plagiarism Discussion, Plagiarism News, plagiarism prevention and student plagiarism. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

The New York Times recently published a piece that discussed today’s younger generation and their views on plagiarism.  The article analyzes several perspectives on plagiarism, coming from college students to teachers to parents.  One primary perspective that could explain a recent increase in cases of plagiarism is that the younger generation simply doesn’t know what plagiarism is, and overall has a more laissez faire attitude towards copying content without proper citations.

From the New York Times: “But these cases — typical ones, according to writing tutors and officials responsible for discipline at the three schools who described the plagiarism — suggest that many students simply do not grasp that using words they did not write is a serious misdeed. It is a disconnect that is growing in the Internet age as concepts of intellectual property, copyright and originality are under assault in the unbridled exchange of online information, say educators who study plagiarism. ”

The article also discusses a second possibility: kids know what plagiarism is, but are lazy and don’t have the writing skills to keep up with a vigorous load of college courses.  To keep up the pace they make a conscious decision to plagiarize even though they know it’s wrong.  For this viewpoint, the writer interviews Sarah Wilensky, a Senior at Indiana University who has written on the topic of plagiarism: “If you’re taught how to closely read sources and synthesize them into your own original argument in middle and high school, you’re not going to be tempted to plagiarize in college, and you certainly won’t do so unknowingly,” she said.

There is a third scenario that the article doesn’t discuss:  the possibility that even though people know they are doing wrong, they simply don’t think they will be caught.  For some, plagiarism may be a gamble, but a risk worth taking due to the notion that they have good chance of getting away with it.  For these students, it could be akin to breaking the speed limit in a car:  if they don’t see any traffic cops around they may take the risk.

That’s why one possible solution to the plagiarism problem is to let the new generation know that technologies are in place to ensure students (and authors) are employing best practices in writing.  Modern plagiarism detection software like Turnitin and iThenticate are leading the way in detecting instances of plagiarism by scanning both massive databases of archived content along with more recent internet sources.  Many iThenticate users have seen a similar scenario:  letting people know that their submitted content is going to be scanned by a sophisticated plagiarism detection solution in many cases serves to further curb instances of plagiarism. In a sense, plagiarism detection software can act like a cop on the side of road – the simple presence of the squad car makes drivers slow down.

Citations:

Gabriel, Trip. “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age” The New York Times 1 August 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/education/02cheat.html?_r=2&hp

On the Political Plagiarism Front – Non-issue or Critical Issue

Published on 2010/07/28 in Plagiarism, Plagiarism Discussion, Plagiarism News, Political Speech, Politics and political plagiarism. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

The newest case of political plagiarism to hit the newsstands involves Colorado gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis.  McInnis was caught plagiarizing large portions of “Musings on Water,” which was written in 1984 by current Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hobbs.

It seems that every new case of political plagiarism further raises questions about the integrity and ability of our candidates.  Here’s a quick look at McInnis’ missteps:

Not only did McInnis plagiarize a well-known article on water conservation, but he was being paid $300,000 for his efforts by the Hassan Family Foundation, a non-profit organization.    The organization is currently demanding that McInnis repays the money.

McInnis immediately placed the blame for plagiarism on 82-Year Old Rolly Fisher, a Colorado water expert who helped research the content.   McInnis’ initial statement on the plagiarism scandal read: “Regrettably, it has now become clear that much of the research was in fact taken from other source material without proper attribution. While I do not believe that this was a deliberate act, it was a serious mistake.”

Mr. Fisher claims that McInnis never let him know the research was to be published, and otherwise would have cited his good friend, Justice Hobbs,before passing the research off. Even worse, the McInnis campaign went on to try to force Rolly Fisher to accept full responsibility for the plagiarism, pressuring the water expert to sign an affidavit admitting guilt.

An interview between McInnis and CALL7 Denver Investigative Reporter John Ferrugia reveals more of the blame game:

“Did you write the articles or did you edit them?” Ferrugia asked McInnis on Tuesday.

“Hindsight being perfect, I would have,” McInnis said. “No, I can, I mean, the articles were written with staff assistance. Just like when I do a bill in Congress or when I did the forest plan, I had a lot of staff assistance. I had a lot of economic experts.”

“So you never checked his work?” Ferrugia asked.

“Lesson learned,” McInnis said. “You know, three or four decades, I’ve known [Rollie] all my life. He’s a man of complete integrity, he’s a credible guy, so, no, I didn’t, that’s where a mistake was made.”

The extent of McInnis’ deception is still unclear.  However, one thing is clear: There was an easily avoidable ethical breach under this man’s watch.  And as much as McInnis continues to call this entire episode a “non-issue”, if you cannot effectively govern a $300,000 research project, we shouldn’t hesitate to question your ability to govern Colorado.  Rest assured, more and more political campaigns will determine that using modern plagiarism detection software could be the difference in winning or losing a race.

Citations:

Burke, Tom Kane, Arthur and Ferrugia, John. “Researcher Says Scott McInnis Lied” TheDenverChannel.com 14 July 2010. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/24260453/detail.html

Harrison, Wayne. “McInnis Campaign Staffers Resign Over Plagiarism Flap” TheDenverChannel.com 16 July 2010 http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/24291096/detail.html

Medical Plagiarism – Residency Applications

Published on 2010/07/22 in Plagiarism, Plagiarism Case Studies, Plagiarism Discussion, Plagiarism News, application plagiarism and medical plagiarism. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Doctors have always been held in high regard in our society, for good reasons.  Medical doctors are considered some of the most qualified professionals in any field or industry.  Doctors undergo years, sometimes even a decade, of study, training and practice before they are fully qualified.  Residency is often considered the most important part of a doctor’s training, providing a time to practice medicine while developing a specialization.

We also demand a massive amount of qualification from doctors because we put our lives in their hands everyday.  It is extremely dangerous to the public if a practicing doctor who isn’t qualified slips through – either by deceit or a lapse in judgment within a specific medical governing body.

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine revealed that 1 out of 20 residency applications to the Harvard Teaching Hospital were found to be plagiarized.  Residents of the Harvard Teaching Hospital end up actively practicing at some of the most highly regarded hospitals in the world, including Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. Those plagiarized residency essays that go undetected are essentially letting unqualified doctors through the doors, into the practicing medical field.

Boston.com recently reported on how the study came upon their findings: “To reach their conclusion, the authors examined almost 5,000 personal statements submitted as part of applications to the five largest residency programs — internal medicine, anesthesiology, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine — at the hospital between September 2005 and March 2007. Depending on the specialty, between 28 and 45 percent of applicants nationwide sent their applications to the Brigham, so the authors believe their results mirror what may be happening across the country.”

If this is a trend within residency applications across the country, it is certainly alarming.  Imagine the uproar if a hospital declared that one out of twenty of its practicing doctors were unqualified; they had skipped some integral portion of their training, and yet they would still be treating patients.  The residency application is an integral portion of a doctor’s training and admittance to a prestigious medical program – they would normally be considered unqualified if their essay didn’t ‘cut the mustard.’  Plagiarized essays are falsely representing residents who are accepted into the program and then go on to practice.

Not only is the ratio of plagiarized essays alarming, but also the specific portions of the essays that were found to be plagiarized.   Some of the most personal segments which included stories and anecdotes of student experiences with illness and death were found to be completely fabricated.  Although the medical profession is often considered to be strictly scientific and data-driven, in reality it is incredibly personal.  In many cases, a good doctor should not only be able to diagnose and cure, but also be able to deal with patients on a ‘human level.’ A resident who completely disregarded this portion of the essay and plagiarized somebody else’s work should not be considered fit to practice.

Plagiarism prevention can come about in two ways.  The residency program first needs to educate potential residents on what plagiarism is.  In many cases, a resident may simply be unaware of plagiarism and the reason it is wrong. The second step is to create a ’safety net’ using plagiarism software.  Any applications that are still plagiarized can be weeded out using modern day plagiarism detection software that can cross check any submitted content with archived works and online content.  Using these plagiarism prevention methods, we can ensure the integrity and quality of medical practitioners.

Citations:

Cooney, Elizabeth. “1 in 20 residency applications contain plagiarism, study finds.” The Boston Globe, NY Times Co. 19 July 2010.  http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2010/07/_dr_scott_segal.html

Plagiarism and Google’s Changing SEO Landscape

Published on 2010/07/13 in Google, Plagiarism, Plagiarism Discussion, Plagiarism News, SEO and iThenticate. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

The Financial Times recently wrote an interesting article that examines the creation of tailor-made content based on the traits of Google’s search algorithm. While this practice has existed for some time with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the process seems to be evolving as more big businesses realize the importance of appearing on Google.

Traditional search engine optimization has the goal of taking existing web content and giving it better online ‘real estate,’ where more people can view it.  This is achieved by providing good ‘directions’ for Google’s web crawler, including the use of title tags and target keywords.

A website can also gain better placement by providing relevant, quality content on a regular basis.  This content lets Google’s algorithm know that this website is important in regards to a specific search term.  Recently, several companies have latched onto this notion by creating a large quantity of content based on recent Google trending topics, as well as filing ‘holes’ in topics that don’t yet have readily accessible content.

For example, a company might have an article written on ‘how to flay a fish,’ because there are not many SEO friendly websites that already have published a similar article.  Using a number of resources, including web portals with high page rank and relevant keywords, the company can then expedite this article to the top of the search results for users querying ‘how to flay a fish.’

From the Financial Times: “Demand Media is part of a wave of online media companies that have risen to prominence with low-cost, high-volume content. Yahoo, through its recent purchase of Associated Content, and AOL, which has also invested in the large-scale production of low-cost content, are among the household names to try their hand.”

Although this process is great for predicting what users are searching for and creating a wealth of online content specifically tailored to them, the content is also at a high risk for plagiarism.  Companies like Demand Media outsource thousands of writers to take on the task of building their content database.  With such a large output, there is always the risk of a writer plagiarizing content without properly attributing sources.   Although Demand Media utilizes editors to review the content before it is published to an online portal, they have also found that using plagiarism detection software is of great value to their service.

iThenticate is Demand Media’s plagiarism detection solution, allowing the company to produce a large quantity of online content while also being reassured that their articles are original.  Using iThenticate, a Demand Media editor can cross check any submitted article against a massive database of existing on and offline content and detect instances of duplicate content.

As search engine marketing and optimization continues to grow more integral for companies, plagiarism will continue to become more of an issue.  Only with an adaptive and cutting-edge technology like iThenticate can a company keep up with this burgeoning search engine marketplace while maintaining content integrity.

Citations:

Waters, Richard “‘Groups magnify chance of Google Hits.” The Financial Times Ltd. 12 July 2010. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ec7cb18c-8dda-11df-9153-00144feab49a.html