Media Issue #2: Plagiarism: The Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V boom

(Source: www.bbc.co.uk)

Does academic takes originally to build? What is plagiarize? Merriam Webster Dictionary defines "plagiarize" as stealing or passing off (ideas or words of another) as one's own or use another's work without crediting the source. According to BBC News, not only students are crossing the boundaries, a German minister also commits plagiarism on his doctoral thesis and Colonel Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam  also make an unknown writer as his own PhD thesis. Imagine that, plagiarism is totally out of control (BBC, 2011).

However, these are only the cases we saw on the news, the issue of plagiarism in the world of academia and publishing has been around for years. Everyone can access to Internet anytime and anywhere, students use Internet to find sources in order to support their writings, the truth is are they use these sources as reference or make as theirs? Although there is a computer programme called Turnitin to detect plagiarism essay, but it is still a machine. The best lie detector is human, through observation and being sharp on catching grammars, vocabulary, writing style etc. 

Not just happening in academia, but also in the world of publishing, such as journalist and editor. The problem of plagiarism is increasing day after day and it is uncontrollable. In fact, Helene Hegemann argues that "There's no such thing as originality anyway, just authenticity." What she means is from copying to mixing can make a different. Indeed, there are people who agree with her statement, but what about the high standard in academic level?

Hence, whether you are writing for publication or academic, always remember to avoid plagiarism. The choice is up to us as a writer. First, use quotation mark (" ") on phrases of certain works from someone else and cite them appropriately (Blancett, 1993 & King et al., 1997). Rogers (1993) also advices that we should always consult any expert authors, editors, related professionals to avoid plagiarism. 

Judy Hunter from Grinnel College states the three reasons why citation is important:

1. When you wrote a new idea, you want others' to cite you if they use use credit. Hence, citing sources is important because these ideas are belongs to the academia. 

2. If you use someones' idea without credit them, you are violating the person's ownership of the particular idea. If is unfair to the original source if you steel it. 

3. These "new" ideas are the trace of the genealogy ideas. This is because when you do not cite the sources in a correct way, your new idea which also inspired from someone else's idea is unable to trace back when your "new ideas" are passing down to the next generation. 

Of course, being an ethical writer is rather contradicting. In general, integrity is the reason to being ethical. A piece of your work should comes from integrity, then credibility, and last, people read the essence of your writing. There is no need to argue what is right or wrong, conflicting is why people are having interest on these issues. Indeed, the Clt+C and Clt+V is the new form of writing, just remember: Ethical, Copyright and Integrity (Sivek, 2010).

References: 

Plagiarism: The Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V boom, 2 March, BBC News, viewed 7 June 2011, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12613617>.

King, C.R., et al. 1997, Peer Review, authorship, ethics, and conflict of interest, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, vol. 29, p. 163-167.

Biancett, S.S. el al. 1995, Duplicate publication in the nursing literature, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, vol. 27, p. 52-56.

Rogers, B 1993, Using the words and works of other, A commentary, AAOHN Journal, vol. 41, p. 46-49.

Sivek, S.C. 2010, The Ethics of Digital Magazine Advertising, Media Shift, viewed 7 June 2011, <http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2010/04/the-ethics-of-digital-magazine-advertising-118.html>.

Hunter, J n.d., The Importance of Citation, Grinnell College, viewed 7 June 2011, <http://web.grinnell.edu/Dean/Tutorial/EUS/IC.pdf>.