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Plagiarism question

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Write-brained, Apr 6, 2008.

  1. Let's say this is hypothetical. :)

    If someone who works for the same newspaper chain or company - but not the same newspaper - as I do lifts a bunch of paragraphs from my story and sticks them in their story - do you consider that plagiarism?

    I do.

    If we worked for the same newspaper then no. But it seems wrong for someone who is my competition - even if we work for the same company - to use my stuff word for word.

    My best guess is that someone who would do such a thing probably thinks its OK since we're from the same company, or else why would they do it? They would have to know that I would probably read their story.

    Yet a part of me can't help but think someone who would do that is just a dumb fuck who, if they'll steal from me, will steal from anyone.

    What are your thoughts?
     
  2. JBHawkEye

    JBHawkEye Well-Known Member

    It's stealing. Doesn't matter if they work for the same company or not. If you're not given any credit, that's stealing.
     
  3. It's plagiarism in my eyes. I agree that it would be different if the person was at your paper - especially if they were writing a story and using your previous reporting as background - but if the person went into the archives and lifted a couple paragraphs for their story without attribution, it's plagiarism.
     
  4. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    Absolutely plagiarism. Copyright isn't even the issue here, it's the act of using someone else's work and representing it as your own.

    Did he just lift quotes, or your own writing as well?
     
  5. Let's say entire sentences, word for word, from multiple stories. No quotes.
     
  6. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    Did you tell your editor?
     
  7. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    Let's say this is hypothetical.

    If someone who works for the same newspaper chain or company - but not the same newspaper - as I do lifts a bunch of paragraphs from my story and sticks them in their story - do you consider that plagiarism?

    I do.

    If we worked for the same newspaper then no. But it seems wrong for someone who is my competition - even if we work for the same company - to use my stuff word for word.

    My best guess is that someone who would do such a thing probably thinks its OK since we're from the same company, or else why would they do it? They would have to know that I would probably read their story.

    Yet a part of me can't help but think someone who would do that is just a dumb fuck who, if they'll steal from me, will steal from anyone.

    What are your thoughts?
     
  8. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    All right, I'm officially confused ...
     
  9. If this were to happen to me, I would have already told my editor who would quickly make a phone call to the other guy's editor. I wouldn't know what that editor's decision would be, though.
     
  10. I'm suing you, you bastard.
     
  11. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    It's plagiarism.

    I say HANG THE BITCH!
     
  12. I would have thought by now someone would say this wasn't plagiarism. But I guess it's unanimous.
     
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