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Sari Horwitz suspended for plagiarism

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Versatile, Mar 16, 2011.

  1. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    It's pretty hard to check for plagiarism. You basically have to wait for someone to read something and then point it out that they've read it somewhere else before.
     
  2. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    So, how the hell can they say they've checked out the rest of her stuff and are satisfied that these are the only incidents?

    Isn't there some software that you can use?
     
  3. sgreenwell

    sgreenwell Well-Known Member

    Some universities have software to check for plagiarism, but I think the issue with online journalism would be the sheer number of sources you'd have to incorporate into a database. For example, Rhode Island has "only" about 20 papers, and only five or six of them put every article online.
     
  4. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    As far as the "what might have been going on in her life" defense, here's a primer for any journalist tempted to plagiarize because of stress in one's life:

    Do not do it.

    Call in sick. Claim it as a "mental health day." Offer to take a day of unpaid leave. Tell the boss you got lied to by a source and have to rework the story. Lie and say the dog ate your laptop. Risk being labeled "lazy" and "unreliable." Do anything to get through that day without cutting-and-pasting.

    Because being labeled a "plagiarist" is worse than all of the above and might be the last label you ever earn as a journalist.

    (I still think fabrication is way worse than lifting some other journalist's work and palming it off as your own, though.)
     
  5. inthesuburbs

    inthesuburbs Member

    Just for the record, it's impossible to cut and paste from a Web site.

    You can, however, copy and paste.
     
  6. Big Circus

    Big Circus Well-Known Member

    Here's a story on a cheating scandal from a well-known gut class at UVa from when I was there. The prof used a computer program to weed out plagiarism. The school doesn't publicize honor verdicts unless the student requests it, but it's my understanding that in this case (reuse of papers) they expelled the students who plagiarized, but not the ones who let their papers be reused.

    http://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2002/hall-may-6-2002.html
     
  7. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    DING! DING! DING! :D :D :D

    what the heck is the worth of a 'zero tolerance policy' if it becomes a 'zero tolerance unless you have a good exuse' policy? ??? ??? ???
     
  8. Again, it's wrong. No argument there. But depression, for one thing, can make us act completely out of character. Too many here love to condemn others, despite having next to no information. Life isn't about blanket statements. Condemn if you want. I don't care. But there are plenty other explanations for abhorrent behavior other than the common "she's/he's a douchebag", "lazy" or "morally corrupt" explanations that are cheerfully shelled out by people here.

    OK, I'm done. Fire away.
     
  9. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    i'm not covering her with any of those 'blanket' descriptions. nor would i minimize depression, but it's incredibly unfair to toss the possibility out there as an excuse.

    all we know at this juncture is what has been reported. based on that, i and other have come to the conclusion that sari committed a 'capital offense' in our profession. this is a friggin' message board in which we make points ALL THE TIME regarding events that may yet to be fully formed. but it's all we have to base our OPINIONS on.

    if it turns out she is 'clinically depressed' and requires time and treatment to get through it, opinions may then change. until then she should consider herself mighty than fortunate to still have her job at one of the most prestigious papers left standing, and that strangers on a message board are treating her more harshly than her employers have.
     
  10. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    My take is simple: It's possible for me to have empathy for a person and his or her struggles and still recognize there are lines a professional shouldn't cross.

    Knowing nothing more about her situation than what's been posted here, I wish her better times ahead.
     
  11. It's at least equally unfair to condemn her in knee-jerk fashion, as has been done here, without knowing all the facts.
     
  12. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    man, would this be a boring MESSAGE BOARD if we only did that. fetch me a beer, newbie!!
     
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