A Few "Appropriated" Words

One of my favorite collections of items to r, r and r (read, rate and review) on this site, are the Static Items. I'm always surprised and entertained by the tremendous depth, as well as wide cross-section of topics that are so freely available to look at. I'm particularly interested in Editorials. Editorials, as a genre, are often timely, thought-provoking, informative, and good at generating wider debate. A good Editorial is also generally well-researched and sourced. A technique which should be strongly evident throughout the Editorial-style article.

However, sometimes, I've observed items where I've suspected that writers are presenting material that is poorly acknowledged. Or, not referenced altogether. Either by accidental oversight, or through the deliberate use of an opinion and/or material belonging to some other source. From time-to-time, I understand how this can happen. Good backgrounding and researching techniques involves a particular set of skills, including the ability to keep accurate note-taking and editing records.

Yet, all of our words do have some sort of belonging or origin. To not appreciate their proper role, place and value, not only reflects a lack of basic literary awareness, but also seriously undermines the intergrity and validity of everything that we subsequently strive to write.

To use intellectual property without permission or adequate acknowledgment is a form of intellectual theft. In academic circles, such 'borrowing' is often referred to as plagiarism. As Oregon State University's official website student guide describes it, "In Latin, the word, plagiarus, means kidnapper or plunderer. So, as a consequence, plagiarism is a bit like someone stealing something that's your personal brain-child" (Oregon State University: OSU).

A finding of plagiarism conduct on the part of a student at university level is considered to be a serious academic crime. In many cases, this will result in a fail final grade. At worst, such conduct may result in the exclusion of the offending student from the university. Most academic staff are now professionally mandated to report such behavior. Further, many university campuses are well-versed in the now widespread online availabilty of so-called "editing services". These are web-sites where your university research paper can be, in effect, written for you entirely. Part of this 'process' may involve uplifting entire chapters or sections from pre-existing papers or texts-invariably without any acknowledgment at all.

Numerous guide-books are readily available at local libraries, as well as online, that cover basic techniques for citing material. When in doubt, it's likely still better to offer some form of referencing, rather than providing no explanation whatsoever.

Most everyone is in agreement; that this is a scourge on the intellectual property landscape. To some, it may not seem to be a major issue. Yet, to those of us writers who put our whole selves' into whatever that we choose to write, it seems like so little to ask. Please-give credit where credit is due, and let everyone benefit from the generous gifts that writing bestows on each of us.