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What Is Plagiarism?

HeIsRisen2018

HeIsRisen2018

Dramione love 3333
Member
It seems like a silly question I know but even though I know it means taking credit for something that isn't yours is it possible to do it unknowingly? I mean most everybody on here (if not everyone) already knows that I have a news thread. Even though I copy and paste the sources for my reports I reword (or sometimes word exactly) a lot of what the actual newscasters were saying. Does that count?
 
for_his_glory said:
No, it's not plagiarism. Rewording is just making it your own with the topic/facts that has been presented.
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Not sure that isn't plagiarism. Making changes of some words while actually presenting someone else's ideas is treading on thin ice. In this case it may not be, but in general if it were an author's words or a speech, expressing the same thing with just some modifications could be plagiarism.
 
"Eighty six years ago our ancestors created in this land a new country, produced by liberty."

That would be swiping the Gettysburg Address from Lincoln. Unless the speaker clearly gave credit where it is due and explained why they were doing this.
 
In a way I think there's a lot of plagiarism that goes on in the world. When I was in school doing a research paper after every source of information there was needed a reference or a number that corresponded to a bibliography listing all the sources at the back of the paper. Some times multiple references per paragraph.

However I don't see that kind of behavior in news programs, tv shows, movies, or books, or in everyday conversations. For the most part people take the ideas of their peers, their parents, and what they see or read, and adopt those ideas as their own. Repeating what their parents say, or their peers say, or what they read in readers digest and other magizines.

That isn't an excuse to continue the trend. Nor do
I think you do this HeIsRisen2018 when you post news articles. Because you give the reference for the news article.

Honestly, I don't think plagiarism matters much unless your writting a resurch paper, making a documentary, or making something that can make some money later. Outside of that it doesn't matter if you reference someone else's ideas, anymore then it matters to quote Harry Potter lines in casual conversation. Just be honest where you got the information from if asked. (Which you do when you post the link to a news article).
 
"Plagiarism is the wrongful appropriation and stealing and publication of another authors language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions and the representation of them as one's own original work." -Wikipedia
 
So what about fan fiction then as I write and read a lot of that, of course I don't try to sell my work for profit either.
 
Plaigerism is only going to get worse as time goes by.
Most books are done through the independent market these days. Anonymous thieves come and steal the works then repost them elsewhere for quick profit.
Same with music... bootleg music, movies, and books has just about gutted these industries. Almost to the point that truly talented don't bother. Why make the hard, years worth of effort in producing a saleable piece of work just to get it stolen and given away.

Soooo

Where no one snowflake feels responsible for the avalanche...the town got destroyed anyway.
 
Bull of the Woods said:
Not sure that isn't plagiarism. Making changes of some words while actually presenting someone else's ideas is treading on thin ice. In this case it may not be, but in general if it were an author's words or a speech, expressing the same thing with just some modifications could be plagiarism.
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Plagiarism would be taking that of what someone else wrote and saying it is your own. That's why it is important to copyright things. Now if I take the subject or topic and study it for myself and write down my findings, even if they agree with the original then that is my article on the same subject.
 
for_his_glory said:
Plagiarism would be taking that of what someone else wrote and saying it is your own. That's why it is important to copyright things. Now if I take the subject or topic and study it for myself and write down my findings, even if they agree with the original then that is my article on the same subject.
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Yeah but my question was never actually answered regarding fanfiction. I never actually claimed any of my fanfiction to be my original work (at least the characters the plot is usually mine) but I don't always make a disclaimer either.
 
HeIsRisen2018 said:
Yeah but my question was never actually answered regarding fanfiction.
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Oh boy, here goes another one of my "grey area" answers. I don't believe there is a definitive answer for whether fanfiction is plagiarism, either legally or morally. A general filter is whether you profit from it monetarily; then it probably is plagiarism. If you're just having fun, some people say no problem, others disagree. Personally I think it depends on the exact situation, but is still a judgment call.
 
KevinK said:
Oh boy, here goes another one of my "grey area" answers. I don't believe there is a definitive answer for whether fanfiction is plagiarism, either legally or morally. A general filter is whether you profit from it monetarily; then it probably is plagiarism. If you're just having fun, some people say no problem, others disagree. Personally I think it depends on the exact situation, but is still a judgment call.
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No, as I mentioned before, I definitely don't do it for profit, just for entertainment. :biggrin
 
HeIsRisen2018 said:
Yeah but my question was never actually answered regarding fanfiction. I never actually claimed any of my fanfiction to be my original work (at least the characters the plot is usually mine) but I don't always make a disclaimer either.
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Fan fiction would be nothing more than your own critique on the characters and the plot of the story. No plagiarism there unless you are using another's critique as your own.
 
for_his_glory said:
Fan fiction would be nothing more than your own critique on the characters and the plot of the story. No plagiarism there unless you are using another's critique as your own.
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How do you mean? Fanfiction is writing new stories using existing plots and characters that someone else created. It's not done for profit, only fun.
 
KevinK said:
How do you mean? Fanfiction is writing new stories using existing plots and characters that someone else created. It's not done for profit, only fun.
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That's what I meant by critique as making it your own story line as you use the same characters and existing plots, but changing the plot line making it your own, but not for profit, but only for fun.
 
Fanfiction is fun stuff...it can be a parody or serious. But since it's just for practice writing and not for money no one cares... well the original author cares as well as the publisher because this fan fiction generates free publicity and excitement for upcoming new releases.
Original Star Trek series as well as Star Wars had a ton of it...in fact some of it got published and paid royalties.

Currently Harry Potter has the most fan fiction... Chronicles of Narnia has some too. A lot of Japanese Anime has a good bit too. Werewolves and Vampires rounding it out.

I'm trying to remember what else has a bunch of fanfiction going on...but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.
 
for_his_glory said:
That's what I meant by critique as making it your own story line as you use the same characters and existing plots, but changing the plot line making it your own, but not for profit, but only for fun.
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Oh...well that's not what the word critique actually means ("a detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary, philosophical, or political theory").
 
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