Plagiarism – the Infringing on Copyrights of Online Publications

As a student educated in tertiary institution, there are high probability for me to access some authorized and copyrighted materials through the Internet. These online materials are significant for me to write a high credible and trustworthy essay to support my personally argument. However, the plagiarising issues might arise as inappropriate using those materials without proper citations and referencing.

According to Pichon (2011), as the prevalence of the Internet usage, the blurring line is created about the copyrighted content and free content materials which are posted online for both publishers and commentators. As a result, many plagiarising cases arise from such context. As supported by Atkins and Nelson (2001, p. 101) in their article that ‘is the indisputable fact that the Internet’s rich repository of online texts provides an unprecedented opportunity for plagiarism.’

The prevalence of the Internet has increased the access to texts, people are become more easily involve in plagiarising cases in this 21^stcentury as the result of revolution of text access, from print-based material such as newspaper since last decade to online material.

The Internet vs Plagiarism Issues

                                                                         (Source: Youtube)

In my opinion, the boundless access to text from Internet sources has made this virtual world become uncontrolled by anyone, include the publishers of materials. Thus, this textual revolution has changing the mind of people that they can easily ‘copy & paste’ other’s work without violent the law, as compared to traditional media such as newspapers which are strictly controlled by authorised parties. As supported by Howard (2007, p. 8) that new textual circumstances have revised the cultural thinking and then to lead a relaxation of standards in writing and texting by many students nowadays.

However, as ethical writers, it is important for them to have moral resistance and to put effort to recognise sources fully in their writing. Using this weblog as example, all referencing sources need to put in citation and quotation to prevent plagiarism penalised and to enhance writing’s credibility. As if unethical writers have the ways to access online text and plagiarise it, then the gate-keeping teachers can also access the plagiarised paragraph and catch the offenders (Howard 2007, p. 13). For example, Turnitin.com, is a plagiarism prevention system used in University of South Australia.

Hyperlink is Used in This Weblog to Show All Referencing Sources

(Source: http://liqing222.blogspot.com/)

   

References

Atkins, T & Nelson, Gene 2001, ‘Plagiarism and the Internet: Turning the Tables’, English Journal, vol. 90, no. 4, pp. 101-104, viewed 7 November, <http://web.ebscohost.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&hid=15&sid=e1435048-aff3-44e6-b624-7df440b18e1f%40sessionmgr10>.

Howard, RM 2007, ‘Understanding Internet Plagiarism’, Computers and Composition, vol. 24, pp. 3-15, viewed 7 November 2011, <http://wolff-tfw-fall07.pbworks.com/f/howard-internet-plagiarism.pdf>.

Online Plagiarism Amanda Critical Thinking New Media 2011, YouTube video, Public Service Announcements (PSA), 3 August, viewed 6 November 2011, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teUaPeciUOM>.

Pichon, F 2011, Copyrighted Material: Fair and Unfair Use, EditorsWeblog.org, viewed 7 November 2011, <http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2011/06/copyrighted_material_fair_and_unfair_use.php>.

Turnitin.com 2011, The Global Leader in Addressing Plagiarism and Delivering Rich Feedback, viewed 7 November 2011, <https://turnitin.com/static/index.php>.