Dealing with Plagiarism

**Selorian** · 05-17-2009 06:05 PM

It appears we've had a case of plagiarism here at WF. We believe we've taken care of the problem and the plagiarist, but we are advising our members to check their own work--something everyone would be advised to do from time to time anyway.

A simple way to check would be to take a random line from your work (posted anywhere online) and paste it into a Google search enclosed in quotes. Check every entry that comes up, even if you suspect it's one of your own, just to be sure. If anyone has other ways of checking, please share them here.

As writers, we need to protect ourselves to the best of our ability from the pathetic leeches who would sink to stealing someone else's hard work and calling it their own.

**The Backward OX** · 05-17-2009 07:52 PM

I half-suspected to whom you referred, checked, and sure enough I was correct. I must say it doesn’t surprise me. In the past, some of that person’s posts (in non-creative forums) came across - to me at least - as lacking substance and authenticity. Even the choice of username seems with hindsight to be axiomatic.

**Baron** · 05-18-2009 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

I half-suspected to whom you referred, checked, and sure enough I was correct. I must say it doesn’t surprise me. In the past, some of that person’s posts (in non-creative forums) came across - to me at least - as lacking substance and authenticity. Even the choice of username seems with hindsight to be axiomatic.

The wisdom that comes with 20/20 hindsight, eh?

**ash somers** · 05-18-2009 03:49 AM

edit: never mind

**The Backward OX** · 05-18-2009 03:56 AM

Edit: Me too.

**Sound of Silence** · 05-18-2009 04:25 AM

This has had a knock-on effect for a lot of people, especially those who know the person involved. Deeply, deeply, shocked. I'm just glad the site in question handled everything so professionally. Hats off to them for saying no so strongly to plagarism.

**Rob** · 05-18-2009 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Selorian

If anyone has other ways of checking, please share them here.

I guess you could set up Google Alerts on some key (preferably unique) phrases in your story. I haven't used Google Alerts for this myself, but have used them for other purposes, and it just occurred to me that it would probably fit the bill. Basically you set up alerts on specific search terms, and you get emailed when the terms appear updated somewhere on the internet. More info here.

Google Alerts

Cheers,
Rob

**alanmt** · 05-18-2009 07:33 AM

PLease clarify: someone posted a piece here that had been plagiarized from elsewhere? Or a piece here had been stolen and posted elsewhere under someone else's name?

Also, why hasn't the perpetrator been publicly identified?

**The Backward OX** · 05-18-2009 08:11 AM

The perpetrator has been publicly identified. You just need to be lucky enough to find the spot where the identification takes place.

**Mermaid on the breakwater** · 05-18-2009 09:07 AM

I think the ideas Rob has offered over on LM, I believe, for protecting your own work are worth considering.

**The Backward OX** · 05-18-2009 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Rob

I guess you could set up Google Alerts on some key (preferably unique) phrases in your story. I haven't used Google Alerts for this myself, but have used them for other purposes, and it just occurred to me that it would probably fit the bill. Basically you set up alerts on specific search terms, and you get emailed when the terms appear updated somewhere on the internet. More info here.

Google Alerts

Cheers,
Rob

Don't anyone tell Sam about this or he'll be getting email alerts every time a ManUtd player soils his undies. Which he will then pass on to us.

**butters** · 05-18-2009 10:14 AM

as a submissions handler for fantastic horror magazine, this both shocks and concerns me. i know it is a big wide web world out here, but i always thought plagersim as such an unrewarding venture as to just not happen.
at least now i can bring this up at the next meeting and perhaps find a way to protect our writers... if there is such a way.

there is a part of me that feels truly sorry for a person with no words of thier own. i can only view him or her as one with a serious handicapp.

**Rob** · 05-18-2009 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by butters

i know it is a big wide web world out here, but i always thought plagersim as such an unrewarding venture as to just not happen.

I've seen it happen before on another forum. Someone posted a number of short stories, and after a while it was realised that they were all stolen from other people. That was a while ago. I know of some other isolated cases. Not that many. To be honest, much of what's posted online isn't worth stealing, so it's kind of self-limiting.

But you should always be aware of the possibility. If you expose your work anywhere online, even in access-restricted forums, you run the risk of having it stolen. The odds may be small, but it could happen. The safest path is not to post work that you wish to submit, or have published, in a public forum.

Cheers,
Rob

**Baron** · 05-18-2009 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by alanmt

PLease clarify: someone posted a piece here that had been plagiarized from elsewhere? Or a piece here had been stolen and posted elsewhere under someone else's name?

Also, why hasn't the perpetrator been publicly identified?

This person has taken work of other poets and published them on many internet forums as her own. As her activities have been so widespread it comes as a surprise to me that she hasn't been named here, as she has on other forums that have had to deal with this sad affair. The only indication that I can find on this site of who the perpetrator is can be found here.

http://www.writingforums.com/publish...ovios-paz.html

**Rob** · 05-18-2009 01:08 PM

Thanks Baron. That is one cool poem.

Cheers,
Rob

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