How to Avoid Plagiarism

chillibreeze writer — Ranganath Prasad

Let me read it this way: Plagiarism: How to avoid blame. Now, that is plainly an invitation to commit plagiarism: And royally at that. Not at all abhorring plagiarism, seems like the prescription is to look out for ways and means of breaking free of being accused of plagiarism. The caption sounds synonymous with ‘plagiarism that leaves no trail in its wake.’

Why, my this very essay shall subscribe to all those parameters. As I have not contemplated about the topic by now, I set about now. My personal library being bereft of encyclopedia, I go surfing the internet. Copy and paste. Copy and paste. Copy and paste. It then boils down to just a bamboozling linguistic exercise1.

The definition of ‘Plagiarism’ goes thus: the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. I admit that it is from www.dictionary.com. Did I set a new debate in motion: Plagiarism Vs Pilferage? For now, let’s dissect that definition and understand it in true spirit.

Unauthorized use: As if there is an Authorizing Agency! Well, there isn’t just ‘one’ agency; there are several, viz., the likes of us who do it ‘authoritatively and successfully.

Close imitation is objectionable all right. So just keep it a bit removed. Isn’t that a good tip?

Language and thoughts, not vice versa. Thoughts have to play second fiddle to language. Language can overpower thoughts. This is what I referred to as the ‘linguistic exercise’ entailing brevity and culling out miscomprehension. Who hasn’t heard of the literary exercise of a debater speaking ‘for’ a topic first and then speaking ‘against’ the same topic, and succeeding in being equally convincing in both the conflicting campaigns?

Of another author: This is another subtlety. In these days of excessive reliance on the www (both branded and free encyclopedia being part of the www), there is the probability of the ‘other author’ too belonging in the fraternity of the likes of us (plagiarists you say)! Wherefore s/he would rather not own up authorship. Goes without saying that there simply is no ground for her/him to object. Wither plagiarism.

Representation as one’s own: After all such precautions and cautions, will our effort be just a representation?’ No. It will truly be original. If it is not for this method, how else will a new original originate? An exceptional soul that ‘creates from nought’ is a Brahma. Others are humans. There is no third category called plagiarists. If in fact census enlists some quarantined plag(ue)iarists, they are just the ones who are in the academic process of graduating to become human. They should be considered as nursery pupils and not as offenders, for their works do not gain currency in any significant measure.

Let us give it a bit more serious thought. Why does one borrow knowledge? There can be two explanations: Economic reasons and personality enrichment. The latter exercise is truly desirable for it only takes knowledge further. In the former case it is termed plagiarism, musings whereabouts will lead us to greater issues like the marketplace maneuvers that warrant plagiarism, the lack of wholesome quest on the part of the seekers, the need to set right the tastes of the denizens who revel in third rate literature, uncharted personality development of each newborn etc., which are beyond the scope of this article.

‘Taking cue’ and not ‘copying’ should be the unswerving principle in seeking knowledge/information. The hard fact rules nonetheless that it is worth taking the risk of plagiarism, for the proportion of on-record indictment vis-à-vis the amount of pertinent crime is so negligible as to be non-existent.

1Well that was more for this essay's sake. I feel it pertinent here to inform you of a recent experience of mine. I did a copy for the brochure of an upcoming international school. I did not refer the www, wherefore my copy was not an average of a few samples. It was, I must admit, a first hand exercise in scripting the 'Introduction,' 'mission statement' and 'vision statement', and the draft was accepted and appreciated in toto. A copy shall be made available if desired.

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Ranganath writes for chillibreeze.

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