The silly art of plagiarism
Occasionally, I get confronted by a problem that surfaces. It is called plagiarism. It has to be rooted out in certain areas.
Why do I of all people get confronted by it? Well, that is easy: I am a teacher and sometimes, some students just copy paste stuff from the internet.
Now I can understand that in certain cases it is easier to pick something from the internet and use it. Heck, that is probably how roughly ninety percent of all presentations get made. And even someone as humble as myself does not know everything there is to know, so even I rarely stoop to this action.
After all, apparently I am only human, sad to say.
But it is when it occurs during an assignment that asks the children to be creative that plagiarism really gets up my nostrils. I mean, let us assume for a moment I ask of you to write either an essay or say a poem. Granted, not everyone is a master of these arts, but that is not the point. I want to see, read and discover what you can come up with. Some people write excellently, with a great sense of style and flair and insights that baffle and boggle yet fascinate the mind. Others just write a lot simpler, but still manage to get their own message across, which is part of the reason why you give assignments like the aforementioned.
And still there are those who just do not get it and presume that by copying someone else's poem or essay or what have you, they can convey their own thoughts.
Newsflash: that is not how it works.
The only thing that proves is that you either panicked or were just complacent. The latter is non-excusable. I am sorry, but if you can not even find the time or the effort to put your own spin on things onto paper (or digital, we do live in the 21st century after all), then I have absolutely no mercy whatsoever for your black-as-pitch soul.
So be original, with all its faults and sharp edges, all its ponderings and meanderings. Be yourself, basically. Do not just lazily copy something from the internet. And should you have no other option, at least own up to it by mentioning the original author's name. You owe them at least that much recognition.
Why do I of all people get confronted by it? Well, that is easy: I am a teacher and sometimes, some students just copy paste stuff from the internet.
Now I can understand that in certain cases it is easier to pick something from the internet and use it. Heck, that is probably how roughly ninety percent of all presentations get made. And even someone as humble as myself does not know everything there is to know, so even I rarely stoop to this action.
After all, apparently I am only human, sad to say.
But it is when it occurs during an assignment that asks the children to be creative that plagiarism really gets up my nostrils. I mean, let us assume for a moment I ask of you to write either an essay or say a poem. Granted, not everyone is a master of these arts, but that is not the point. I want to see, read and discover what you can come up with. Some people write excellently, with a great sense of style and flair and insights that baffle and boggle yet fascinate the mind. Others just write a lot simpler, but still manage to get their own message across, which is part of the reason why you give assignments like the aforementioned.
And still there are those who just do not get it and presume that by copying someone else's poem or essay or what have you, they can convey their own thoughts.
Newsflash: that is not how it works.
The only thing that proves is that you either panicked or were just complacent. The latter is non-excusable. I am sorry, but if you can not even find the time or the effort to put your own spin on things onto paper (or digital, we do live in the 21st century after all), then I have absolutely no mercy whatsoever for your black-as-pitch soul.
So be original, with all its faults and sharp edges, all its ponderings and meanderings. Be yourself, basically. Do not just lazily copy something from the internet. And should you have no other option, at least own up to it by mentioning the original author's name. You owe them at least that much recognition.
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