Regis University ED205 Research Blog

Plagiarism: Here we go again

Paul Betty — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:22:55 +0000

Politicians. When will they ever learn? You may recall from previous posts that plagiarism seems to be the norm in politics these days. Want further proof? According to the Boston Globe, Scott Brown lifted whole parts from an Elizabeth Dole speech given at the start of here 2002 campaign. And once again, we see an instance of brazen plagiarism being swept under the rug with excuses of ignorance and technical misshaps. What bothers this librarian the most, is that, “Oddly enough, some of Brown’s material was recently the object of plagiarism in June 2010 by a Tea Party Republican congressional candidate in North Carolina. William Randall was accused of lifting policy positions from Brown’s campaign website for use of his own.” You’d think they would of learned by now, huh? Remember folks, plagiarism is no quick fix, and it will catch up with you in the end!

Information wants to be free…but it ain’t (Part 2)

Paul Betty — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:27:37 +0000

As a librarian I am often asked what its like to work in a profession that many believe will become obsolete due to the rise of the internet. I firmly believe that libraries will remain relevant for many reasons (the freedom to read, as institutions that support and build communities of practice and well being, as resources for business research and as business partners, and more), but one of the biggest reasons being that information is now a commodity that is bought and sold, often at a steep markup. The amount of information the library provides access would cost each individual millions of dollars. Don’t believe me, take a look at George Monbiot’s editorial from the UK newspaper the Guardian entitled Academic publishers make Murdoch look like a socialist. Editorials often employ hyperbole to emphasis their arguments, but as someone who works in an academic library, I will testify that George is barking up the right tree on this one. Monbiot hits on a number of important points: information monopolies, the surrender of rights by information creators (i.e. giving it away for free), the impact and exorbitant cost of highly rated journals, and what he calls “economic parasitism”. Please give it a read, and then ask yourself this: Are you ready to pay $31.50 for each and every article you read while pursuing your degree? If your answer is no, then you have a reason to support and use your library!

P.B.

Information wants to be free…but it ain’t.

Paul Betty — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:46:02 +0000

Take a look at this NYT times article covering the criminal allegations against Aaron Swartz. Without doubt, many of you would agree that hacking in to a secure computer network is a criminal act. But what about downloading millions of documents, documents that are made available for free to students at M.I.T. and other institutions of higher learning? Whats so wrong with that? Let us examine this statement, “Institutions like colleges and libraries pay for access to JSTOR, which is then available free to their users.” What is missing here is an explanation of the license agreement that is typically signed between the institution (i.e. M.I.T.) and the information vendor (i.e. JSTOR). The content that JSTOR offers is provided to users affiliated with the institution that signs the license. In the license, there is language that explicitly states the terms of use that are acceptable under the agreement entered by both parties. Acceptable use often qualifies as use by an individual for academic or professional reasons. Here is where the problem arises. It’s really hard to argue that an individual needs to download millions of articles for personal use. And as such, Aaron’s actions would be in violation of the license, even if he had accessed the network legally.

Current copyright law does not account for models of open access. In addition, copyright laws favor the commercialization of information, allowing strict lines to be drawn between owners of information and users of information. Most libraries support open access, and at its core, what Aaron is fighting for is worthy and just. But one must realize that while information wants to be free, it’s not.

P.B.

Pass this on: Lessons from the telephone game

Paul Betty — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:34:43 +0000

Remember the “telephone” game? Or maybe you called it “grapevine” back in the day? The game where one person starts with a phrase, tells it to the next person, and then he/she repeats it to the next person, and so on all the way down the line. And do you recall how almost inevitably the original phrase or message was corrupted once it reached the end of the line?

So why all this reminiscing of a childhood game? Well, “grapevine” or whatever you want to call it embodies a phenomenon that demonstrates some of the inherent pitfalls of human communication and our ability to recall accurately information we have heard, read, or seen. A prime example of this phenomenon is summarized in this article from Time Magazine: “After bin Laden’s Death, (Mostly) Fake MLK Quote Goes Viral”. What strikes me as most important about this example, and the game itself, is that despite honest intentions by all parties to communicate accurately the original message in its entirety, the more it is filtered, the more likely the message is to be corrupted and shaped by those who pass it on. Also apparent in this case is our willingness to attribute comments to a particular author, in part b/c they sound or feel like something the author would say. And might I add a third takeway, which is that the author of the original Facebook quote did not make it clear where her opinions ended, and where the quoted materials began. One would not expect such precision from a Facebook profile update, and by no means am I faulting the author of the Facebook post. But change scenarios, and think about such an occurence in a work place or academic setting. Such confusion would be very undesirable.

So beware of the telephone game as it applies to information on the internet. There is a reason why your instructors ask, or even require you to use primary sources or empirical research articles. These source types represent the origin of the information, the start of the telephone line. As a student researcher you want to seek out the original source, which in part allows you to contextualize and interpret the information on your own, without having to rely on others. Thankfully, in the digital age, it is easier than ever to trace back the flow of information, to work your way back up to the start of the telephone line. A good strategy is to use the list of references at the end of an academic journal article to go back and retrieve the original research publications.

P.B.

Plagiarism: Not just about academics Part II

Paul Betty — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:42:33 +0000

Folks, I’m not lying when I say, “Plagiarize at your own risk!”. Here is yet another example where the practice of plagiarism proved to be detrimental to one’s professional aspirations: Denver city council candidate caught up in plagiarism charge. As I’ve noted before, ignorance is not an excuse when it comes to plagiarism, nor is intent (or lack of it). In the case above, do you think the majority of voters will excuse this candidate for her lies and deceit? Judging from the results of a recent CO primary race that included another plagiarist, I’m going to say “not very likely”.

P.B.

Keepin’ it real

Paul Betty — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:13:00 +0000

One of the 21st century goals for the library profession is to ensure that our patrons and the public at large are “information literate”. For those that are not familiar with the concept of information literacy, you can find a definition on the web site for Association of College and Research Libraries.

So why all the fuss about information literacy? Well, with the advent of the internet age, many of us have witnessed first hand the astronomical increase of information sources, voices, and opinions on all manner of topics. And at times, it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction among the cacophony of the internet. Further muddying the waters are deceitful practices such as electronic astroturfing, which is described by George Monbiot of the Guardian (UK) as an increasingly used tactic by corporations, government agencies, and special interest groups to influence, and in some cases, undermine public opinion.

So what does this mean to you as a student researcher? I often suggest to students that they should identify the professional society or trade association associated with the industry or occupation they are researching. A good strategy for this task is to limit your Google search to .org sites, as in this example. But in an era of electronic astroturfing, its not just enough to trust any old .org site. Students need to go one step further. In the case of electronic astroturfing, look for contact information on the web site. Is there a verifiable street address? Phone numbers that allow you to talk to real persons? How long has the association/society been in existence? Do they publish a newsletter or magazine, and if so, is the publication acknowledge as a voice of authority within the profession?

It seems the more information you find on the internet, the more you need to verify its authority, accuracy, and value!

P.B.

On whose authority? Look for references!

Paul Betty — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:26:50 +0000

It seems there have been a number of recent cases of mainstream journalists and news publications that have been caught doing a poor job of reporting. More specifically, failure to check the authority and accuracy of information sources. The New York Times has pointed out that Rush Limbaugh used erroneous information retrieved from Wikipedia on his talk show. The article points out that Limbaugh, armed with false information took to the airwaves and provided commentary that was off base. This post is not an indictment of Limbaugh’s political positions. Instead, it is a reminder how easy it is to be led astray when you fail to check the validity of your sources. This particular instance really provides all the evidence you should need for why Wikipedia is generally not accepted as an academic source, and as such, you should refrain from using it during your research as a Regis University student.

P.B.

Plagiarism: not just a generational disconnect

Paul Betty — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:29:36 +0000

A good article from the New York Times on the issue of plagiarism. Personally, I think the author focuses a bit too much on the generational differences that may account for what seems to be an observed increase in the number of plagiarism cases. However, take a look at the comments, and you will see other examples and anecdotes of plagiarism arising in adult professional work settings. The recent accusations of plagiarism against former CO congressman Scott McInnis is a good example.

So why is this important? Well, as the NYT article notes, the proliferation of the internet and digital media has brought us in to an era where laws, ethics, and cultural values pertaining to the use and distribution of copyrighted materials has become very murky. But as we’ve stated before on this blog, IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE. We’ve also tried to illustrate that plagiarism can have real academic and professional consequences, many of which can be avoided by simple taking a cautious approach and citing every sources you use. Don’t let the prospect of a few minutes extra work put you off, cite your sources, and if you are unsure how, contact the library’s reference desk for help.

P.B.

Plagiarism: Not just about academics

Paul Betty — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:56:45 +0000

Many students attending Regis University are doing so to obtain degrees and certificates for professional and career advancement. The world of academics can be observed as having its own culture, rules, and policies, but students should note that the criteria and expectations for academic work and scholarship often mimic those found in professional work settings. A good example of this is the recent controversy surrounding Colorado Gubernatorial candidate Scott Mcinnis, who has recently been accused of plagiarism. As we’ve seen in previous cases of plagiarism, ignorance is no excuse!

The fact that, “McInnis acknowledged the similarities but blamed a researcher” does not exonerate him. McInnis presented the content and ideas as his own ( or at least as part of a collective effort in which he participated), and in doing so, he accepted responsibility for his actions and the work of the research assistant. As with most plagiarism cases, McInnis could of avoided the controversy by simply providing attribution to the works he cited or referred to. Politics aside, by not doing the right thing and citing Hobb’s, McInnis has brought into question the integrity and honesty with which he performs his work (not exactly good news for a politician!).

So what does this mean for the (aspiring) professional working Regis student? Plagiarism isn’t just an academic issue. Increasingly employers are looking for persons who understand how to synthesize vast amounts of information, create new ideas, and communicate recommendations and/or conclusions to a target audience. A critical step in this process is giving credit where credit is due. Otherwise you jeopardize the reputation and brand of your employer as well as yourself. Furthermore, by citing your sources, your employer will immediately understand that you have valuable research skills and an ability to find appropriate sources for the information need.

P.B.

Copyright: All about the Benjamins

Paul Betty — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:45:09 +0000

In the digital world, its easy to buy into the notion that information wants to be free. The internet has proven to be an incomparable vehicle of dissemination of news and data. However, we must remember that despite the format or delivery model, certain rights are held by content creators. In fact, the war over copyright in the digital age is just beginning, with the opening shots across the bow being delivered by some of the biggest guns. For example here is an interesting news story about the Murdoch families legal battle against the British Library from the Guardian newspaper in the U.K. Give it a read, but keep this question in mind: Why is the Murdoch family so concerned about what libraries are doing? Well, consider that information is now a commodity that can now be delivered globally in the blink of an eye. As a commodity, information represents wealth and power for end users and creators, so we should anticipate more fights over copyright as the lines are blurred by digital innovation. While libraries have always done their part in protecting the rights of copy holders, libraries also work to protect the rights of information consumers (banned book week in the US being one example). The legal arguments in copyright cases are complex, and we don’t expect you as a student to master all the minute details of copyright law, but you should consider how copyright impacts your own ability to benefit from creative works, either your own or others.

P.B.