Plagiarism: Yes, it is that big a deal.

[Tiassa]

Source: Seattle Times
Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002012197_fanch22.html
Title: "Times business columnist resigns over plagiarism"
Date: August 22, 2004

Stephen H. Dunphy, Seattle Times associate editor and business columnist, has resigned after acknowledging that he has plagiarized the work of other journalists.

"I took careless shortcuts that in the end constituted plagiarism," Dunphy told me on Friday. "I apologize to the Blethen family (owners of The Times), to Times readers and to my former colleagues for the betrayal of the trust placed in me" . . . .

. . . . Recently a reader wrote to The Times pointing out that a story by Dunphy that was published Jan. 19, 1997, contained seven paragraphs that were originally published in the Journal of Commerce's AirCommerce Special on March 25, 1996. The reader came across the two stories about the expansion of airports in Asia while doing research and was troubled that Dunphy's story gave no credit to the Journal of Commerce.

Dunphy was unable to recall or explain what happened but agreed the story should have credited the Journal of Commerce. The lack of attribution was wrong and unacceptable.

"He said it was obviously a cut-and-paste job with no attempt to try to camouflage the material," Becky Bisbee, Times Business editor, told other senior editors. "He said he probably used a number of wire stories and other sources — information he gathered in anticipation of writing the Sunday centerpiece story — and carelessly squished them all together when he wrote the story."

Source: Seattle Times

The incident is at least the second time in Dunphy's career that he has admitted to unintentional plagiarism, and may well be the end of his life as a journalist. The Times is, of course, terribly embarrassed, and has contacted the Poynter Institute to work with the paper's Committee on Ethics and Standards.

The reader who pointed out the issue wrote to the Times:

"I thought about whether to send it in for a little while — about whether it was the right thing to do, and the consequences of it on Mr. Dunphy's career. I want to remain anonymous, and I don't want to be known as the person who hurt Mr. Dunphy, his career, and his family. It makes me sad to think that by reporting this I could ruin a man's career and his ability to support his family. The reason I did it is that it would not be fair to the public to not report it. I hope you understand my position."

Source: Seattle Times

Remember kids: Just say "No!" to plagiarism!
_____________________

• Francher, Michael R. "Times business columnist resigns over plagiarism." Seattle Times, August 22, 2004. See http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002012197_fanch22.html

 

[static76]

Sign of the times...

Many of the college students over the last 25 years have done the exact same thing to get through school. If they have a report they simply go to the library(or the internet today), and "piece together" paragraphs from other's works to make a report. I think this is a major reason for the lack of critical thinking that plagues modern society, people don't want to think for themselves anymore, they want others to think for them.