Why people plagiarise in the forum and how to avoid plagiarism.

[KingsDen]

It is better a student of an institution is dismissed at the 1st year instead of the 4th or 5th year. It is better imagined than real that an account is banned when it becomes a snr member+. Since I became aware of the severity of plagiarism punishment in the forum, I am never tired of discussing it.
This time around, I opened this thread to help newbies avoid the menace called plagiarism.
I will discuss the possible reasons people plagiarise in the forum and suggest solutions.

WHY NEWBIES PLAGERISE:
1. Unawareness of the consequences of plagiarism in the forum:
A user with the full understanding of the consequences of plagiarism in and outside this forum will likely not plagiarism. The victims of plagiarism are mostly people unaware of the severe consequences of plagiarism in this forum, these are mostly newer and lower ranking members.

2. Posting to impress:
When one begins to post to impress other users, he/she will tilt off his/her abilities. This will result to creating unnecessarily lengthy posts, and in the quest to maintain quality throughout the content, will result to plagiarism.

3. Little/No knowledge on the subject of discussion:
This very act results to an epileptic composition. Whenever, a user deviates from his/her core essence, he'll definitely steal to be relevant. This will lead to emergency research that will definitely birth plagiarism.

4. Hunting for merit:
When the purpose is no longer to discuss, learn and impact, the purpose is dead on arrival. In the hunt for merit, a user will unconsciously involve in spamming and plagiarism in order to get the desired goal(merit)

5. Not knowing methods or rules of citation:
Most users not only applicable to newbies may not know the conventions of citation(intext, outtext, quotations, inclusion of url). If a user don't know this, the issue of plagiarism will become secondary. Factually some users will make it a habit to copying someones work verbatim and in the end include citation, thinking it is right.  I will be happy to see someone open a thread on the various ways of citation.

6. Lack of Confidence:
Self low esteem can lead to plagiarism. When you don't believe yourself let alone your work. When you feel everyone's work is better than yours, when you want to be everyone else. This will give you the conviction that you are second to all, hence you will tend to plagiarism to be standard.

7. Geographical differences:
As pointed out by @Lucius on my previous topic, he is of the opinion that why people plagiarism is how strict or lenient plagiarism is in their different countries.

I believe that there are big differences between people from different parts of the world regarding the perception of plagiarism - home and school education play a big role here.

8. Laziness:
Sometimes a plagarist will be aware of the crime he is about committing, but due to laziness to cite the authors, or emanate a fresh idea, he/she will deliberately plagiarise.

HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM:

1. Read the forum rules before posting:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=703657.msg7955645#msg7955645

2. Be Original:
One of the hardest thing to do in life is to live another man's version of life. If you toe this lane, you will end of being a learner throughout your stay here in the forum. When you are your original self, you will discover a part of you that other people will tend to plagiarise, either your tone, your humour or intellect. This will create a niche for you and plagiarism will cease to be part of you.

3. Post only when you have value to add:
Avoid jumping into every discussion, maybe in the quest to completing your weekly task. If you engage in a discussion you don't have value to add, you will see yourself paraphrasing and summarising people's comments to produce yours. Though you might not be punished because of this, but it's also a bad habit.

4. Always be conscious of plagiarism:
When you type with the consciousness of plagiarism, you will overcome what is called unintentional plagiarism. You will likely fall a victim if you don't consider it during your work.

5. Don't post immediately after a research:
Ensure you don't post immediately exiting a research room. If you do, you might likely find it difficult to differentiate your personal ideas and the ones gotten from research that needs to be cited.

6. Have a good time management:
All your works, written, audio, visual etc represents you. If you did it hastily, no one knows and will defend your weakness. Always give your best even when no one is watching, there might not be a second chance. Therefore, always use a good time to prepare your work, if there be things to be cited, you will have time to do so. By this plagiarism would be avoided.

7. Test run your work with plagiarism checker:
That feeling you have when you run your work through a plagiarism checker and discovered that your work is 0% plagiarised and 100% unique. This is what your indicters use, it will be cool you use it on yourself to know the quality of your post before publishing.

8. Cite the real Authors:
If you used someone's intellectual property, it's not big deal, cite the real owner and move your way.

I sincerely wish this can help, especially newbies and guide them not to commit a sin that will later hurt them in the forum.
Thanks all!

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[cryptoaddictchie]

6. Test run your work with plagiarism checker:
That feeling you have when you run your work through a plagiarism checker and discovered that your work is 0% plagiarised and 100% unique. This is what your indicters use, it will be cool you use it on yourself to know the quality of your post before publishing.

I dont think this is necessary. If you composed a sentence or make a topic, its really unlikely that your composition will be flagged as plagiarism on a checker. You know it yourself if you did copy someone idea word by word but if you knew to yourself that you wrote something out of others content then theres nothing really to worry about.

Only someone with intent to plagiarize will use a checker. But the chance of you writing with the same word by word in a sentence is totally impossible.

[KingsDen]

Only someone with intent to plagiarize will use a checker. But the chance of you writing with the same word by word in a sentence is totally impossible.

The chances of writing the same words is impossible, but the chances of writing the same idea in similar ways is very possible. If the later happens, it may look like paraphrasing.
Moreso, I pointed out that people overtime tends to confuse their original words and/or ideas from adopted ones. This happens to especially great readers, in order to be very sure, it wouldn't cost much to run a plagiarism test before publishing.

[cryptoaddictchie]

The chances of writing the same words is impossible, but the chances of writing the same idea in similar ways is very possible. If the later happens, it may look like paraphrasing.
Moreso, I pointed out that people overtime tends to confuse their original words and/or ideas from adopted ones. This happens to especially great readers, in order to be very sure, it wouldn't cost much to run a plagiarism test before publishing.

Got a point but even there is a chance someone is paraphrasing an idea from others, this could be very hard to detect as plagiarism cause the description of it states about using others content in a disgrace manner without having reference source or what.

Maybe you are right, it only took a small time to run it. But this isnt necessary at all for natural writers. Maybe for writers they used this but for someone that is just a normal person I doubt they would mind.

[JeromeTash]

Citing source works like magic every time. It's of no harm to cite the original source, even if you read something new from somewhere and post about it here using your own words.

Another reason I think some users plagiarize is because they think they can't write perfect English in the boards where English is allowed, so they go ahead  copy and paste every article they come across, posting it as their very own.

[Porfirii]

6. Test run your work with plagiarism checker:
That feeling you have when you run your work through a plagiarism checker and discovered that your work is 0% plagiarised and 100% unique. This is what your indicters use, it will be cool you use it on yourself to know the quality of your post before publishing.

Unless you plan to write news/article on reputable website or a research paper, IMO it's not necessary unless you have serious concern about your reputation or hate someone falsely accusing you.

I agree. The ones who fall into plagiarism in this forum are aware of it, so they don't need a checker. On the other hand, the ones who write their own thoughts, even if their ideas are not original because they fall into truisms too often or repeat ideas from others' posts read in the past without being aware of the "inception" shouldn't be criminalised.

I didn't know there was anything like plagiarism checkers, I should try one ever in order to satisfy my curiosity in the future, but not to check all my posts before publishing them here as I genuinely don't fall in the first category.

Citing source works like magic every time. It's of no harm to cite the original source, even if you read something new from somewhere and post about it here using your own words.

This is something so easy that I will never understand why people charged with plagiarism won't simply do it.

[tranthidung]

• [TIPS] to avoid plagiarism
• [GUIDE] Plagiarism and how to avoid it.
• Plagiarism checkers
  
  • Grammarly.com
  • SmallSEOtools

Additionally, please Search before posting
As the saying goes "Too good to be true", let me say another one "Too naively to be true". Members will always say "I did not know about it/ I did  not do anything wrong, etc." but more than 90% or 95% of them know what they did before their accounts were banned.

[KingsDen]

Another reason I think some users plagiarize is because they think they can't write perfect English in the boards where English is allowed, so they go ahead  copy and paste every article they come across, posting it as their very own.

I believe this is true. Their inability to reduce their thoughts to writing is a problem. That feeling that you have a good idea, but in writing you deposit rubbish, this might lead to plagiarism in order to standardise.

But I think this problem can be solved by typing one's original idea in their native language, afterwards use a translator to change it to English.

[tranthidung]

I recommend you to disable email address in your profile page. Currently, it is displayed for all viewers and you should hide it for your privacy as well as security of accounts you register with that email.

Profile > Account related settings > Hide email address from public? (tick this checkbox) > Type your account password in Current Password (at the bottom) and click on Change profile to finish.

[KingsDen]

I recommend you to disable email address in your profile page. Currently, it is displayed for all viewers and you should hide it for your privacy as well as security of accounts you register with that email.

Thanks for the recommendation sir, lately I have started receiving unsolicited messages in my email. But I couldn't phantom what to do, neither did I understand the security threats.
@all ap for the off topic.

[worle1bm]

8. Laziness:
Sometimes a plagarist will be aware of the crime he is about committing, but due to laziness to cite the authors, or emanate a fresh idea, he/she will deliberately plagiarise.

I don't think so that if a member is aware about the consequences of plagiarism and knows in advance that if found guilty the account will be banned he/she will not be lazy to simply copy paste the article and wait for the account suspension afterwards.What will the fun of it as you won't get anything but will surely loose your account.Newbies can make such mistakes if they are not aware about forum rules but laziness i can't say fit this matter.You cant be lazy enough intentionally to make such mistakes.Just my understanding but if you have come across any such case then it's different matter.

[KingsDen]

8. Laziness:
Sometimes a plagarist will be aware of the crime he is about committing, but due to laziness to cite the authors, or emanate a fresh idea, he/she will deliberately plagiarise.

I don't think so that if a member is aware about the consequences of plagiarism and knows in advance that if found guilty the account will be banned he/she will not be lazy to simply copy paste the article and wait for the account suspension

Do you therefore mean that all the victims of plagiarism are not aware of it's consequences? Ofcourse no. Many are aware but still falls victim, maybe because of the following reasons; Laziness to research, Laziness to reason critically, Laziness to cite others works used etc. Will it interest you to know that there are people that cannot read any write up lengthier than 2pages? That can ofcourse be called Laziness.

[nakamura12]

Due to laziness people tend to plagiarised even they did know that it has consequences and yet still doing it and later on posting in meta saying that it is unintentional or didn't know about the rules. Well, if you are clearly want to know more information or knowledge then knowing the forum is the best start and it should be the firts thing to do. When posting without fresh idea and wanted to post but as of now, you can only share other person's idea then you should put a reference or link to the original author instead of making it as your own idea which is bad.

[CryptopreneurBrainboss]

Unawareness of the consequences of plagiarism in the forum

Should this be even as excuse? When you join a new platform, you're required to get familiarize with the rules and regulations of that platform. If you didn't do that here then that's all on you and not the forum. You have to understand what plagiarism is, if you what to get an idea why there shouldn't be an excuse for doing it. Plagiarism is stealing, now how will you think you can get away with stealing without getting punished?.

This is a forum and not some professional platform, the only way to avoid plagiarism is by been original. Don't go coping works from online. You'll need no plagiarism tester if your works are original. Go read, understand and then write about it if you feel that information will be useful to the forum members. After writing indicate the source you got the inspiration or Information from.

[DdmrDdmr]

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The best way to avoid it is simply to always put things in your own words, as a summary, compendium, expansion, criticism, or set of questions. Everybody reads and picks-up things here and there from their readings, but they do not go blunting it out verbatim. Specific parts that are well phrased and meaningful to replicate can, and probably should, be included in quotes, but the poster should build and elaborate somewhat around that.

As to including the reference, which is the plagiarism accusation killer (mind you, not the unsubstantial post killer), needless to say, one should add the correct references, and not any reference pointing to who knows what.

Lately I’ve see a post whose references were all wrong, and when trying to ament the situation (after been called out), the added references were even worse. The have to be specific to where the core of the text comes from, not generic. Besideds the serve as a source for the readers to expand, and not get lost in.

Another case on my local board must have read that references were needed. He goes and includes them, but pointing to whatever crap he wants to shill, being non-related to the topic being treated.

Even if it seems needless to say, for the sake of those who do not infer the obvious, references have to be accurate (people do actually go and check them out).

[Oshosondy]

Do you therefore mean that all the victims of plagiarism are not aware of it's consequences? Ofcourse no. Many are aware but still falls victim, maybe because of the following reasons; Laziness to research, Laziness to reason critically, Laziness to cite others works used etc. Will it interest you to know that there are people that cannot read any write up lengthier than 2pages? That can ofcourse be called Laziness.

I still wonder how you told someone not to plagiarize and still plagiarized, you will even tell them to always include the link that it can help their post to have more quality, but they still prefer to steal what others wrote on other sites. I do not think it is laziness that caused it, I am thinking the people that plagiarized think nobody can know that they plagiarized until they are banned which will teach them a lesson, some people are not after knowing about bitcoin, they are after signature campaigns and bounty campaigns.

[GeorgeJohn]

The only reason i noted while people plagiarised is because of the systematic way of earning merit very fast, their objectives to adventure into plagiarism is not because they want to educate people especially the forum offsprings, i disagree with the concept that laziness can lead into plagiarism, whoever that plagiarised did it intensional because they taught that to copy work is avenue to make quality or meaningful post, from another aspect, if not that many people have notice the consequences or implications of plagiarism in the community of bitcointalk it would have full or made up with copy and paste articles without making the use of intuitive or common sense knowledge.

[KingsDen]

Lately I’ve see a post whose references were all wrong, and when trying to ament the situation (after been called out), the added references were even worse.

Very yes, I pointed this out in my previous post about plagiarism. Some users intentionally inputs wrong references in order to escape plagiarism. While in the forum, it would be seen as a mistake but it was deliberate. I am of the opinion that why they do this is, maybe they don't know the real format of references, ofcourse, it cannot be to deny the original author his glory.

I still wonder how you told someone not to plagiarize and still plagiarized, you will even tell them to always include the link that it can help their post to have more quality, but they still prefer to steal what others wrote on other sites

Please read the first segment of your reply, it looks as if you were referring to me as the plagarist rather you were generating. A lil edit can clarify. Thanks!

[suzanne5223]

The only reason i noted while people plagiarised is because of the systematic way of earning merit very fast, their objectives to adventure into plagiarism is not because they want to educate people especially the forum offsprings, i disagree with the concept that laziness can lead into plagiarism, whoever that plagiarised did it intensional because they taught that to copy work is avenue to make quality or meaningful post, from another aspect, if not that many people have notice the consequences or implications of plagiarism in the community of bitcointalk it would have full or made up with copy and paste articles without making the use of intuitive or common sense knowledge.

Yes, the plagiarism goals on this forum may be earning merit fast but if we look into the concept of what leads to plagiarism, laziness is what causes it. Why? It only involves copy and paste of articles from a source to the forum.
How do we avoid it? There are laws and punishments against plagiarism that will limit it but only personal individuals can stop it through the decision making and also spend time to read about an article, post it in their own language or copy from the original source and provide the source information.

[Issa56]

I really like your write up I believe there are lot's of reasons why people plagiarize but the main reason newbies plagiarize is basically because they really want to rank up and they don't feel like making post on there own or they think the post they make on there own won't really make sense and people won't give them merit so they end up copying people's work then posting it here and they will be expecting merit which is a very big offense and can lead to negative trust on bitcointalk.org.