Thursday, December 6, 2007

Anatomy of plagiarized work

Recently, I was browsing through some websites and blogs linked to this blog, (why or how they registered a link with my blog--my low-tech brain would rather not ask) when I came across this website purportedly owned by a veteran media personality. Intrigued why and how come, my blog was linked to hers-- I sneaked a peak. Lo and behold, I saw some very familiar phrases, and never not even once, did she mention my blog!

I would rather not mention the name here, because it just so happens I was born with a soft heart for the elderly. But the point I'm driving at here is that--plagiarism is a reality, so beware, and make all the necessary steps to protect your work(i.e. apply for copyright), as soon as you get the chance.

To illustrate, here’s an excerpt from a post I made last May ’07 pertaining to poor healthcare conditions:

“There are thousands, perhaps even millions of Filipinos in the country trapped in similarly hopeless situations.”

Here’s what she wrote re: Mariannet Amper:

“There must be hundreds, even thousands, of young girls and boys...all over the country who are trapped in similar hopeless situations.”

* note that the idea is different, but the sentence construction is almost the same.


Here’s what I wrote on the death of Mariannet Amper:

“Apparently…this girl was...sensitive and introspective that she was able to chronicle her family's suffering in a diary.”

And here’s what she wrote:

“Mariannet...has an introspective frame of mind and...unusual sensitive personality.”

Lastly I wrote:

”Mariannet, innocent and young as she was, put a human face to another disquieting news item today, where...11 million Filipinos live on less than a dollar a day.”

Her version:

“Mariannet’s suicide put a human face...to the never-ending issues of poverty, where allegedly 11 million Filipinos consider themselves hungry.”

Now, doesn’t something like this ruin your day (and your appetite for blogging!)?!!!

10 comments:

  1. obviously, you have given that author something to write about. lols.

    don't get mad, be glad. it puts you on a higher professional level that somebody had to copy your work.

    they would certainly argue that nobody holds the patent for words, much more the english sentence construction of words.

    still, all they ought to do is say, hey.

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  2. Whoa! It does become irritating at times but hey, it only shows that you are far better than even the more veteran journalists we have.

    I've had my share of those but it only shows that someone is reading my works and finds them worthy. It makes me happy to know that I am sending the right messages and people are listening. Getting the message across is what it's all about.

    Keep writing my dear friend. Someone out there will soon find out who the fakes are.

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  3. uy, you haven't mentioned this to me. i just can't believe the nerve of some people. perhaps she thought she's gonna get away with using your words because she's already established herself as a "veteran" writer. people like those need to be taught a lesson. i might not even be surprised if she got to where she is today by using less than savory methods. she's going to regret it though. no one gets away with plagiarizing my sister, i just won't allow it.. (insert psycho theme here)....
    nyahahhanneeheehenhhosngorrkkz

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  4. On a given day this writer could have as many as six lengthy commentaries on various issues (or more). It's hard to believe she still has time for that, over and above her radio/ tv programs. So my guess is perhaps, she has a team of ghost writers doing the job for her. And to make their jobs easier, they just paraphrase what they copy in other people's blogs. Feeling ko nga, "serial plagiarists" itong mga 'to eh, recidivists, multiple offenders, hehehe...Thanks alot for your inputs dear friends...Let's write on...

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  5. This is disappointing! But whan can we do, internet is becoming the no.1 source of information. Konsensiyensya na lang kaya ang pairalin sana.

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  6. oh gawd. i totally can relate to your dilemma. i even wrote about plagiarism some time ago because i found out that someone stole parts of my earlier blogs and posted it like she wrote them. not even bothered to link back where she stole it from.

    i sent her a pm and totally chastised her. oh well, the following week when i checked her blog, said entries in question were deleted. probably got scared shit because i threatened to spread a poison email about her blog. ahahhaha!!!

    shame on these people.

    we should bitch-slap them together! how's that?

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  7. Hahaha! That's a good idea sis! My editor asked me if I would permit him to publish a story on this but I said no--who would believe a neophyte's word against a veteran? Anyway, I'm still on to her...what a fake!

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  8. oh my, may ganyan din pala dito. mga ghostwriter that are using other's works. tsk..tsk..tsk..

    on the other hand, be proud coz of all bloggers that she/he'll copy, you pa ang napili.

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  9. by the way, i'll link u up ha. please link me up too.
    dont know where to put my post kasi eh.

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  10. Hi Jean! Thanks for the link! Will link up with you too (tama ba?). Merry Christmas! Enjoyed reading your posts.

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