Plagiarism....

by OnlineWriter

Posted: 15 years ago 20 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

So, I had someone doing a little work for me the past few weeks and I began to notice their writing style changing. Anyway, one article in particular had a 55% hit through iThenticate along with some other hits.

I dug around and found a couple other paragraphs that were almost copy/pasted from somewhere else. This writer has been good but why do you suppose she would have done this? She doesn't have a lot to worry about but I could potentially lose my ass for trusting someone.

I asked her to clean it up and be careful. I mean, you can easily change something like "The fat cow slipped in the mud" to "The large cow lost her footing in the mud". Crap, it's not that hard!

Are people really just that lazy and unreliable?

Now my question is, should I pay her for all the stuff I had to rewrite? Should I give her another chance?

#plagiarism

justsomeone 15 years ago

If she has done several articles for you, and they have been flawless, I'd recommend to give her another chance. To err is human. Chances are that she has more work than she can accommodate and is passing a few to someone else?
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OnlineWriter 15 years ago

I think that's what happened. I looked down at the "authors name" area of the files and they are from a few different people.
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ElectricEye 15 years ago

I think it is just a chain of outsourcing.......Lol.....

But I think it is better to pay her........cut a little amount from the actual.

And talk straight to her........without any confusions.......told that you hired her to write not someone else.....tell her how you are effected by this stupid job.......be rude and to the point.

And tell her that you need 100% unique articles......not crap materials.

Hope she won't do that again.

In future.......if you see the same happening.........don't think.......remove her.
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maximus242 15 years ago

This has happened to me as well, just fire the bitch.
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OnlineWriter 15 years ago

I might have to have imposed trial articles on a keyword with very little information to see if they have the abilities to keep it "original".

It really doesn't take much effort to change some sentences around if you absolutely HAVE to use just one article for reference.

That's why I do all my own work from scratch. I have a good memory so I read a few pages, shut them down and start writing.
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- cherylwright 15 years ago
  
  Excuse me, but you haven't proved this is what has happened.
  
  You don't mention anywhere that you've asked her and/or she's admitted doing this deed. If she did, then you're within your rights not to pay for the work copied. But if she denies it, you MUST pay her.
  
  And to the person who said "This has happened to me as well, just fire the bitch" - I'll be sure never to work for you.
  
  You guys obviously haven't heard of 'innocent until proven guilty'.
  
  She quite possibly is outsourcing, but that doesn't mean she is plaguarising anyone.
  
  Cheryl
  
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AnarchyAds Banned 15 years ago

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- cherylwright 15 years ago
  
  AnarchyAds wrote: She has opened you to a potential legal issue which could land you in JAIL
  
  Where's the proof of plaguarism?
  
  You went on with a lot of garbage on another thread in regard to so-called legal information, and you're doing it again.
  
  Without any proof, no one can do anything.
  
  Cheryl
  
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  AnarchyAds Banned 15 years ago
  
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  humpysmith 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by AnarchyAds
  
  If the poster found a match on a duplication platform
  you can bet that someone owns it. .
  
  a bit of an assumption, especially without knowing all the facts. Some places actually allow you to copy content, i.e. it is not copyrighted. As a writer, though i havent copied content I haved posted to places and allowed my content to be copied.
  Still the main thing is if the thread starter wants original material he should speak to the person and sort it out. Would I pay her? A partial amount yes, but not all.
  
  Thanks
  
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jayden.fellze 15 years ago

Hi,

I think the best solution to your problem is to buy copyscape or similar software. These softwares will automatically tell you if the content is plagiarized. This is one shortcoming of outsourcing and you have to be careful about it.

As far as the issue of paying her is concerned, then I think she should not ask money for rewriting the content that was caught to be copied. She should rewrite it on her own time as it is the responsibility of the content writer to provide original content unless, until they are asked to do otherwise.
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gtrusler 15 years ago

There are a lot of writers out there. I'd just move on to someone else.
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- Louidam1 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by gtrusler
  
  There are a lot of writers out there. I'd just move on to someone else.
  
  I agree and don't pay that person.
  
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erinwrites 15 years ago

You mentioned that you began to notice her writing was changing. Rather than be rude or fire her immediately as some here have suggested why not just ask her about it? If you've had a good working relationship up until now, why not just say "hey, I noticed that these last few articles have been turning up quite a few hits for duplicate content, and usually your work is much better than this. What's going on?"

Her answer (and attitude) will help you decide what to do next.

Civility and Respect are always best!
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Corena 15 years ago

I handle writers all the time. I get someone that is good and they will start outsourcing. A writer that starts outsourcing and is new at it..often does not check for plagiarism. Let them know what happened.

So here is my advice. Know matter what you do with this writer..Always mention what your penalty for bad work is.

Mine go like this..

Plagiarism: No pay for article no second chance. Mistakes happen but if you know the penalty you might double check outsourced work. (But..Yes I have let people take them back and replace)

Bad spelling and grammar: Sent back once to be fixed. Second time no more work from you and no pay for the article.

Try to pass off a spun article. Laughter. No pay. No more work.

Let them know you check and read every article and they may take your serious. Maybe.
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snyd 15 years ago

Just got a well rounded education in plagarism and how to handle some
of my oursourcing.

Thanks all....
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- Tina Golden 15 years ago
  
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  Kay King 15 years ago
  
  You can use copyscape premium for 5 CENTS for each article checked. Let your writers know up front that you check articles and don't pay for copied materials - and you'll seldom have a problem.
  
  It really doesn't take much effort to change some sentences around if you absolutely HAVE to use just one article for reference.
  
  I have to say if you are OK with someone taking an article and switching it around and calling it "writing", don't be surprised if your writers get lazy. That's not OK and does not product an original article.
  
  If the writer was outsourcing YOUR work - you should have been informed about it and agreed to it.
  
  I asked her to clean it up and be careful.
  
  You don't say what her response was but telling a writer to "be careful" sounds more like saying "don't get caught" than "don't violate copyright".
  Be blunt about what you expect - and expect original content.
  
  kay
  
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  mrdomains 15 years ago
  
  Unless you, at some point, have given her an OK to hire people or outsorce the work you are asker her to do... then get rid of her.
  
  Once she gets the taste of outsorcing she is corrupt, and your relashionship with each other will no longer be based on trust. Intolerable. The world is full of talent. She had a job. She blew it. Boot her.
  
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wrcato 15 years ago

Are you sure that the "writer" isn't using PLR? If she is then it isn't plagerizism.
PLR is really popular among article writers right now. Heck I get at least twenty emails a day for new PLR releases. Although I do not purchase them... anymore.

Most are just plain junk. Even with PLR I never felt right publishing them because it wasn't my idea.

That is my two cents.
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Chris Freville 15 years ago

It is often said that to copy from one source is plagiarism but to copy from 5 or more different sources is research
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15 years ago

I asked her to clean it up and be careful. I mean, you can easily change something like "The fat cow slipped in the mud" to "The large cow lost her footing in the mud". Crap, it's not that hard!

This would not somehow make copyright null.

What you are suggesting would most likely still be copyright violating and classed as a "derivative work". In short, it could still land you in a mess of legal trouble.

With writers I will give second chances for a lot of things but not copyright violations...fire them.

All my writers that I deal with anymore have to sign legal forms stating they are aware of copyright laws and should their work violate them that they can be held legally liable for damages in addition to resulting in immediate termination without pay for the job.

There are plenty of competent writers that create honest work...if you are perhaps outsourcing for pennies, then you are getting what you paid for. If not, then you are paying too much.

Thanks

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TerryTelford 15 years ago

Hi,

I would recommend giving her the opportunity to fix the articles she's copied, but not pay her for the fix. I'd then be very clear that in the future, the articles she writes are to be 100% original.

Enjoy your day!
Terry
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Plagiarism....

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