PLAGIARISM IS BAD!!! i've been hearing it since middle school. never copy someone's work, or you will fail and get in deep trouble. but hey come on, who hasn't taken ideas from wikipedia and changed 2 words before transferring it into your paper. don't deny it! but who knew there were different kinds of plagiarism? i thought that was it, you copied, you're finished. no if's and's or but's about it.
yet a very good point is brought up in the Poynter article. unintentional plagiarism (although he doesn't believe such a thing exists). sometimes things just happen. and honestly, if you have a clean record, i don't believe a journalist should be fired the first time they make a mistake. maybe it is a 'sink or swim' business, but hey, shit happens.
yet, out in the real world. after the foggy goggles of college have cleared away, there comes a point when you really have to take journalism seriously. attribute quotes, cite information, etc.
save the random facts that you 'saw somewhere' for party conversation, or perhaps across the dinner table.
when it comes down to the power of the news you have to be consistent and accurate. there is little room for errors. i hate that. but it is what it is.
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