Plagiarism: Bad in Class, OK at the Office?

A "community relations" assistant at South Florida Community College lifted substantial copy directly from a performer's agency Web site without attribution. The college assistant inserted two, word-for-word paragraphs into the story that carries her own by-line. The by-line tells readers "I wrote this story."

In addition to the copy-and-paste job, the college staffer also paraphrases the actor's agency information from the Web site. All the writing classes at SFCC teach that paraphrasing also requires attribution. Journalism classes teach that paraphrasing requires attribution. Ethical writing and basic courtesy ask for attribution.

All SFCC students are taught to cite their sources; it’s a key part of the institution’s freshman composition course practices. Most instructors describe it in detail in their syllabuses under the heading of “cheating.” And cheating it is. Too bad this student, now turned "professional," seems unable to translate a classroom practice to the real world.

Here are the "F" in-the-course/firing offenses:

Vera Hanford: Eddie Money has been making music and delivering it to his fans since the mid-1970s, and wouldn’t have it any other way. With hits like “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Two Tickets To Paradise,” “Baby Hold On,” “Walk On Water,” “Think I’m In Love,” “I Wanna Go Back” and “Shakin,” he continues to be one of the hardest-working men in rock and roll.

Richard DeLa Font Agency:This straight up rock and roll icon has been making music and delivering it to his fans since the mid 70’s, and wouldn’t have it any other way. With hits like “Two Tickets To Paradise,” “Baby Hold On,” “Walk On Water,” “Think I’m In Love,” and “Shakin,” Eddie continues to be one of the hardest-working men in rock and roll.

Vera Hanford: A student of legendary vocal coach Judy Davis and prodigy of manager Bill Graham, Money began belting out hit after hit. The early days of MTV and music videos launched Eddie Money into stardom. An accomplished musician, he sings, writes, and plays the saxophone, harmonica and piano.

Richard DeLa Font Agency: A student of legendary vocal coach Judy Davis and prodigy of manager Bill Graham, Eddie Money began belting out hit after hit. The early days of MTV and music videos launched Eddie Money into stardom. An accomplished musician, he signs, he writes, and plays the saxophone, harmonica and piano.

Old Word Wolf had a brief discussion last year with the head of the college's public relations office about similar uses of sources without attribution or credit. That department head's response was that "everyone" does it; in the concert-promotion business, she said, it's standard operating procedure and thus OK.

No it's not.