1. The Rules of Attribution.
- Author
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Gerhardt, Deborah R.
- Subjects
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PLAGIARISM , *COPYRIGHT , *EDUCATION , *IMITATION in literature , *COPYRIGHT infringement , *FAIR use (Copyright) - Abstract
The article presents the author's opinions regarding the importance of educating students about various issues related to plagiarism and copyright laws. Recently, Kaavya Viswanathan, a student, was accused of plagiarism. Her book "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life," was inspired by two novels that resonated with her own experience: Megan McCafferty's "Sloppy Firsts," and "Second Helpings." Plagiarism rules are not there just to deter people from copying the literary works of others. They are codes of honor designed to nurture academic integrity by teaching students to honor the voices of others on the way to finding their own. Copyright law cannot be understood without thoughtful reflection, because it contains many contradictions. Copyright protection is not supposed to extend to facts, ideas, or general plot lines, yet the copyright laws tell people that the right to create derivative works--for example, a movie from a novel--belongs exclusively to the author. Trying to define the scope of fair use can be a difficult task.
- Published
- 2006