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Leeching / Plagiarism - GUIDE - Virtual Reality - 11-28-2010
Hey SF! I posted this on HF and I thought you all might benefit from this also. The same rules apply here too, so I thought I might as well share it here.
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Leeched Posts / Plagiarism
A Quick Thread About Plagiarism
A Quick Thread About Plagiarism
Before we get into the actual contents of this thread, I would first like to ensure that all users reading this guide are completely aware of what plagiarism is. Doing so will ensure that everybody who skims through this post will have a full understanding of what I am referring to. Here is the official definition, courtesy of http://www.dictionary.com:
In a simplified form, plagiarism or "leeching" is the act of stealing another authors writing, and claiming it as your own. This is a large problem at this forum, as a vast percentage of tutorials have simply been copied and pasted from various sources. Before I explain how to properly reference a source when copying and pasting, I will first supply proof that this act is both not encouraged, and PROHIBITED. Below are two quotes from the help documents, exactly as written by the administrator of this forum:
HackForums - Help Documents - Rules & Etiquette
URL: http://www.hackforums.net/misc.php?action=help&hid=10
Help Documents: HF Rules and Etiquette[/QUOTE Wrote:6. When posting content from another site credit the site, use quotes and link (unless it is a competing forum, which content you shouldn't post) to original content.
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HackForums - Help Documents - Reporting Posts
URL: http://www.hackforums.net/misc.php?action=help&hid=11
Help Documents: Reporting Posts Wrote:Leeching is when information is taken from one place and posted somewhere else without giving any credit. This can refer to content somewhere else post on HF or if we find content from HF posted at another site. Leechers may have their account closed. This activity won't be tolerated.
As you can see, leeched posts and/or plagiarism is NOT acceptable, and actions are to be taken by staff in the event that a user violates the HF Rules & Policies in any way, shape, or form. Now that you are completely informed and 'in the loop' regarding the policies this forum has pertaining to plagiarism, it is now time for the Plagiarism / Leeching FAQ!
This area of the guide is where Frequently Asked Questions will be placed, and answered. Although this is an unofficial FAQ, virtually all of the contents enclosed have been verified either via personal experience, help document, or through PM with a certified staff member. If you have any questions that are yet to be answered, please leave them below. The odds of another user having the same inquiry as you are quite high, so asking important questions will benefit both yourself and the rest of the forum in the process! With that being said, here are some FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!
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How Can I Tell If A Tutorial Is Leeched Or Not?
If you have any suspicions regarding the authenticity of a tutorial, it is always a good idea to verify that the content published is owned by the original author of the thread. You can do this at any time, via GOOGLE. Simply copy a few sentences from the thread to your clipboard, and paste it into the google search module. If you come up with many identical results, the thread is most likely leaked / plagiarized. You can double check by viewing some of the results, and seeing if they are identical with the text on the thread in question. Please keep in mind that there is always a possibility of the user posting the content first, and then having it stolen by somebody else. When checking via google, try to find specific dates, to ensure a mix-up of this kind doesn't occur. If one of the matching links is a forum, there should be a date attached to the top of the post. If it's a blog-style website, check the comments for dates. If you can't find any official dates to match up with the thread in question, it's always best to play it safe and go ahead with your report if you have any suspicion.
I Have Found A Leeched / Plagiarized Thread. What Do I Do Now?
Just like everything else around HackForums, it is always best to file a report in the event that you witness the Rules and Policies of the forum being violated. Doing so will keep the forum clean, and harm free. This is no exception. There are three accurate ways to file a plagiarism report. The report option you choose will depend on the circumstance.
Method #1 - Reply to the thread by stating it is leeched, and make sure to state the original source(s). When posting your reply, ensure that you are NOT flaming, and you are being as respective to the user as possible. After posting your reply, report the thread as "Leeched Post". A staff member will view both the thread in question, and the post you wrote below it. This way, staff will not have to go out and research to recognize that your report is legitimate. By leaving a reply to the thread, you will be assisting moderators by lessening the amount of time they spend hunting around for original copies.
Method #2 - Send a PM to a staff member of choice. Make sure you are sending to a staff member and not an administrator, as Omniscient and Crow are far to busy with superior issues to assist in reviewing any reports of this kind. In the Private Message, it is encouraged that you provide the following: A link to the user in questions profile page, a link to the thread in question, and the original source of the plagiarized written component. Filing a report in this manner is very useful for users who may not want to leave a reply, as they are worried that they may offend the user and cause unneeded drama. It is just as efficient as using the report feature.
Method #3 - This method is easily the quickest, yet the least effective. In this method, you will simply be using the report button at the bottom right of the thread. Select "Leeched Post" as the report option, and send it. I do not recommend this method, as it may cause confusion with members of the staff, and doing something like this is not necessarily providing the information required to easily verify that the thread in question is indeed plagiarized. By committing to this method, you are forcing staff members to research the thread themselves, which could very-well increase the work load of staff. Your best option would be to choose method #1 or #2, but this is still some-what acceptable.
A User Copied & Pasted A Thread, But Stated Their Source. Is This Still Considered Leeching?
In order for a user to copy and paste something without consequence, they must follow two simple steps. They must: 1. Ensure that users are aware that they did not write the text enclosed, and 2. State the original source of the text copied and pasted. If these two steps are followed correctly, there is no need to report the thread as plagiarism / leeched posting.
I Have Committed Plagiarism, But I Can Not Add The Source Because I Am Not A VIP Member. What Are My Options?
If you have posted a thread and plagiarism plays a component in your text, it is important you get it cleared up. If you are a VIP member or if it has been less than 1440 minutes, simply edit your thread and add a source. If you cannot edit your thread, simply send a PM to the desired staff member. When sending the PM, make sure to explain the situation and state the original source. Most staff members are willing to add it in for you without consequence. It is always better to admit your mistakes and have them fixed, than to leave them for a moderator to find and remove on their own terms. NOTE: If your thread is old and no longer active, don't waste your time by having a staff member edit it for you. If it has been more than 30 days since the last post, there is probably no reason to have it fixed. Of course, this is your choice.
Do Staff Members Always Take Action Upon Those Who Plagiarize?
No. It has become public knowledge that the main administrator and founder of HackForums (Omniscient) trusts the judgment of his staff, and therefore offers a reasonable amount of leeway. This means that staff members will not take action on every single post that is in direct violation of the rules. This goes for leeched posting, and all other reports.
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That's it! I hope you all enjoyed this guide on leeching. Feedback is always appreciated! If you take one thing out of this guide, it should be that you should always ensure you do not commit plagiarism yourself, and that you should report any acts of plagiarism you may find. Leeched Posts are in complete violation of the HF Rules and Policies, so I hope this thread clears things up for everybody. If you still have some questions, please leave them below as I will do my best to assist you.
Note: I am not a staff member, nor am I an administrator. This thread was made in hopes that it can inform members about this sometimes-neglected violation. This is in no way an "official thread", but I did my best to ensure that all information provided was as accurate as possible.
Thanks For Reading,
Virtual Reality
RE: Leeching / Plagiarism - GUIDE - Thomas - 11-28-2010
When I first read the title of this thread I thought you were writing a thread on how to leech, but it's really a quality post. Leeching is not always handled as it should be, but I think that SF is pretty good about not leeching.
RE: Leeching / Plagiarism - GUIDE - kidstand - 11-29-2010
Great thread, and this should definitely help define and prevent leechers. Some people just don't understand that you just can't copy and paste a paragraph and then change every 5th word...
RE: Leeching / Plagiarism - GUIDE - Virtual Reality - 12-10-2010
(11-29-2010, 05:25 PM)kidstand Wrote: Great thread, and this should definitely help define and prevent leechers. Some people just don't understand that you just can't copy and paste a paragraph and then change every 5th word...
Thanks, I appreciate your feedback. I enjoyed writing this just as much (if not more) than you did reading it!