Plagerizing yourself?

Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN · May 14, 2012

Even if you repeated a complete sentence from a previously written paper by you it is NOT plagerism. By definition, plagerism is using the work of another and taking credit for it. Sure, a checker might find it, but it is yours! Otherwise, I agree with what others have said, reusing a previously submitted paper is bad form and would not be smiled upon.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 14, 2012

Even if you repeated a complete sentence from a previously written paper by you it is NOT plagerism. By definition, plagerism is using the work of another and taking credit for it. Sure, a checker might find it, but it is yours! Otherwise, I agree with what others have said, reusing a previously submitted paper is bad form and would not be smiled upon.

Might want to research your schools policy on self plagiarism. It is a real thing.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · May 14, 2012

Yeah, I would not even think of submitting the same paper twice for two different classes. As long as you cite yourself, you're in the clear. Besides, you won't learn anything in the course by recycling a paper.

SweetPEI · May 15, 2012

Plagiarism is plagiarism. Self or others period. If you were writing a paper and decided to deviate from that original work and add a quote or paraphrase in, then you need to cite it period. I don't know what school you go to but I know most professors would rather you use the actual cited references used. So in your case, your paper, I'm sure, is not peer reviewed, so it isn't really something you should use as substantial evidence for your argument. However, you can use the references and look up your material.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 15, 2012

Plagerism is wrong because you take the work of other's as your own without credit given. There is no victim in self-plagerism; you own your work and the permission is implicit. Self-plagerism is an academic construct applied unequally throughout academia. Frankly, it is a load of horsedroppings.

You don't need someone to give you permission to use your own material.

If the instructor has such a generic assignment to allow paper reuse, the situation is one of two:

1. They are failing their students by having low enough standards that previous lower level work will be graded high enough to count.

2. They are allowing their students to improve and develop their previous work into something deeper, more complex, more profound.

The establishment fails to recognize situation #2 while allowing itself to follow #1 at the professional level. Any uptight prof should be quized on whether they have given the same presentation or lecture more than once without citing themselves.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · May 15, 2012

I agree with asking instructor. If nothing else, you have the references to start another paper!

SweetPEI · May 15, 2012

Self-plagerism is an academic construct applied unequally throughout academia. Frankly, it is a load of horsedroppings. There is no victim in self-plagerism; you own your work and the permission is implicit. If the instructor has such a generic assignment to allow paper reuse, they are failing their students. Any uptight prof should be quized on whether they have given the same presentation or lecture more than once without citing themselves.

Giving a lecture has nothing to do with the professor putting the OP's paper through the plagerism software test. When that is done, a red flag goes up and specifically the entire paper would be maked as plagerism. That is why for academic reasons, at least, citations must be done. Secondly, if the OP did not get permission to use a paper that she completed for another class, as well as permission from the previous professor then that is frowned upon. The OP did not just write the paper just becasue she wanted to. It was an assignment given to her by a professor about a specific topic. Although it is her work, it was meant for that specific class. Furthermore, if you were grading a paper and the writer stated something of an argument and gave supporting information for that argument, wouldn't that supporting information need to be substantiated? The OP quoting herself wouldn't be considered emperical data. The OP obviously was in a moral dilemma and had some reservations about just going ahead and repeating her paper. I don't know what school you went to or go to, but things like that must be dealt with in the proper manner because serious consequences can occur with careless behavior.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 15, 2012

SweetPEI

You mention practices are that are "frowned upon." My reply is that is BS too. If you are quoting yourself as an authority, then yes, that must be cited so the validity of the source may be evaluated. If you rewrite a 3 page paper from freshman year into a 25 page paper your senior year, you don't need to cite, nor should you be required to seek permission to use and modify your own work. That previous professor has no rights to your work or to restrict your use of your creative property. You don't need their permission. The idea that you do is entirely a construct of the academic system without a defensible ethical basis.

I've been to more schools than you can count on one hand. I also teach at the college level. I know how things work officially NOW, but I am calling BS on the system. Just because the system works a certain way does NOT make it right. Your entire argument is couched in the idea that the current system is inherently ethical. I disagree strongly. You have not backed your point.

The idea of self-plagiarism is a load. It is an extremely new concept that only came to be with the advent of online plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism detection software should be voluntary or students should be paid to use it because the companies that run the software make money off the students' papers. They retain the paper and charge schools (and then students through tuition) to compare future papers against the students' previously submitted work without recompense. You are effectively being charged for your own work and schools are requiring you to do so! That is unethical in the extreme!

Lastly, when it comes to presentations, if I were to use someone else's presentation or lecture without giving them credit, that would be blatant plagiarism. Why can I reuse my own lecture without citing myself but I cannot reuse my own paper without citing myself? Why can professors?

I'm not alone in my opinion. The BA English and BS Engineering graudates sitting next to me read what I wrote above and agree fully. Self-plagairism is a manufactured farscical principle that doesn't hold up to any level of scrutiny.

llg, PhD, RN · May 15, 2012

While I agree that the concept of "self-plagerism" makes me queasy ... I don't feel that students should be able to submit a paper for a 2nd class unless the professor is OK with that. I have said "yes" to such requests when I felt it was appropriate. For example, if a student wanted to re-work the paper to develop her ideas further and incorporate what she was learning in my class ... or if a student wanted to focus on the same topic from a different angle. But I do think the student should ask first, and not just hand in an old paper from a previous class or school project without asking.

Here's a true story for you:

I had a student who failed one of my classes -- after getting an "F" on the final paper. The next year, she took the class again and turned in the same final paper, with only a few slight changes. It was still worthy of an "F". I decided to be kind and accuse her of breaking the plagerism rules instead of failing her again. I told her I could not accept the paper because it was the same paper she had submitted the year before and explained the rules to her. I gave her the option of choosing an entirely new topic and starting over with her paper, giving her a short extension to get it done. She did that and turned in a poor, but passing paper. I wondered if the paper was really her work or not, but I gave it a "C" and let her move on. Had she failed my course a 2nd time, she would have been out of program -- and she had a passing test average.

Juniper248 · May 15, 2012

So just to clear some things up about the paper if you are curious. The class I had taken was Public Health (it was actually a graduate level class even though I was studying undergrad). Now I'm going for my second undergrad degree in nursing at a different school, and I will be taking Public Health Nursing.

Its both a moral dilemma for me, and a dilemma about whether it would be against the rules or not because the paper is posted online.

Now, if it WASN'T posted online, there would be nothing stopping me from using the paper. Although if it were against the rules I would be very wary of turning it in verbatim. It kinda does feel like cheating =/

I will probably take everyone's advice and ask the teacher. Thank you.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 16, 2012

Although if it were against the rules I would be very wary of turning it in verbatim. It kinda does feel like cheating =/

If it is against the rules, it IS cheating.

SweetPEI · May 16, 2012

SweetPEI
You mention practices are that are "frowned upon." My reply is that is BS too. If you are quoting yourself as an authority, then yes, that must be cited so the validity of the source may be evaluated. If you rewrite a 3 page paper from freshman year into a 25 page paper your senior year, you don't need to cite, nor should you be required to seek permission to use and modify your own work. That previous professor has no rights to your work or to restrict your use of your creative property. You don't need their permission. The idea that you do is entirely a construct of the academic system without a defensible ethical basis.
I've been to more schools than you can count on one hand. I also teach at the college level. I know how things work officially NOW, but I am calling BS on the system. Just because the system works a certain way does NOT make it right. Your entire argument is couched in the idea that the current system is inherently ethical. I disagree strongly. You have not backed your point.
The idea of self-plagiarism is a load. It is an extremely new concept that only came to be with the advent of online plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism detection software should be voluntary or students should be paid to use it because the companies that run the software make money off the students' papers. They retain the paper and charge schools (and then students through tuition) to compare future papers against the students' previously submitted work without recompense. You are effectively being charged for your own work and schools are requiring you to do so! That is unethical in the extreme.

I'm not understanding your anger towards me. If this was a matter of calling bs on the system then that's what I would be doing. Unfortunately my part was to make a person aware of the reality of the situation. First you called bs then you end with how the companies who sell our schools plagiarism software make money off of us for our own work. Please revisit my post. I never said that I agree with, however it is what it is. Furthermore, the OP was specifically asking about reusing her work because she is fully aware of such software that professors use. AGAIN I say: the OP needs to ask permission. The permission would not be because it is her own work. The permission would be because it is something that had been done before and is clearly easily accessible. Its called covering you behind. Considering this is a nursing student as well, practice on covering your behind is a good thing. My point stands. Please don't call bs in my thoughts and then complain about the system that had that same "bs" in effect. OP, hopefully you understand my point. Although it us your work, using it without informing your instructor will not end well. Also simply quoting yourself is a touchy matter. However, if the instructor says they don't care, have at it....

In caring response to your concern