The Little Book of Plagiarism

This is my first time reading Posner, who is very prolific, and I was very pleased. He is able to be very analytic while still remaining very readable (I read the book in probably two hours). He uses a lot of examples both current and from history (Shakespeare etc.) to examine the subject of plagiarism. I would recommend this book for anyone that creates things or produces something. The topic of originality was especially interesting. What is original and who is truly original? The book got me to think about how much writers, poets, musicians, etc. borrow. I would also recommend this book for teachers and professors who regularly have to deal with the problem of plagiarism. "Every artist is a cannibal and every poet is a thief...."

The Little Book of Plagiarism The author of this book is a judge who is an expert on the subjects of plagiarism and copyright infringement. He makes clear the distiction of these two terms and the penalties that will rain down on you for committing each of these acts. Plagiarism brings shame to one wo steals ideas, without acknowleging his/her sources; but infringing the legal rights of copyright owners can call forth financial contributions from you pocket. The author cities and analyzes a few court cases, to clarify your thinking on these subjects.

Plagiarism is not a legal offense in itself. Thus, you might think that Judge Richard Posner might not be the best of guides to it, even though he has written books about non-legal issues before. But plagiarism does sometimes include fraud, copyright infringement, theft, and unfair competition, issues that are clearly legal in nature. In _The Little Book of Plagiarism_ (Pantheon), Posner has turned a legal view onto the very gray areas of plagiarism, an offense that everyone thinks is bad, but which comes in many forms, each with variants that are not offenses at all. Plagiarism has been in the news a lot lately, with famous (or potentially famous) people damaged by the charge. In the digital age, plagiarism is easier, and so Posner has written a useful volume to guide logical thinking on a hot issue. It is indeed a little book, 109 pages of text, but there are plenty of big ideas here, expressed in pithy prose that calls out for re-reading just to appreciate its clarity and lack of superfluity. People weren't always so picky. One of Posner's examples is that of Shakespeare's use of Sir Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's description of Cleopatra's barge, which shows up in blank-verse paraphrase in _Antony and Cleopatra_. Posner includes both passages here, and it clear that Shakespeare really did borrow North, and also clear that Shakespeare's description is more colorful and fun to read. ("If this is plagiarism," jokes Posner, "we need more plagiarism.") If Shakespeare were writing today, he'd probably be in trouble for all his borrowed plots and characters. Plagiarism changes depending upon time, locale, and profession. So, how do we know when something is plagiarism and when it isn't? Posner suggests, among other things, that we evaluate the harm done. An example Posner returns to repeatedly is that of Kaavya Viswanathan whose novel _How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life_ came out in April 2006. She was a sophomore at Harvard University (Posner gives many examples from Harvard here, and maintains that plagiarism is no more common in that estimable school, just more conspicuous, and more enjoyed by the public when revealed). She got a half million dollar advance for her work and a film deal with DreamWorks. Attentive readers, however, found that there were passages that had been lifted from the work of a fellow "chick-lit" author Megan McCafferty. Viswanathan didn't do her readers any real harm; her book is as good as they found it. She didn't harm her publisher (until she was caught), and she herself brought any harmful consequences to herself. The harm is done to McCafferty, and not simply because McCafferty's words were lifted and re-used, but because by doing so, Viswanathan boosted herself up as a competitor within the chick-lit field, an unfair advantage. So a key for finding plagiarism is finding that harm has been done, but Posner does not wish to see it among the harms dealt with by the crimi

For those of us who enjoyed Judge Posner's Public Intellectuals or Law & Literature, this very little book fits in that niche -- easy to read, full of charming bits, grindingly rational. The book's topic and brevity will give it a natural market among school administrators and teachers. Maybe a private school or two will make it required reading for students. Students in particular need to know that schools now are using an internet software service to catch plagiarists. But like Posner's other books, this one asks a deep and haunting question. Why do we prize originality so much? The best writers (Posner cites Shakespeare) copied extensively, improving as they went. The ancient Egyptians went thousands of years painting the same odd figures on their tombs; they disdained originality. Ironically, Posner explains, student textbooks may be the least original of modern writings. The book is well worth $[...], an evening's reading, and further reflection.

While this review is not a copy of any other review (and indeed, to guard against any overt plagiarism, I am typing it without notes and straight to submission, without an editing stage), that is not to say that it will not in fact end up being copied by someone, somewhere. Plagiarism reaching epidemic proportions is one of the unintended consequences of the internet and its vast availability - much in forms easily adapated to cut-and-paste functions - makes it both a blessing and a curse. Posner's book starts with the now infamous case of the Harvard student, who, having secured book and movie deals even prior to her entrance to the prestigious Ivy League school, was publically disgraced when it was revealed that substantial elements of her first novel were taken from novels of similar ilk, sometimes in almost verbatim terms. Posner's book goes on to look at other incidents both past and present (to what extent would Shakespeare be branded a plagiarist?), the philosophical implications (moral and ethical), and some legal and consequential issues. What should be done with plagiarists? Of course, the answer varies, as will the reader's opinion here. Posner suggests that the internet will also be a saving grace in this -- indeed, I could relate to the issues he brings up as I am a professor who regularly uses the Turnitin.com service, which scans not only the internet but also a database of previously submitted papers. I have found at least one student in each of the last several semesters who has simply lifted an article or paper off the internet and turned it in as his or her own. Posner suggests that instructors who are not on the ball and using some kind of similar safeguard are naive. I must confess, I'd heard some of what he's written before, but then duplication is acceptable, provided sources are cited, right? The book itself is very small -- I read it in one go, and reminded me somewhat both in style and size of Harry Frankfurt's book, the title of which the filters here don't permit me to mention...