<p>wait…i’m not arguing abt cheating…obviously its bad and i agree to that. What i’m asking is, is it ok to have a similar writing style as say…someone u really look upto?</p>
<p>Similar style, yes. Copying almost word for word (changing just a few here and there) is not right. You can try to emulate Hemingway’s style. You should not be passing off one of his novels as your own after changing a few things here and there.
By the way, since KV is a Harvard student, during her freshman year, she would have been handed a booklet, “Writing with sources,” which explains such concepts as paraphrasing, copying, plagiarizing.</p>
<p>I think that similar writing style is fine, and in fact, many new authors have advertisements along the lines of “a new novel in the tradition of _____” In those cases, however, the similarities are (a) upfront and (b) not as egregious as those I see in the snippets from this book.</p>
<p>“Packaging” an author.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/27/books/27pack.html?hp&ex=1146110400&en=b28034ed499e9da0&ei=5094&partner=homepage[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/27/books/27pack.html?hp&ex=1146110400&en=b28034ed499e9da0&ei=5094&partner=homepage</a></p>
<p>Arjun:</p>
<p>nice try, but trying to emulate a chick-lit novel is not exactly following in the footsteps of Robert Frost, Normal Mailer or Hemingway. Suggest you quit while you are behind, less one of your colleagues find out your pov on stealing others’ works.</p>
<p>
bluebayou, i just asked for ur opinion on this, to see how parents react to such issues. I have no intention to do this…and as for my colleagues finding out…ive posted this same thread at the High School forum and at my co2010 Cornellsite where all Cornellians can see it…</p>
<p>please don’t get me wrong…but sincerely, were statements like,“I realize that intellectual property rights are not considered very strong ‘rights’ in Bangalore, but they are here in the US.” and “Sincerety must have different geographical meanings” really neccessary?</p>
<p>Arjun, I think I pretty much agree with you on this. If it were a scholarly book, and the parts which are very similar were passages which reflected an original viewpoint or academic conclusion I might feel differently. But a few scattered passages which aren’t particularly original or significant to begin with, in books which are basically formulaic pap, are neither surprising nor, in my opinion, anything to get worked up over. Unless there is more to this than I read in the Crimson, it’s a bunch of people getting sanctimonious over nothing of significance. I think some people’s response is fueled by a feeling that the young author was paid a lot for pretty low quality work, (which may be true) but I don’t think that justifies the judgmental attitude a lot of people have expressed in this thread. Your question was appropriate and your opinion is not unreasonable.</p>
<p>Kluge:</p>
<p>A few? 40 passages and counting. Nothing of significance? Please do not encourage Arjun to think that this is okay.</p>
<p>Kluge - you’re scary.</p>
<p>After reading the excerpts in the Crimson, I agree that KV’s writing is nothing spectacular. Although I am not an expert on teenage genre, I would think there are many young adults who are KV’s age that can churn out books like that. However, plagirizing even low-quality work is still wrong.
Often, when I assign the first research paper of the semester, I also assign a small accompanying project. Students have to look up Joe Biden and his connection to Neil Kinnock.<br>
Coming back to KV, I see that she wants to be an investment banker. I wonder how many of us would trust her to manage our money after this episode :-)</p>
<p>Kluge, taking whole sentences and passages, then changing a word to a synonym here and there, or rearranging a couple words, is definitely plagiarism. I’ve dealt with this several times with student papers recently–it does make tracking it down harder (you’ve got to run different passages through Google before one triggers the “borrowed from” work.) but once I find, it the similar patterns of sentences jump out, just like here. I work very hard to teach my students why that’s not acceptable, why paraphrased material must be attributed just like a quote. Letting Kaavya slide just because it’s fiction makes no sense–this is fiction that needs footnotes!</p>
<p>It would be different if she had been hired to write a new “Nancy Drew” or “Sweet Valley” novel–we all know those books contain stock phrases and only the plot changes somewhat. But she was supposed to write an original novel–or else McCafferty could have done the paraphrasing job herself and pocketed the $500,000.</p>
<p>Alas, I think the point about differing cultural standards for intellectual property is valid. And it may be an atitude that is gaining acceptance here in the U.S. Cheap DVD movies are available from street peddlers in every large city and middle-class folks purchase them. In Asia there is a longstanding tradition of disagreement with private I.P. rights. I don’t agree with Bill Gates standards of intellectual propery, but integrity must have a minimum standard. This girl at Harvard demonstrated little, if any integrity.</p>
<p>As the author of “sincerity must have different geographical meanings” I’ll take te risk of being labeled sanctimonious to make my point. For the record, Arjun did not pose a question as much as making a statement in defense of his position. </p>
<p>It is obvious from my comments that I find the actions, including the puerile and hollow apology, to be entirely despicable. It is also very unfortunate that this person had turned in a cult hero in the ethic press and had become a new desi-princess. It is further very unfortunate that her behavior and actions are so easily … understood and accepted. Ethics are ethics, and displays of compromised ethics may become daily occurences, but should remain unacceptable. Despite being easily manipulated, our system is built on a foundation of honor and respect. </p>
<p>Consumers and early supporters were misled by an author who lacks integrity and a supporting cast keenly interested in capitalizing on the Harvard name and abusing the gullibility of a broad public. </p>
<p>We deserve better!</p>
<p>Lake Washington, I really wish you would keep to the topic and stop making deprecating remarks about other cultures…i find it not needed.</p>
<p>Xiggi, to be frank, I wasn’t aware of the degree of plagiarism involved. My statements as OP were assuming that the case had more to do with copying of style and certain, not as many as many opf you parents describe, sentences. </p>
<p>I really do hope further posts voice your opinions on the topic instead of becoming surreptious attacks on cultures, which I find troubling.</p>
<p>“I really do hope further posts voice your opinions on the topic instead of becoming surreptious attacks on cultures, which I find troubling.”</p>
<p>Arjun, I am not sure what you mean by “surreptious attacks on cultures.” Assuming that you wanted to incorporate the word “surreptitious” in your post, let me assure that there is absolutely nothing furtive or skulking in my remarks. It is all there: directly, bluntly, and … sincerely!</p>
<p>i’m referring to ur “Sincereity…” and following statements.</p>
<p>Xiggi, you know I agree completely with you on the plagiarism issue. But is it really fair to bring up nationality just because Arjun and Kaavya share one? It’s already caused another poster (also Indian and not defending plagiarism) to go after the already sufficiently maligned Jerseyans.</p>
<p>Let’s stick to the central issue–egregious as it is.</p>
<p>what I don’t understand is how someone who was able to get herself into arguably the most competitive college in the US, but obstensibly doesn’t know what plagerism is?
That is generally taught in middle school, and really drummed home in high school because it is a critical skill that will be needed in university</p>
<p>The work seems more than derivative, it seems like a blatant effort to capitalize on someone elses work and pass it off as her own.</p>
<p>I think she deserves exactly the same punishment as that meted out to Doris Kearns Goodwin (a seat on the Harvard Board of Overseers), and maybe a faculty appointment to replace Larry’s friend. ;)</p>