Famous Cases of Plagiarism: More Than a Tradition, Practically an Institution

With many new online writers currently facing the ugly realities of plagiarism for the first time, a misconception is mounting that plagiarism is a relatively new phenomenon; one only perpetrated by the untalented, inept, or simply unscrupulous.  In a very real sense, however, although it is always frowned upon and often leads to lawsuits, plagiarism is a facet of writing that has co-existed with legitimate writing for all recorded history, a fact that itself, owes much to the practice of plagiarism.  And while all legitimate writers certainly have the right to be incensed by the flagrant pilfering of their hard-researched material, it’s important to keep in perspective that plagiarism is practically an institution unto itself, possessing a rich history all its own.  Read more . . .

Yellow Journalism: Are You Guilty?

Yellow journalism is defined as a type of writing that presents little or no legitimate well-researched information and instead uses eye-catching headlines or catch-phrases to make articles appear more enticing to potential readers.  Today, "yellow journalism" is used to describe unscrupulous styles of writing that convey news or information in an unprofessional or unethical fashion including the use of unsubstantiated sources, exaggeration or fabrication of facts, opinion disguised as fact, self-promotion, and overt sensationalism. Techniques include:
> scary or misleading headlines
> over-use of pictures or imaginary drawings
> use of faked interviews
> pseudo-science disguised as scientific fact
> unqualified “expert” supportive arguments
> "underdog against the system” baiting
Read more . . .