Paraphrasing: Is It Plargiarism?

avatar
(Edited)

We have a situation that is very interesting. It brings up some good points that I think worthy of discussion and like the feedback from the community.

image.png
Source

There was a post put up by @xplosive called Axie Infinity - The most popular blockchain game of the year (2021). If you check it out, it is really a very good post, full of information. It is also a great one to have for SEO purposes. We know Axie Infinity is huge.

The question is where this is an original post or not.

It is a point that was brought up by @pusen. Here is a comment that was left.

pusen.png

This looks very similar to a post on Coinmarketcap called "What is Axie Infinity?".

Obviously, this article was used as a template for the one the author wrote on here. In fact, that is admitted in the comment section. The word used is "paraphrasing".

You can read through the comments on there to see how the conversation went. It is rather detailed and brings up some good points.

@puse downvoted the article. We cannot know the exact reason for this although insight given through the commenting.

Here we have a two-fold situation:

  • Is this plagiarism?

  • Is this worthy of being upvoted?

Both are two different levels of activity. Here I will give my views and would love to see what everyone's views are.

Is This Plagiarism

The conversation centered around taking one's work and passing it off as one's own. Did that occur in this instance?

Obviously, we do not see any links crediting any part of the article from Coinmarketcap. The format was near identical with just the wording in each section changed. To the author's credit, it was more than just a word here or there.

However, that does not absolve the issue of taking this piece and trying to pass it off as one's own. On the plagiarism scale, I would say this is low since it wasn't an outright copy/paste. There was some effort made and a bit of time was spent.

Is This Worthy Of An Upvote?

This is one where I was tempted. To me, this is a great article, worthy of being on the front page of Leofinance. Unfortunately, after reading through the comments, it didn't sit well with me.

@pusen did so out of two possible reasons. The first is obviously if the feeling of plagiarism is there, then that is worthy of a downvote. Another is simply a disagreement of rewards. This is the situation I found myself in.

While I wouldn't necessarily downvote it, I can see where the disagreement over rewards is there. Does a "paraphrased" article to this degree deserve rewards? Does it merit people giving it upvotes?

As you can see from the article, I did not upvote it as much as I thought it would be good for the front page of Leo.

A Bit More Effort

Naturally, we all look to other sources to generate ideas. There is a lot going on and we cannot stay on top of it all. So we read the works of others and turn them into our own posts.

This cannot be avoided. Others will simply be more knowledgeable than us on certain topics. So we take their ideas and incorporate them into what we are doing.

In this instance, sometimes citing is best, other times not. Here is an instance where @acesontop decided to cite me for some information about this subject in his "The Brave New World", A Metaverse I'll Definitely Skip.

To me, this wasn't necessary but I do appreciate the mention. Also, nothing in this post was remotely following anything I wrote in terms of structure or content.

That said, the original article discussed here was a missed opportunity. The thought was there but just a bit more work was required. Taking something as the basis for an outline if fine as long as one works away from it. In this situation, a few of the topic headers could have been changed, one or two more added, and a different format used. The content of the information is general since it is all applicable to Axie Infinity.

If that was done, perhaps it would have been sent to the front page of Leofinance.

Those are my thoughts. What does everyone else think? There are two issues at hand that we might want to answer:

  • Is this plagiarism?

  • Is this worthy of being upvoted?

Let us know in the comments below.


If you found this article informative, please give an upvote and rehive.

gif by @doze

screen_vision2025_1.png

logo by @st8z

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta



0
0
0.000
82 comments
avatar

In my opinion, paraphrasing is okay if you also add your own opinions and give credit to the paraphrased author. That is how it is done in academia. (Of course, I am grossly simplifying it.)

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Most people miss adding their own views, this is what makes the difference, but they skip it yet believe it's not plagiarism.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Another's article can serve and a template or inspiration but what is produced needs to be personalized. If not, just rewording the work of another.

Is it plagiarism? Who knows? Is it worthy of support on Hive? Certainly not in my opinion.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

pixresteemer_incognito_angel_mini.png
Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Week 69 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!
8

0
0
0.000
avatar

Paraphrasing is ok I do it as well simply because I read articles from all over. However there does need to be a limit and it's hard to figure that out without a lot of work. It needs to be 1) Unique enough from the main article and 2) It should have the writers own thoughts and opinions on some of the topics they are talking about. It makes the article more interesting but also makes it more unique. It deserves a upvote if it's got those two things but if it's almost a cut and past of the original then in my opinion no.

0
0
0.000
avatar

If you are using information from many different articles, then I am not sure how you can be plagiarizing.

You are just accumulating information and then writing something out.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

That's another important factor, when an article holds accumulated informations from diverse sources, it definitely deserves a reward because it's pure research work.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Absolutely.

There is a potential danger the next big play is acknowledging multiple sources while only plagiarising one of them.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Without a doubt. People who research, accumulate knowledge, and then write about it are adding to the ecosystem in a big way.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I agree with you that it really comes down to doing the work and making it plainly visible you have done the work.
I could be smart and try to circumvent plagiarism by still loosely rephrasing sections of already existing content. Could be done half asleep.

I feel original content just has a fresh quality to it that is hard to pin down. Like when that kid in school turned in his homework assignment and teacher looks at him and says: "You obviously didn't write that!"

0
0
0.000
avatar

That is true. That is a quality to it.

I think if people are aware of it and trying to make things fresh, then that will be picked upon by readers.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I use pieces of articles in my posts, I'm so paranoid about the rewards police around here, I usually take a screen shot and source the info.

I think this is a grey area on this post, but I hate how the word gets misused around here. Most often people aren't presenting posts as their own, but rather need to be reminded on how to source it, as most social media sites could care less and most authors like to have their article shared with credit.

In anycase, I didn't go look, but I wish if people are giving corrections it could be done politely.

I think downvotes are very important, but I don't understand why we still have the Bernie Culture on downvoting where the person DVing acts like they are personally offended and the poster has committed murder.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

In my eyes a post is worthy of a downvote if all information is taken from other sources even if it's sourced. If you're not giving me any of your own thoughts or experiences on a subject but rather compiling information from elsewhere, with sources, you're still profiting from someones elses work. If I were to give a downvote to something like that it wouldn't be because the act in itself is wrong but because I don't agree with the rewards.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Yes, you are right.

But some of us here are English Teachers, College Graduates, and Educationally Privileged.

Others of us don't have formal educations and need to be gently brought up to code instead of downvoted and punished.

Is this plagiarism? Was the question asked at the end of this post. Paraphrasing Plagiarism is not one everybody's radar.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

You certainly do not need a formal education to know that cutting a stolen watermelon and selling it in parts does not make your operation legal (despite the Proof-of-Work).

It is easy to tell the intentions.
If one wants to share a great idea/work, they post: "I have read a great article you need to check out at this link."
If one wants some money, they word-spin it and post as a new piece.

It is not easy to prove the intentions in court or university committee but fortunately Hive DVing is an opinion-based procedure so a consensus on either question asked in the OP is not needed for anyone to act.

That being said, the latter question makes no sense. People upvote the article without realising it was plagiarised so any attempt to blame them for misbehaviour (covering up the original malicious operation) is strange.

I also have a problem with the Paraphrasing Plagiarism label - at least in my native language, "paraphrasing" infers/hints adding one's opinion to the paraphrased content.

The part most people are missing is that making it to the trending page IS NOT the dream scenario for milkers. Getting away with 50 zero-content posts a day spread over 20 accounts is the way to go. How many people have that on their radars?

0
0
0.000
avatar

It's social media, not English 101.

However, I agree that if one dv as is their right, they should politely explain why

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

A lot of people explain when politely asked.
I never give unsolicited advice out of respect for the DVed person's right not to care about me.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I think that seems like a fair personal line. Well thought out and presented.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I am not sure this is equivalent to a Bernie moment.

Yes there were downvotes placed but I dont think it was based upon disagreement with the content itself. It is the fact that some do not thing rewards are worthy when someone just takes another's work, even if it is changed a some.

I do agree with the citing of others. It is best to be over indulgent as opposed to under.

Quoting the works of others is fine in my opinion if referenced. Even with images, link the source. Let people know where they can find it.

Doing this often adds to the credibility of what is being discussed anyway.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Yeah, I agree.. not a Bernie moment, but it just always seems like it is done with a tone..

Why not, Hey great article, ... please credit your source.

I mean it's that simple.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Changing a word here-and-there is still plagiarizing.
Paraphrasing = writing a summary of an article in one's own words.

Taking on sentence from your post:

The thought was there but just a bit more work was required.

And changing it to:

The thought was okay but just a little more work was required.

...is still plagiarizing your work! It is still theft and it exhibits laziness.

Remember that the crypto-world is watching Hive and our reputation is at stake. We do not want to be known as "that blockchain with lazy people who steal others' work." People who truly care about Hive will not plagiarize and jeopardize our reputation in such a way. Our downvotes should target plagiarizing and other bad activities rather than being wasted on petty squabbles and reward disagreement.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I guess it depends on how much percentage the entire article can paraphrasing, how much alike between two articles. An academic research paper also paraphrases if it is a continuation of another paper.

credit needs to be given to the original article when paraphrasing though.

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

It's still a rewritten article, by changing the words here and there, with the purpose of monetising it.

What's happened to original content?

If paraphrasing as some like to call it, or quoting takes up the majority of the post, then it worth downvoting. That is milking the reward pool using other people's work.

The mentioned author has had many outbursts because, according to him, his posts have not received the expected attention. Now he has found a way to create "good" content by paraphrasing others for monetary purposes. Is this what we should be doing here? I don't think so!

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

As a former English Teacher, I can attest that Paraphrasing Plagiarism is one of those infractions that always surprise the students.

Many of them didn't even know they were "cheating" and simply needed to be taught that plagiarism is broad.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Many of them didn't even know they were "cheating" and simply needed to be taught that plagiarism is broad.

Not the case here though.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

As a former English Student, I can attest that paraphrasing plagiarism often goes undetected and while I was surprised the teacher didn't notice I can understand the internet was quite new at the time so it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Didn't make what I did any fair to the original author, especially bad if I had been earning monetary rewards from it.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Upvoted for using paraphrasing correctly. Well played.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Now I earned monetary rewards for paraphrasing and getting away with it when I was 14. :(

0
0
0.000
avatar

I assume you word-spinned back then.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Valid points also.

The author did make an effort to provide content that would be better received. Is that a step forward? I dont know. I guess it depends upon the motive. Either way, the article was still tied a great deal to the first one and not enough for many to consider "original" work.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Every time I see him he literally just complains about lack of engagement, kind of seems to fail to understand people generally don't want to engage with constant negativity.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I agree! He still has to learn that complaining and throwing childish tantrums won't bring viewers, nor votes to his posts, which are either flipped articles, or low effort, spam posts.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Especially when the negativity is always about Hive and all that is wrong here.

If it is so bad, head elsewhere. Nobody is forced to be here other than an irrational obsession that many of us have that probably requires professional psychological treatment.

Outside of that circle, everyone else is free to leave as they see fit.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

There's definitely some people that take the activity too far. I mean I get it, I used to be really active engaging as well early on but you can't let your overactivity expect everyone else to do the same and at the same time let it judge how active the platform should be based on your opinions biased by your own activity. Some of these people really show how obsessive they are some times and downvotes have often caused them to show their true colors real quick, not talking about this person here in this case but there's a weird obsession going around "seeing numbers go up" and them doing everything in their power to increase it often leading to spam, lower quality and just in general driving themselves nuts and becoming jaded about everything.

0
0
0.000
avatar

When money enters the picture, things can get dicey and emotions start to run.

Sadly, patience is something that is required, which in a time of instant gratification, is not in the forte of most. Yet development takes time and cannot often be sped up. So does growth. It is easy to look at the "overnight success" stories but that is not the norm.

A lot of work is taking place on Hive, in many different directions. It will pan out over time.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Let's see if he understands what's going on here, or continues flipping article and spam posts as he has been. He still has 24 active posts, of which 99% deserves rewards taken away from for plagiarism, spam and shitposting.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

At least according to your opinion. I would like to mention the fact that my black and white photos are original. Nowadays I am taking them with my Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite. So I would like to kindly ask you to please stop the excessive downvoting on my posts. Thank you.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Especially when the negativity is always about Hive and all that is wrong here.

Not negativity. Simply truth. Honesty and realism.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Or you just/only want to see that side of me. I mostly post black and white photos nowadays, but not everything is black and white. Similarly my comments are not just/only "complaining". I do a lot to support others as I can. Even if you do not (want to) see it. I give you some !PIZZA to give an obvious example of supporting others. I really like this platform. I really do. But the truth is truth. Not negativity. Just/only truth. Realism. Straight facts.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Well, I've been trying to help you too, else you would've been muted ages ago.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I think

  • Plagiarism: copy exactly from others and make it yours - must be prohibited
  • Paraphrasing : refer from others and change the words to make it yours. It's OK if the referred source is mentioned clearly in the post. If not, should not be OK

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Sure, it's ok to paraphrase, that's not the problem. The problem comes when you try to pass it off as your own and/or profit from it. With or without sources.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Also maybe don't paraphrase the whole article or in that case decline rewards if you really want to share it that way.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I downvoted the post not for the pure act of paraphrasing/plagiarism but because I didn't agree with the rewards and I stand by that. Even if he had added the source it would still be a post worth downvoting in my opinion because he is still profiting from something someone else wrote. If he had added in his own thoughts and experiences it would have been another case but his post gave off the same information in different words.

When you're changing the words around and re-writing them you're still taking the original authors idea. When you present it as your own because it's in "your own words" that's still plagiarism. Plagiarism is so much more than copying something word from word.

The reason why I spend time and energy on this is because I don't want Hive to be known as a place where people can profit from that. That is also part of the reason why I saw it as important to take away the rewards. If people from the outside see even a 1$ reward on a plagiarised post people will think Hive is that place.

It's an interesting discussion this and I think it's a good thing you brought it up. I just hope this doesn't bring some bad repercussions upon @xplosive. He's a good guy who owned up to his mistake and I look forward to seeing his future posts and contributions.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Even if he had added the source it would still be a post worth downvoting in my opinion because he is still profiting from something someone else wrote.

Anyone not understanding this is trying to live in a crazy utopian paradise.

Now, how does one decline rewards on a comment? I would love to do it here but I can't see any button (peakd).

0
0
0.000
avatar

I don't think you can decline them directly but you can set @null as 100% benefactor.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Burn is as good as Decline but my question is at interface level, I do not see any option to set benefactors either.

0
0
0.000
avatar

It's the button scribbled in red.

image.png

0
0
0.000
avatar

Oh, great. I just did not realize I can actually open the comment to get the full options.

Although clicking the plus sign 100 times to size up the percentage is not my favorite UX, it is great to see the option exists. @peakd

0
0
0.000
avatar

That is quite not perfect. You can however just go negative from zero and it'll jump straight to 100%.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Wow, that is a cool hack.

FTR, I just set 50% for my last comment, LOL.

0
0
0.000
avatar

untitled.gif

It's best to send to @hive.fund I think that still gives the comments the symbol that you're "burning" them, if you are against the DHF then sending to null is probably better cause that way curators still get their rewards and aren't disincentivized to vote up your comments that have 100% declined rewards. I'm usually a fan of sending back to the DHF, especially considering what @hbdstabilizer is doing lately and especially with the current HBD price being off peg, not to mention that burning Hive just takes coins off the total supply which isn't much but over time may affect our coinmarketcap ranking especially compared to other similar supply centralized shitcoins. :p

0
0
0.000
avatar

This particular one was a good fit for Decline as the message was indeed "do not upvote, I am just bolding/underlining part of the comment".

A good reminder not to use Decline for Level 0 posts for this reason, though.

Ackchyually, if @hive.fund benefactor is marked as "burning", it would be cool if @hbdstabilizer benefactor could be marked the same way. I am going to use this version when applicable although it is hard to blame anyone who misses the reroute when reward-disagreeing. After all, resending to various community accounts is an option but then a small fraction ends up in my pocket after being laundered.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I agree. @hbdstabilizer is doing a terrific job. The peg is out of alignment which actually provides an opportunity to grow the fund.

Long-term that should help out the overall progress of Hive.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I downvoted the post not for the pure act of paraphrasing/plagiarism but because I didn't agree with the rewards and I stand by that.

I didnt want to state the case for you but it appears that is the reason. It is also your right. Each is free to use their VP as seen fit.

It was your comments that had me consider this. This is a topic worthy of conversation. The views are all over the place so it is good to get people talking about it.

Certainly the original article required a lot more citing for it to even be on par with being acceptable. After that, it gets into a gray area.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

Where did he plagiarize? Just curious to look and compare👍

0
0
0.000
avatar

Paraphrasing Plagiarism. It is a thing and it is real.

I really want to read all my news here on leofinance. I don't want to have to go to coinmarketcap or any other place.

I think it is a great idea to go over to those news sites and get ideas for what to write about here - let's just do it without commuting plagiarism.

Paraphrasing Plagiarism.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I don't think it's plagiarism if the words were changed. It would pass a plagiarism test.

However, rather than paraphrase, creating your own story from information gotten works well. If a writer loves a topic and feels like writing about it, that writer should be able to grab information from an article and create an entirely new article using their own words and their ideas alongside what they read in that article.

I guess it's a lesson for everyone. I've done a similar thing once or twice but luckily I learned to do better after that. I hope that person learns as well.

The effort is everything.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

It is one thing to draw inspiration from a piece or multiple pieces; another to simply rewrite another's works.

This is something that many can fall victim to so it is good to discuss.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I have addressed this topic in two past posts of mine. I was calling this type of plagiarism as grey plagiarism, where one hasn't simply copy pasted and article, but neither is he the author of the article. I can't find the first one, it's probably over two years old, but found the second on Publish0x.
https://www.publish0x.com/httpswwwpublish0xcomacesontop/how-to-avoid-grey-plagiarism-xrylerl

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

A good distinction and one worthy of discussion. Most just look at the copy/paste and not other forms of content theft.

It is an interesting topic.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

I had to check out the two posts before leaving this comment, and the post is identical. What he did was try to evade the plagiarism bot, by paraphrasing the work. It's plagiarized.

Most people's posts are not really noticeable because of the tool they use to paraphrase their text.

But if you read them, you will find it a bit odd, and out of place. Sentences and words will be off. You will see old English language, like, "be that as it may" embedded somewhere in the text. And then, if you understood what the author was trying to talk about, you will notice the wordings didn't match.

It usually feel as though a robot is writing, because, we humans are quite expressive with our thoughts.

I am sadly embarrassed and disappointed in xplosive, I would never think of him doing a thing called paraphrasing


Posted via proofofbrain.io

0
0
0.000
avatar

I spend time finding good material in Russian, after which I abstract it and only then translate it. Yes, I did not mention the author, because the entire text was completely revised and translated. From now on, I will be more careful and will take into account the rules of the platform. Because in one day I got 6 downvotes because of plagiarism. It was shock for me. Because this is a huge work. After that my reputation was 5. Now I just write my thoughts nothing more.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Understood. It is best to give your own content. If there is something that interests you while adding to the point in your article, quote and cite it.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

It's not so easy writing a cryptocurrency related post without external information, reason being that only project owners hold the first actual information about their work, after there on, interviewers and reporters hold the second.

That said, as third place writers as I've always pictured myself, doing research and trying to bring more audience to interesting topics, those informations is what we'd definitely want because we can't be putting up what's not there.

In that case, two choices are are placed in front of us, one is to directly quote with proper sourcing and two is to read, and summarize in your own terms using terms like "as reported by" "the head office stated" even without providing a link to every bit of details, those little phrases will make the readers understand that it's a research work and you ain't writing as if you were part of the project runners.

However, I once found pleasure in digging plagiarism on leofinance.io until proofofbrain.io was born, and I discovered most of the plagiarists had moved there.

Here's a post of mine on paraphrasing : https://leofinance.io/@badbitch/askleo-should-paraphrasing-be-entertained

Which clearly showed how the intentions of the publisher was to bypass plagiarism bots and milk rewards. A genuine writer is known when spotted, so if it feels like plagiarism, the tools are available to gage the measures...

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

You are right. It is easy to tell when someone is making a genuine effort at creating content that adds to the platform as opposed to ones just trying to scalp rewards.

Interesting that the individual you were focusing upon moved to PoB. It is still a problem for Hive but not so much for Leofinance, at least for the moment.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

PoB is really attractive for any form of abuse given the effort their anti-DV majority made to paint a target on the tribe's front door.

I am really curious how that plays out.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Stop paraphrasing @pusen's username. 😂

0
0
0.000
avatar

Damn thanks for that. Edited to correct.

Skipped write over those when proofing. My eyes skimmed right past the links.

Next time I will plagiarize the username though.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

If whole article is paraphrased, then it is plagiarism.
Regarding rewards, I consider it is not worthy of any rewards even with cited source. (unless it is done solely for translation )

If paraphrasing is rewarded then whole Hive will just become a hotbed for spamming as "paraphraser" can post every hour, killing/suppressing the original "intellectual" value of Hive.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000
avatar

If paraphrasing is rewarded then whole Hive will just become a hotbed for spamming as "paraphraser" can post every hour, killing/suppressing the original "intellectual" value of Hive.

That is true and the point many make. They look at it as a problem at the ecosystem level more than just an individual reward question.

We have to constantly monitor the product being presented here.

Posted Using LeoFinance Beta

0
0
0.000