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Plagiarism Discussion

Prior to reading the Turnitin Plagiarism article, I was unaware of the variety of ways to

plagiarize. It was interesting to learn about the levels of intent and how each of the 10 types of

plagiarism ranked on the Frequency and Problematic scales. I like the Turnitins document

breaks down how the 10 forms of plagiarism each have different levels of intent, and how the

severity changes even though the academic punishments primarily treat all acts of plagiarism

with extreme severity and intent.

In the article, Ghana's Nana Akufo-Addo and Other Leaders Caught up in Plagiarism

Scandals, all the examples were acts of plagiarism in politics. The first example in the article,

where Ghanas president said in his inauguration speech earlier this year, Though our

challenges are fearsome, so are our strengths. Ghanaians have been a restless, questing,

hopeful people. And we must bring to our task today the vision and will of those who came

before us, was an example of the CLONE form of plagiarism. The article highlights that this

was taken word for word from Bill Clintons 1993 inauguration speech. In that speech Bill

Clinton said, "Though our challenges are fearsome, so are our strengths.

And Americans have ever been a restless, questing, hopeful people. We must bring to our task

today the vision and will of those who come before us." This form of plagiarism is ranked

number one the Frequency Scale and number one on the Problematic Scale.

In the Melania Trump and Michelle Obama example of plagiarism, this was an example

of the CRLT-C form of plagiarism. Where the speech Melania Trump gave during the US

Republican National Convention contained a significant portion of text from a speech by

Michelle Obama in 2008 without alteration. This form of plagiarism is ranked number three on
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the Frequency Scale and number two on the Problematic Scale. With the articles 9 examples of

political plagiarism, it is safe to say there is no room for plagiarism anywhere. Plagiarism is

unacceptable in any setting. In each example of the acts of plagiarism in politics, credit should

have been given to the person whose speech was plagiarized. It would have been less scrutinized

and less humiliating in each case of political plagiarism if each of the politicians would have

given credit to whom they quoted.