Academic plagiarism and the wider world
Academics are used to discussions about the nature and implications of plagiarism, both on the part of students and occasionally by staff. But just occasionally plagiarism that had its origins in academic exercises creates waves in the wider world. This week has provided a major example. The German Defence Minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, has had to give up his doctoral title in the face of allegations that he used but did not credit some of the sources in his PhD thesis. The thesis in question was submitted in 2006 and was later published in 2009. The actual extent of the alleged plagiarism is small in the overall context of a 1,000 page work, but as he could not refute the allegations he was forced to hand back his doctorate. For now at least, he will retain his government post, but he may find that his career has been seriously affected.
His is not the first non-academic career to have been hit by allegations of academic plagiarism. Last year a candidate for the post of Governor in Maine was seriously affected by allegations of plagiarism, which prompted him to fire on of his own staffers who, he said, was responsible for providing the allegedly copied materials.
Within the university sector an Australian vice-chancellor, David Robinson, had to resign a few years ago when the media picked up cases of plagiarism on his part that had been established some years earlier.
As universities often struggle with plagiarism by students, it may be worth reminding them that when they are found to have plagiarised this has the potential to leave a trail that can seriously damage them later in their professional lives. It is a matter to be taken seriously.
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University Blog 
February 24, 2011 at 11:27 am
Ah, great timing.
Covering plagiarism in this afternoons lecture.
February 24, 2011 at 2:09 pm
I expect he still has family credit for a few generations yet for the actions of his grandfather and granduncle with von Stauffenberg. I for one think a forgivable oversight.
What’s the ‘zu’ bit in his name.
February 24, 2011 at 4:19 pm
German aristocracy nerdy info: The basic title is ‘von’, as in the French ‘de’. ISomeone called ‘von und zu’ has particular associations with a town or place of the same name.
February 24, 2011 at 5:06 pm
I’m Irish. The profound type. That group that bothered their arse and decided they are human.
ooopse,
February 24, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Can we call you the Baron?
February 24, 2011 at 6:20 pm
You can call me anything you like… 🙂
February 24, 2011 at 4:30 pm
The reason why student don’t ‘get’ plagiarism and its importance is that today’s digital technologies have made extremely easy to apply old avant-garde artistic practices like re-mix, collage and mash-up. Culturally/artistically this opens up some fascinating possibilities, the only problem is that society still holds notions of ‘authorial originality’ in high esteem. Lots of debate in the field of media studies about copyrights vs copy left http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft
February 24, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Yes i too have seen some students which have been affected in their future life and regret for doing wrong thing..