The main difference between Lethem’s definition of plagiarism
and Rutgers’ Academic Integrity Policy’s definition of plagiarism is that for
Rutgers’ definition one must not attribute the work to the original work.
Lethem’s definition has nothing to do with that. For him, plagiarism is simply
the use other’s ideas and incorporating them into your own. Rutgers Academic
policy would have no problem with that form of ‘plagiarism’, since its goal is
to advance the academics of the university and to avoid cheating amongst students.
Lethem wants new ideas to be shared, just like Rutgers, and he is happy with
those ideas to have been borrowed from others. Rutgers would be fine with that
as well, as that is the basis for its infamous Expository Writing course.
However, Rutgers does require that one does acknowledge that those ideas were
originally another’s. Lethem would be happy with that since he even admits to
being influenced by the world around him. Lethem in his article is not
advocating the stealing of other people’s ideas, but rather the free flow of
ideas, particularly in works of literature and the arts. He wants inspiration
to not have to hide for fear of a copyright take down of the whole work. He
does not want large companies to control what new works come out. All Rutgers
wants is for students to be honest in academia and to not worry about cheaters
who claim other students’ work as their own, diminishing the value of a Rutgers’
education.
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