#BlogTrends – Conquering Plagiarism – May 7

Vahni Georgoulakos is a professional writer, fellow fashion blogger, and active Blog Trends member that we know and love as Grit & Glamour. If you have ever read her incredibly well written blog you know that Vahni has a thing for Instagram, is incredibly stylish, and might have a slight obsession with Gucci. Unfortunately she has also been one of the most recent bloggers to be forced to confront plagiarism head on when a popular book blogger reworked and distributed a number of her posts. Learn how to avoid, confront, and stop plagiarism.

Q1 What is considered plagiarism? How can I be sure someone has copied my work before accusing them? #BlogTrends

@gritandglamour: A1 #Plagiarism is copying or closely imitating someone’s words/thoughts without npermission & passing them off as your own. #blogtrends

BeautifullyInv: A1 plagiarism is more than just a copy/paste job. Its also taking someone else’s work, reworking it & passing it off as your own #blogtrends

@justsitpretty: A1: plagiarism is copying someone’s work, ideas, etc. I know that you can trace IP addresses to confirm site visitation#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A1 Anytime you rework content without permission AND without attribution, you could very well be plagiarizing#blogtrends

@ScorchingStyle: @Blog_Trends A1. Plagiarism is when you pass off someone’s work as your own. We are all inspired, but we don’t all copy others. #BlogTrends

@justsitpretty: A1: Plagiarism can happen knowingly and unknowingly. It’s best to research ideas before executing and publishing#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A1 Part 2 – best way to track it is with IP evidence. Blog analytic software is key for that #blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A1 Commonalities in flow/structure of a piece + the same key points & terminology + a later pub date could signal #plagiarism. #blogtrends

@CM_Writer: A1: I use copyscape from time to time to see if my content is elsewhere on the web. It happened b4, I emailed the offender#blogtrends

@smalltwnfashion: A1 When another blogger inspires me, I use that as the first line of my blog post: “Thanks to ___ for the inspiration!”#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A1 Part 2 continued – my personal fave analytic tool is http://t.co/0kp8SfjP #blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A1 Other ways to prove #plagiarism: use http://t.co/UEOejsHI to detect similarities n& monitor IP addresses.#blogtrends

@nouvelle: A1 Also plagiarism = not properly citing sources. #blogtrends

@discountthief: a1: if u write about something & your competition writes about it a week later – that’s still stealing in my opinion#blogtrends

@linmuemuse: A1 It’s all about attribution. If you imitate/use omeone’s idea without giving them credit… shame on you. #plagarism#blogtrends

@TheTinyTieRant ideas belong 2 the collective unconscious (yeah bringin Jung in) but the execution of ideas is the real crux #blogtrends

@CM_Writer: @AmberlyDAnna Not necessarily true. Different content has specific licensing. So u have to be careful w/ intellectual property#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: If you want to know how to use analytics to track IP evidence, read this: http://t.co/La50VV0f #blogtrends

@smalltwnfashion: A1 I don’t even like pinning from tumblr. Pinterest is making copying easier – I always try to pin from the original post.#blogtrends

@blackblondeone: A1 Plagiarism is also when you take an idea and thoughts from a source to profit from it. #youknowwhoyouare#blogtrends #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: @teenacathey you can do reverse image searches in google. Save image and drag it here http://t.co/RNZzqrFA to find source #blogtrends

@Blog_Trends: Q2 How do I create my own content that is inspired by someone else’s without plagiarizing them? #BlogTrends

@blackblondeone: Q2 As it’s been said, CREDIT. Don’t try to be sneaky. You’ll be found! #blogtrends

@stylemethrifty: A2: An authentic thank you goes a long way. Email/tweet/whatever to show that blogger your appreciation! #blogtrends

@justsitpretty: A2: Take whatever it is that inspired you and apply it to you and your blog personally making sure it’s unique! #blogtrends

@TheTinyTieRant: a2 take wat u saw & put ur own style into it. do a compare&contrast post linking back to the originator makes u nicer&original #blogtrends

@blackblondeone: A2 Honestly, I don’t get why people want to imitate others anyways. If you don’t want to be you, who does?#blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A2 Avoiding #plagiarism is easy. Inspired by someone’s idea? Just link to nthe page, like I did here: http://t.co/Yk9TUpMs#blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A2 Use YOUR words/vocab, but if someone says it better, put verbatim excerpts in quotation marks & ALWAYS LINK to the source! #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A2 There is nothing wrong with inspiration… name the source and link back. #blogtrends

@ScorchingStyle: @Blog_Trends A2 Draw frm yr own resources. Read old magazines, watch old movies, visit museums, don’t JUST read other’s blogs! #Blogtrends

@smalltwnfashion: A2 When you give blogger love, you get it in return. I love how much my fellow bloggers inspire me to try new things.#blogtrends

@HouseOfJeffers: A2 Drawing inspiration from blogs comes w/the territory, but trying to do what everyone else ISN’T is keeps content fresh#blogtrends

@gritandglamour: But what is “voice?” It’s your cadence, favorite expressions, and words. That’s how people can tell it’s YOU. #blogtrends

@HouseOfJeffers: A2 Create your own writing style/voice, and experiment w/tone. The key is translating your personality into words.#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A2 YOUR unique voice and/or spin separates inspiration from plagiarism.If you dont bring anything new to the table dont post it #blogtrends

@blackblondeone: A2 Can your grandma tell that it’s your writing? Use that as a test. #lovemygrandma #blogtrends

Q3 Is it ok if I write about the same thing as some1 else if I had never read their article before, or is that still plagiarism?#BlogTrends

@gritandglamour: A3 We rarely have truly original ideas.#Plagiarism is using someone else’s nwriting about an idea without permission/citation. #blogtrends

@discountthief: a3: that’s not plagiarism. and it happens all the time. #blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A3 Write your personal thoughts about a topic. You can’t take someone’s post, change words & call it yours. That’s #plagiarism. #blogtrends

@HouseOfJeffers: A3 There’s a fine line. As fashion bloggers topics overlap b/c we may follow the same trends/news. #blogtrends

@rachelmaleady: @blog_trends A3: There are millions of bloggers. There are bound to be duplicate posts, especially in niche blogging.#blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A3 Originality is not in the idea, but your perspective of it. #blogtrends

@ScorchingStyle: A3 It’s not about writing about the same event, it’s bringing YOUR perspective to it. Your fans want to know what u saw & felt. #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: Q3 Just because a topic has been done b4 doesn’t mean it’s off limits. That isn’t plagiarism, that is conversation#blogtrends

@theskinnyblonde: A3: Running a red w/ your eyes closed is still illegal. Double check if unsure and keep using your own words.#blogtrends

@blackblondeone: A3 When you write a post with the same topic & bullet points as someone else. That’s #plagiarism. #blogtrends#blogtrends

@TheTinyTieRant: A3 back to Jung-ideas are unconsciously collected we all get to tap in but it’s wat u do with that idea that makes it unique #blogtrends

@jomariemalcolm: #a3 There are no original ideas just original execution so the aim should be to find your signature style and voice#BlogTrends

@jstprfectbeauty: a3: i think that five different people can write on the same topic and not duplicate verbatim… #blogtrends

@smalltwnfashion: A3 It’s just like three different bloggers styling the same shirt – they’ll all wear it a little differently. #blogtrends

@TeamRamp1885: Take coverage of met gala tomrw. Every1 will add their own voice to it. Perfect example of same event inspiring in folds.#blogtrends

@blackblondeone: @DigitalKaitlyn Plagiarism and wrong and should be pointed out for the good of the community. #callthemout#blogtrends #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: If you are planning to call someone out for plagiarism make sure you have PROOF & that you are 100% CONFIDENT in the accusation #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: Always try to solve the issue privately first. It may not have been malicious. Depending on how that goes, proceed as needed #blogtrends

@Blog_Trends: Q4 Have you ever been plagiarized? How did you handle the situation? #BlogTrends

@gritandglamour: A4 @BeautifullyInv & I were recently victims of #plagiarism—by a BOOK blogger! Read how we handled it:http://t.co/P56k04yF #blogtrends

@blackblondeone: A4 Yes, unfortunately I was. Site had no contact info, so I had to go straight for host and DMCA report. #blogtrends#blogtrends

@discountthief: a4: yes & had my TM infringed as well. in both cases i had to bring it to the offender’s attn #blogtrends

@gritandglamour: A4 Fight #plagiarism: 1.Take screen captures/document. 2.Contact blogger & tell nthem to remove content.http://t.co/glG7TVCh #blogtrends

@justsitpretty: A4: I have never been plagiarized, but if I was I’d address them personally first to see if we could work it out. #blogtrends

@pinkisfunny: A4. There was a time that somebody copied my entire website. Contacting them was my only option. #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: Q4 Um, YES. @gritandglamour and I were recently plagiarized by a well-known BOOK blogger. Full details herehttp://t.co/jX5pERes #blogtrends

@gritandglamour: @clarabellum DMCA= Digital Millenium Act. http://t.co/dD38pnK3 helps to enforce it. #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A4 I’ve also had my site scraped (posts stolen in entirety). Surprisingly that was easier to deal with than the book blogger.#blogtrends

@HouseOfJeffers: Q4 I’ve seen a similar topic/feature that I posted on my site on another blog… But the content was slightly different.#blogtrends

@CM_Writer: A4: Yes, I emailed, then called the plagiarizer. lol. I’m an attorney so I have ways of finding people. #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A4 1st sign that @gritandglamour & I were plagiarized was the fact that SIX posts on the offending site were “inspired” by ours. #blogtrends

@KatiePetix: A4 i’ve never been plagiarized, but when I used to model I had an international hotel chain illegally use my image.#blogtrends

@DigitalKaitlyn: A4 I have had photos lifted before and handled that, as far as writing goes I am still trying to determine that #blogtrends

Q5 What are the best tools to protect myself from plagiarism? #BlogTrends

@gritandglamour: A5 Metrics/analytics; http://t.co/dD38pnK3; http://t.co/gAzWt0PE; plugins like Antiscraper that prevent blog scraping.#blogtrends

@pinkisfunny: A5. Always have a Creative Commons license! Plus, I also use MyFreeCopyright to save a digital copy of all my orginal posts!#blogtrends

@ScorchingStyle: A5 Education. Educate yourself and keep an eye on your content. If you find something that looks familiar, check it out.#BlogTrends

@blackblondeone: @gritandglamour Blog scraping has happened to me like 5 times because of my book reviews. #jerks #blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: A5 Blog analytics tools like pmetrics or google analytics, DMCA, copyscape, due diligence#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: Having a little bit of Nancy Drew in you doesn’t hurt when it comes to being diligent about plagiarism #blogtrends

@TheTinyTieRant: be aware, and since u can’t be, then set up tools to help u. google alerts is a start. put one for ur most used phrases#blogtrends

@BeautifullyInv: Another bit of advice, a lot of people disable right-click on their sites. It DOESNT work. People can still CTRL-C/CTRL-V & copy #blogtrends