Not (Entirely) in Their Own Words

Cary Moskovitz

doi:10.1558/wap.v2i2.163

Writing and Pedagogy Dec 2010

Not (Entirely) in Their Own Words

Cary Moskovitz Duke University

Abstract

Professionals routinely ask colleagues for feedback on drafts of their written work, and the feedback they receive frequently includes suggestions for changes in wording. By convention, professionals are free to appropriate these suggestions without citation; the suggested words or phrases become, in effect, the author’s own in a transaction this essay terms a textual gift. In contrast, guidelines and policies on plagiarism for student writers are typically phrased in ways that would appear to forbid students from accepting textual gifts or to require that they use citation in doing so – both of which interfere with teaching students how to solicit and make use of feedback in a professional manner. Centered on a case from the author’s own experience, this essay explores the complexities of textual gifts in academic settings through a look at the language of institutional policies, handbooks on writing, and online guides to citation practices, as well as existing scholarship on plagiarism. The essay argues that new scholarship is needed to guide both instructors and institutions, and maps out some potential avenues for this work.

Journal: Writing and Pedagogy
Published: 2010-12-18
DOI: 10.1558/wap.v2i2.163
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Open Access: Closed
Topics: teacher development
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Not (Entirely) in Their Own Words

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