Melania Trump's Plagiarism Scandal

I do not want to put any further heat on Melania Trump for her 2016 Republican National Convention speech. She made a mistake; she got caught; issue closed. I am, however, appalled by some of the things said in her defense.

First, it is no defense to say that one is using common language or expressing popular ideas. Plagiarism does not happen by accident. The only way that one can plagiarize is to copy someone else's words or ideas without giving credit. This can only be intentional. Plagiarism can result from carelessness, or a moment of inattention, or appalling levels of ignorance, but it is never a coincidence.

Second, there are cultural variations in intellectual property rights. In the Western democracies, however, giving credit to someone whom you are quoting is considered basic. We live in an information society, and intellectual property rights underlie both our economy and our intellectual lives.

Third, plagiarism is very common. I always give my students instruction for avoiding plagiarism. It doesn't seem to discourage all of them! Despite knowing better, some of my students still plagiarize their in-class speeches. Famous writers and speakers have plagiarized. Major Democratic and Republican politicians have plagiarized. However, two (or three, or four) wrongs don't make a right. Many of the ridiculous excuses that Republican convention-goers have given for Mrs. Trump sound just like the silly things that my students say when they are caught copying. In fact, second-grade teachers tell the students not to copy someone else's work. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, should know better.

Fourth, changing a few words does not forestall an accusation of plagiarism. In Western culture, one must either express ideas entirely in one's own words, or quote the other person's words exactly while giving credit. Nothing in-between is acceptable. Sometimes writers and speakers weaver their own ideas or words into the material that they have wrongly copied. This is never acceptable.

The Internet age makes it very, very easy to plagiarize. It also makes it very, very easy to catch plagiarists. Speakers should be careful, for one's reputation can be lost in a moment.