(no subject)

[waterspyder]

I don't know how to feel about this.

I googled "poetic identity" to make sure I wasn't just making shit up for my essay (more than usual). And the third hit returned an essay published in a literary journal in January 2005 that is more or less the essay I'm trying to write, and we have both selected 2 out of 3 of the same poems by which to substantiate our essays.

Good news: Someone else thought this was a good take on Wordsworth and was published for it.

Bad news: I have to cover my ass big time against plagiarism.

I'm wondering if I should alert my professor now to this accidental coincedence.

Comments

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

That would possibly be a good way to cover your ass... and possibly nail any less than honest classmates.

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

Well... I'm not sure how many classmates will come up with my exact thesis.

The topic is "Why does the narrator wander" and I'm using it to define poetic identity according to Wordsworth.

Of course, those that do... it would be mighty suspicious.

[corradus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, totally tell yer prof about it first....good thinking.

[feli-valkyria.livejournal.com]

Your essay will have wording and organization far different from this published one, right? (I seriously DOUBT you're trying to pass off this online essay as your own!) PLUS you're using at least one different poem to substantiate your essay.

You may want to talk to the professor and ask for advice with respect to this situation, i.e., "I've come up with the following ideas: x,y,z to which I had started to put down on paper and after searching 'poetic identity' I found this recent article with similar ideas (give website). I am concerned that not citing due to the fact that x,y,z were my ideas would be plagiarism. What are your thoughts on the matter?" ... Your professor may just ask you to cite the source anyways 'to cover your ass' or maybe, if they know you well, they have faith in your ability to have come up with the ideas by yourself.

... hmmm, from wikipedia: "Similarly, it is considered plagiarism to take someone's idea and then present it as one's own work. However, it is not plagiarism when two (or more) people independently come up with the same new ideas. This is commonly termed simultaneous inspiration, and comes about as the result of people exposed to the same source and interpreting it similarly. This commonly occurs in the sciences, for example Newton and Leibniz' seemingly independent invention of calculus."

Question is, how do you PROVE simultaneous inspiration?

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

My point exactly!

I've nearly been burned once for "simultaneous inspiration", luckily other teachers knew me well enough to know I hate reading other people's ideas on a topic I'm trying to write until the very very end, if I have time.

I still think I should point it out that this is sheer coincidence.

[torrain.livejournal.com]

FWIW, bringing this to her attention before you hand in the essay and explaining how you ran across it should help.