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ESL forum >
> DEAR MODERATORS
DEAR MODERATORS
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Mar (itxasobcn)
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DEAR MODERATORS
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I �m afraid you can �t take even one day off  Here �s some work to do 
Take a look at this ws
It �s abut �s.
And someone �s just changed a few things hoping we won �t notice he �s copied abut �s work. You can see the layout, almost the same explanations, just changing a few things, and even some of the pictures are the same. He only made a few changes. Have a look:
Again, another user, this time AbouSolaym, must think we �re stupid or blind. Well, we �re not. Notice as well that the rest of this user �s ws aren �t at all similar to this one. Looks like he wants to get points and doesn �t know how to do it.
I �ve just reported it.
Please, stop stealing other teachers worksheets and start creating your own.
Dear teachers, have a good night!!!!!!!!!!!
Mar |
2 May 2009
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Vickiii
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It looks to me like this person has used someone elses worksheet as a starting point and then changed pretty much everything inside it. ARe we not allowed to use others for inspiration? I know this is a very thin line... but 90% of that worksheet is original content.
What do people think about this issue??
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2 May 2009
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Mar (itxasobcn)
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Come on, Vickiii
How would you feel if I took one of your worksheets, changed a few things (which takes a few minutes) and call that MY OWN work? I bet you wouldn �t like it.
It takes time to create worksheets. People work hard to create wonderful ws that later will share with us. If everybody did the same, we wouldn �t have such wonderful creators here and nobody would bother to improve because it �s easier to copy.
I can �t believe you agree with that.
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2 May 2009
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gabitza
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Hi night owls,
I have downloaded and compared both Ws. Three pictures and example sentences are used by AbouSolaym from abut �s Ws, as well as the layout. The layout is entirely abut �s, no doubt. The grammar guide is different, though. There are 12 different pictures and sentences, so I must say that AbouSolaym �s Ws is not stolen entirely. I strongly suggest that this user develop a style of his / her own. It is more than a template this user has used here. I voted for removal. |
2 May 2009
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Helen McK
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Mar,
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I don �t often vote to remove worksheets, but this kind of sneaky behaviour drives me nuts and I will certainly vote to have this one removed.
Helen |
2 May 2009
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Damielle
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Hi wonderful people. I quite agree with Mar because I think that each of us should develop our own style. Layout., colours, letter type, pictures, everything are the same and I �m sure that everything took Abut a lot of time and "brain" to design. I feel that it is unfair to use it to make another worksheet. Why not developing his/her own style??
If we are going to consider it as "inspiration", look at its definition:
inspiration
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arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity |
Arouse: stimulate
Does it fit what this person has done? is that what we want to foster?
Now I ask: did AbouSolaym ask the other member for permission? If he/she didn �t, I think that it becomes an ethical issue because I believe that it is not correct.
Finally: if copying a worksheet to make another one is going to be considered OK why not uploading "templates"??? There are some creative members here that can do it!!! Does it sound crazy to you???
AbouSolaym �s is just an example of many worksheets like this that I have seen here. I would say that I don �t agree when people say that using another worksheet as a kind of "template" is correct. |
2 May 2009
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lolelozano
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Even though I am a new member, as far as I could read, this "worksheets thing" has become something very serious.
I can tell people are getting used to this kind of attitude and it�s not fair for the rest of the teachers.
I might not create masterpieces, when it comes to worksheets, cause I am not really an expert, but at LEAST I try. It REALLY takes time, but I take some time off, whenever I can, and I do it.
Come on people ( for those who cheat )! your whole brain is actually pulsing ! if you could squeeze your mind a little bit !!!! develop our own style !!! |
2 May 2009
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mena22
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Hi, I �ve spent an hour comparing both worksheets and It was really difficult for me to come to a conclusion. After much thought, I �ve decided for the following:
"I truly appreciate abut �s work and am very grateful for his excellent contributions. However, I cannot vote for the removal of this worksheet, no matter how I abominate people who take advantage of other member �s work, as is the case, because this member used a different approach to present the rules, and created 12 different sentences (though we can see that some were "inspired" by abut �s sentences) and used 12 different pictures (in 15), which means that he used 3 of abbut �s pictures and sentences.
As I �ve said before, if we �re going to set a precedent here by removing a worksheet because of the layout, the template or the use of some pictures, I really don �t know where this will lead us to. Besides, this is something we can discuss, but this is not a rule of the site so far, therefore, we cannot vote for the removal of a worksheet on those grounds, independently of what our personal opinion is. So what is left? 3 sentences taken from abut �s worksheet and I believe some others inspired by his work. Like Vickii, I don �t think this is enough to report this worksheet as stolen even though I understand mar �s point of view. I want to make it very clear that I �m totally against this user �s attitude, which reveals lack of professionalism and bad manners. mena"
And that was the comment I left. If we want to change the rules, if we want to consider that using someone else �s templates, layouts, pictures should be a reason to report a worksheet as stolen, then victor has to say so; otherwise, there is no way that we, as moderators, can vote for the removal of a worksheet on those grounds, because we are not there to act according to the rules we think should apply, or not, but to act according to the rules established by him.
I know this issue is extremely controversial and I don �t expect you to agree with me. I expect you to respect my position, bearing in mind the arguments presented, as I will most certainly respect yours. Sometimes, like someone said the other day, we must agree that we disagree.
Have a good night.
mena |
2 May 2009
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Vickiii
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I thought very carefully before submitting my remarks - and yes MAR I had considered how I would feel if someone used one of my templates to create their own work. I would probably feel flattered. AS I have stated in the moderators section I highly recommend this person give credit to the original author of the worksheet as it would vex me if I was not given credit where it was due without some discussion first.
I think this is an excellent topic to discuss on the forum as it really is a thin line.
The worksheet in quesiton is 90% original. I hope the person in question puts forward their thoughts on this as well - I do not consider this a witch hunt - as the person in question has done original work and should not be insulted or made to feel bad.
This discussion thread - to my mind - is about thrashing out where this line actually lies.
I am more than happy for people to disagree with me. I do ask that people do so in an intelligent and friendly matter. There is never any need to resort to insults.
I look forward to reading other peoples opinions and reasoning.
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2 May 2009
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Anna P
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I have just downloaded both wss to be able to evaluate this issue. At first glance I think it is a case of plagiarism but I will not vote until I carefully compare then. It is too late now for me to check them both without falling asleep on top of the 2 papers. I �ll do it first thing in the morning. |
2 May 2009
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