CreateDebate is a social debate community built around ideas, discussion and democracy.
If this is your first time checking out a debate, here are some quick tips to help get you started:
Arguments with the highest score are displayed first.
Argument replies (both in favor and in opposition) are displayed below the original argument.
To follow along, you may find it helpful to show and hide the replies displayed below each argument.
To vote for an argument, use these icons:
You have the power to cast exactly one vote (either up or down) for each argument.
Once you vote, the icon will become grayed out and the argument's score will change.
Yes, you can change your vote.
Debate scores, side scores and tag scores are automatically calculated by an algorithm that primarily takes argument scores into account.
All scores are updated in real-time.
To learn more about the CreateDebate scoring system, check out the FAQ.
When you are ready to voice your opinion, use the Add Argument button to create an argument.
If you would like to address an existing argument, use the Support and Dispute link within that argument to create a new reply.
You can share this debate in three different ways:
#1
#2
#3
Paste this URL into an email or IM:
Click here to send this debate via your default email application.
Click here to login and CreateDebate will send an email for you.
The Rules #1 - Plagiarism
Welcome to the newest debate series "THE RULES". This series is designed to make people aware of the rules and more importantly the grey areas that exist within them. May of the topics will bring polarized debate. Everyone is welcome to post. At the end of each debate I will post a new Perspective Debate with the "interpretation" of that rule which will remain open for comment.
TOPIC #1 PLAGIARISM
There are many on the site who innocently make duplicate debates. Most new members do not search for existing debates and immediately post a topic which has been previously posted. This is done without ill intent, nor knowledge of the preexisting debate.
There are others on the site who post identically duplicate debates of other members original debate content. This is being done under the statement that they are virtually permanently banned from the original members debate(s) and they want to be able to debate the same topic. Just a side note - the member copying the debate does cite the debate creator at the end of the debate text.
Here is a great site specifically dedicated to the topic of Plagiarism.
Please use it and the definitions within for the basis of your decisions.
So here is the question...
Should members be allowed to copy any content (debate, argument, etc.). If your answer is yes, please state the circumstances where you believe it should be allowed.
I think that as long as the copied text is quoted, along with the name of the person who provided the text originally, then it isn't really plagiarising. Although you are copying someone's thoughts, ideas, information etc. quoting gives credit to the one who actually said it.
Plagiarism is taking someone else's words and passing it off as your own. that should not be allowed, as it is illegal and immoral. However, if the original poster is credited/cited, then it is fine. Because that's not plagiarism.
If you were smart enough to understand instig8or, you would understand that all your debates are not original and that YOU should be getting 0 points. Most people on CreateDebate do copy others. For an example, I do a debate on Abortion.. Of course others have done it before but I copied it without the intention of purposely copying it to provoke or to irritate someone. That's the difference!
Except grades in school will have impact on your future, and may give you better standing in further education, jobs, etc.. Having points on this site does not add credibility as it is possible to get this site without being a strong debater.
You probably have not been active for a while to see that Cuaroc has been constantly copying FromWithin's debates intentionally.. What more is that he copies word for word!
Also, nearly every definition of plagiarism has another element to it-- passing off the copied material as your own. That's what makes it plagiarism.
Once someone has published something online, it can be used as material. While a post on a site like CreateDebate would not be considered viable in an academic paper, the posts are still published to an online site. As such, they can be cited.
Also, intent is very important. The intent of Cuaroc posting is clearly not personal gain. As we know he does not get any satisfaction from gaining points (and since there are no tangible rewards or merit for getting points) he is not getting personal gain.
I have been here every day and I have seen what he has done. But plagiarism is, by definition, trying to pass of someone else's works or writings as your own. By crediting FromWithin, that isn't plagiarism.
I would say that plagiarism is infact cheating, since your copying other's arguments without using most of your critical thinking and argumentative skills, so yes I think we should prohibit plagiarism because it removes that certain challenge that most of us people should go through, actually there was this incident about a senator plagiarizing others speeches and called it his "own" debate, and I tell you the results weren't that good, Infact he garnered hate from the media and so forth.
No, without giving credits that would be unacceptable, the person who uses the speech of the original maker, must and is obliged to ask that specific person whether he/she is allowed on using that content, Again plagiarism Is cheating, uses less argumentative skills and it doesn't challenge us.
You need to make up your mind. Is giving credit enough, our does the person have to get permission? If they have to get permission from the source provider then you have just turned every research paper in college into plagiarism since no one connects the people they quote from to get permission.
So then Cuaroc should be fine. He gave credit and is physically incapable of asking for permission because FromWithin never responds to anyone who has disagreed with him in the past.
I didn't knew he credited the original creator, so yes I can concede to the idea that he's innocent. But plagiarism without any credits and permissions Is wrong.
The people who were banned were banned for good reason & I will never debate them in the copied argument so your premise that they can still debate the argument is false. The originator of the argument will not be there to debate them.
If they are crazy enough to want to debate an argument when the creator is not there is a total waste of time as we are seeing.... UNLESS your only goal was to ridicule the creator and not debate the topic.
You don't have to be there for them to add a valid counter argument to your claims. You are the type of person that believes that if no one tells you you are wrong that you are right.
Plagiarism is defined as "the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person : the act of plagiarizing something" (Webster Dictionary). There are numerous reason this behavior should be discouraged, and penalized if that is deemed the most effective response which I suspect it to be in this context.
Citation is defined as "an act of quoting" (Webster Dictionary) and there is no valid reason this should be prohibited on this forum. The only tenuous rebuttal is that people can get points for re-posting a debate subject or post, but I would suggest that the caliber of debate ought really to take precedence over the point system intended to foster better debating.
Yes I agree with Jace, the aim of this site should take precedence and plagiarism has no place in good debate academically, professionally or personally.
This site as described in the About menu is:-
"to provide our community with a framework that makes compelling and meaningful debates easy to create and fun to use. Our goal is to build CreateDebate into an incredibly useful learning tool that will help groups of people to sort through issues, viewpoints and opinions so that consensus and understanding can be reached and better decisions can be made".
So, lets do it well and properly to enjoy and learn from each other
My reservation concerning rules on a site like this is that they must be enforced in order to bring any benefit. IMO enforcement could quickly become a nightmare for the moderator. If we can devise rules that, we ourselves use as means or guides to deal with problems like duplicate posts and plagiarism, then we will have something workable as opposed to Andy just getting more gray hair.
-
Certainly unintentional duplicate debates must be allowed. In keeping with the purpose of the site, the UDD creator should be politely directed to the prior debates on the same topic, in order for them to benefit from the opinions of others. Not treated as plagiarism
In the case of intentional duplicate debates as reaction to being banned, the problem is caused by the banning. Conversely banning is a valuable tool when dealing with a troll. If a debater is banned, they should have the ability to duplicate the debate, state what has happened and see if other debaters respond or ignore them. Not treated as plagiarism
In the case of intentional plagiarism as defined in Andy's link, the plagiarist can be adequately confronted by their fellow debaters. The remaining issue is the points given to the plagiarist. This is the subject of yet another rule that Andy may what to explore later in this series. If that is the case I will hold my offered solution until then. If not -- let me know that I should offer it now.
I told Cuaroc not to copy my arguments whether he put my name at the bottom or not. He never put my name at the bottom until forced to do so. What kind of people think it is ok to copy someone's work when TOLD NOT TO DO SO?
GET REAL! Is this the mentality of this site? I will leave if it is!
There are only three people I ban on each argument. They deserve to be banned. I might give Pirate another chance but the other two are a total waste of time.
