So, the day before yesterday, I was on-line doing my school work- a tutorial about plagiarism- when I came across the most ABSURD, STUPIDEST thing I have ever heard of in my entire life- seriously. And I'm 21, so really- seriously. Just in case I was just going crazy myself, I even called up my best friend and told her- she thought it was completely absurd as well.

The concept that I find so incredulous? Self-Plagiarism.

I mean, isn't plagiarism, by definition, the use of ANOTHER author's original work (their words and ideas) without proper reference to the author? I mean YOUR work is just that: YOURS! Shouldn't you be able to do what you want with it?

Imagine with me that your favorite author wrote a second book in a series and copied a portion of the text into the second book- a re-cap, a profecy that still has not been resolved, even an underlying idea- and being forced to put a citation in the book. You're reading along, "And one day the red dragon shall come to rule over Anasaria (Flanagin, 156)." I mean HOW RIDICULOUS IS that? Seriously!!

Or, a lawyer is giving a speach and they bust forth with this opening argument, "As I have stated before in the Garnam vs State case of 1986, records of which can be found in the court's archives section E12, subsection D5, Court Day 12, Case 156, I believe that I can prove that the precence of an affair, an attempt to cover said affair up, and blame placed on the other participant in the affair is ample evidence to prove that the defendant is guilty. Today, I will provide you with the evidence to prove that theory correct and to convict her...." Preposterous, right?

I mean, I understand that it is wrong to copy SOMEONE ELSE's work; I understand that it is wrong to hand in the same exact essay to two different instructors (but honestly, how many instructors ask for assignments similar enough that one could get away with THAT?) But plagiarism consists of using not only another's WORDS, but also another's IDEAS. So, I may never say the EXACT same thing twice, but what is the likelihood that I'll never have the same IDEA twice, only with a slightly different view (or attached to a slightly different subjuct matter)? Even using the same idea in a paper if I have included that same idea in a paper that I've previously written counts as self-plagiarism. Either way, I believe that the idea is convoluted, ridiculous, preposterous, absurd, and any other such descriptive words one might think of.

To whoever invented this oxymoron, I say,"It's my idea, my words, my hard work. Just 'cause you're jealous you could never write anything like it without having to cite MY work doesn't mean you should undersell MY RIGHTS to MY WORK; it's still MINE. Who gives you the right to say that I made a copyright infringement on MY OWN work?!"

PS mood emoticon isn't loading: just picture incredilous little JadengurlDreamer emoticon bouncing around and red (well, I look more pink than red, but close enough).