A few a weeks ago in class… a research & writing class at that, everyone was in a frenzy talking about copyrights, public domains, patents, next of kin… and the cherry on top --- PLAGIARISM.
Let me tell you first what a Research & Writing class is all about. It’s a required subject for new students of Asian Theological Seminary (ATS). It teaches of the standards used by ATS in writing theological papers and others. Just last Thursday, we were taught how a reflection paper should be. Here we are able to master how to make footnotes, bibliographies and etc. in the Turabian form, which is the standard form for ATS.
My classmate Kuya Jesse, a good writer and a wide reader, was voicing how he’s freaking out writing his papers for our other classes, thinking that some of his thoughts might have been also a thought of some other theologian or writer without him really knowing it. And maybe, the teacher will accuse him of plagiarism.
That’s my dilemma also, what if some principles I’ve been keeping to myself is also a principle of another person and he wrote it in a book and had it published, then my teacher read it but I didn’t. Then I submit a paper with that thought and my teacher accuses me of getting other people’s thoughts, but I really didn’t… oh well… I dunno…
Then in touching the issue of “idea-grabbing”, I remember the videos I make for other people’s birthday, or for someone’s wedding… I remember what happened when I made a very special avp for a close close friend’s wedding. Their videographer got the copy of the avp I made because it will be embedded in their wedding video. That same videographer was hired by my friend’s(who got married) cousin who also got married. My friend immediately relayed to me how frustrated he was when he saw his cousin’s avp very much the one I made for them. The pictures were just changed and some of the words… but the story line used was my story line! Although I don’t want to sound really selfish… it’s just at least they had the decency to ask my permission. I felt bad for feeling like I was violated specially that I am doing those videos for free, and really personalized for my loved ones. It’s been like my ministry and I don’t ask for anything in return. While those who got it and used it even earns from it.
Now isn’t that really unfair? I could have allowed them to use my material or sources if they had done what should be done in those cases. They could have at least cited me in the end… hahahaha
As from what I’ve heard, the Philippines has a local copyright law but it’s not quite clear to me if its aligned with the international copyright law.
Well this subject matter made me aware of citing sources specially now that I have research works and I teach some simple subjects in our modules for campus ministry. This really opened my eyes to the sometimes unfair parameters of plagiarism. Hehehe…. And this made me aware that now that I have ideas on the books I’m praying and planning to write… I should act fast so I could have it copyrighted before someone else gets it published before I do…. Yaaaayyyy….
I then realized… if you write something and you’re at peace that you’ve cited the source or if you believe that it’s really your thought after all... why be worried….right? Oh and by the way, I’ve learned tons of other stuff about copyright and things… I am still amazed at how a Research & Writing class could really be interesting and really enjoyable… ok, ok… the people in it could be one of the reasons…. My classmates - pastors, missionaries, and kingdom builders… wow… they’re all super funny.
And I super thank God for them… for this class and for how I am being exposed.
