Plagiarism Checker??

ingridsp

Hi, I'm new to the board (A returning user, but not been here for ages).

Anyway, I have submitted some work which has been returned as 'unoriginal'. I used to use a free Plagiarism checker many moons ago but cannot remember what it is called. I am using Grammarly at the moment, but I will have to start paying next week and I just cannot afford it at the moment.

I need a trustworthy online plagiarism checker, which will also tell me what bits I have apparently copied!

By the way, I hadn't been copying, but I had 4 phrases that were already published online. I managed to get it down to none with a bit of rewording, but I cannot submit as it is now duplicate. I will remember to check beforehand in future.

Carol

Hello ingridsp, welcome back.

Would help to know what it was you submitted that was sent back as 'unoriginal'.

Lizy

By 'unoriginal' they may simply have meant the story-line rather than the actual words. And surely many phrases have already been used? Could I be sued for writing, 'She turned to him and said' - I doubt it!
Quoting whole swathes deliberately would be a different matter but you didn't do that.

Mutley

Unoriginal relates to the concept rather than specific lines. You might be surprised by some of the themes that appear regularly and always pretty much with the same story line. For example an end of life story where the old person in hospital abused their child many years ago and now the child is fighting the forgive them or turn the machine off feelings. There are many others, but basically if you choose a subject that is commonly covered then you really have to have something different to say.

Liz

We were told at Uni that one of the most recurring themes in children's poetry AND adult poetry AND in children's stories AND to letters pages etc. is disappearing socks.

Any sock-related anything goes straight in the bin.

Phots Moll

I sold a story to The Weekly News about lost socks a couple of months ago.

Lizy

I sold a story to The Weekly News about lost socks a couple of months ago.

The way you write, PM, would sell anything!

heather

I sold a story to Take a Break last year that was sock-related!

ingridsp

It was not fiction - on this occasion.

I know that 1 of my 'plagiarised' bits was 'A spring in my step, a smile on my face.'

I was talking about having a 'Love Affair' with friends, a recent experience, and how spending time with my friends was a fabulous antidote to the depression I was finding myself in.

When I checked the plagiarism, I reworded the phrases, but the site still rejected it.

Liz

I actually have a sock-related poem that was bought and published. It was a challenge to me, that remark. but you can imagine can't you, with three of us doing something on that very subject here, now, on this forum? It just has to be good enough. I can't find the final version of the sock poem, but here is a rough:

The Proper Care and Protection of Socks

Who doesn’t feel tender,
or heart-warmed at all,
seeing fluffy white socks,
fast asleep in a ball?

Most people have some-
they make brilliant pets -
but they often go missing
which causes upsets.

A sock only survives
if it’s kept with it’s mate -
you must re-unite them,
take these steps, please don’t wait.

As soon as you notice
one’s gone - advertise,
make posters, with photos,
showing colour and size.

Say when you last saw it -
give your e-mail and phone,
though they rarely stray far -
most are hiding at home.

They’re attached to their owners,
and we strongly advise,
give the run of the house,
for they need exercise.

Problems? Some bite ankles
when small, though lacking in teeth,
and when aged some sadly
go bald underneath.

But they’re worth any trouble,
as millions will tell - and
socks are NOT just for Christmas,
so look after them well!

Liz

If it was for those words, Ingrid, I think that is madness... there are many phrases that have been used over and over.

ingridsp

I think the other one was 'When I started this post'. I had 4 plagiarised phrases, but as you can see, they are hardly copied!

Perhaps it is right, that those phrases/topic had been recently used. It only came up with one link per copied phrase.

Liz

That isn't plagiarism. You aren't taking someone' else's work (5 words does not constitute work). The phrases you mention are mundane everyday sayings, not exquisite prose that is recognisably a style or original to someone else saying.

I'm not sure what to say - I would be horrified to have this accusation leveled at me, and i think it incredibly unjust that it has been leveled at you, based on what you have told us.

I would complain, quite honestly, that your writing character has been impugned. But I'm not sure who you would complain to - perhaps Webbo would know?

Phots Moll

Who is accusing you of this unoriginality?

Eddisbury

If the criticism is simply that the story was unoriginal it is most probably best not to see that as any sort of "accusation." It just means that the theme/storyline or whatever is rather overdone or cliched. Try to see the comment as meaning: "you chose a very difficult theme, because it is too many others have used the same idea. For such a theme we would need a distinctively fresh approach."
Then go and look for those fresh approaches - or different themes.

Lizy

It was not fiction - on this occasion.

I know that 1 of my 'plagiarised' bits was 'A spring in my step, a smile on my face.'

When I checked the plagiarism, I reworded the phrases, but the site still rejected it.

Ignore the site and just write.

Baggy Books

Are you still using Triond or is this another website?

danfango

I'm not sure I follow what you're saying, Ingrid. Where have you submitted the work you're talking about, and who or what is rejecting your work as 'unoriginal'? Are you using an automatic checker (I've never used Grammarly, so I'm not sure what it does) to find the 'plagiarised' sections?

I'm just thinking that no human editor would tell you that "a spring in my step" is plagiarised, but a programme that trawls the internet looking for places where the phrase crops up might. In reality, it's a bit clichéd but you could never be accused of copying it from somewhere.

On the other hand, if an actual person has told you your article is unoriginal but not given you any other information, it probably doesn't relate to your choice of words. It may be that wherever you're sending the article have published similar pieces about socialising helping with depression and they don't think yours adds anything new. To get to the heart of the problem you'd have to find some similar articles and work out how you could make yours stand out from the crowd.

datco2014

Maye we should start a new thread about sock related stories??

Stan2

Sock it to em!

Mrs Bear

Hose 'em!

Stan2

Take your partner by the left - yeho...

Mrs Bear

You leave his left yeho alone, you brute.

Stan2

Goes red in the face...

Mrs Bear

Not as red as he did.

Stan2

:@)