Digression: I Need to Post This

Here we go again–originally published March 10, 2004:

The State Hornet recently discovered that four articles by staff writer Laura Garnick, published in the Features section during the school year, contained duplicate phrases in stories with similar topics from other media outlets. The articles are as follows (with credited links to the original stories):

I edited the stories out, because it would have taken too long to link them as they were on the website. If you want to read the unedited version of this, go to: http://www.statehornet.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/03/10/404ded84d24ec?in_archive=1

The State Hornet strives to uphold the principles of fair and accurate reporting in journalism, correcting and acknowledging its mistakes in a timely manner.

Plagiarism is a practice not tolerated in a newsroom, or in ours; as a result, Garnick has been dismissed from the newspaper staff.

The State Hornet values the trust of our readership in our service to the campus community. We acknowledge our responsibility to our readers and apologize for these incidents.

I posted an entry like this a while back and I’m doing it again because I take this issue very seriously.

I worked at the State Hornet, Sacramento State University’s newspaper, for over two years. I don’t know Ms. Garnick well, but I do know her.

I also know the other 70 some-odd people at that newspaper who have NOT been caught plagiarizing–the people who have done things the way they are supposed to be done.

I know the people who bust their asses every week to make sure the paper continues to be one of the best in the region, the people who continue to take pride in their work despite attack after attack from those in the student body who do not see the paper’s worth.

That is why THIS incident hurts even more than the previous one. This is an insult to people I know. This is an insult to me personally.

I take this issue very seriously. It’s not something I do for fun or for class credit. It’s my life.

Ms. Garnick, like all who steal the work of others, have no place in journalism. I hope she never gets the opportunity to write again, whether it be for a newspaper or a greeting card company. The world will be a better place if her words never appear in print again.