Thursday 21 July 2011

Velluvial Matrix

The "velluvial matrix" is a useful phrase that can be hidden in your original writing to catch those who may try to plagiarize your work at a later date.

http://doc2doc.bmj.com/forums/bmj_student-bmj_dean-of-medical-school-admits-plagiarism-think-of-medical-educators

Philip Baker, Dean of the University of Alberta’s faculty of medicine, gave an inspirational speech at the graduation banquet but ... it was not his speech. It was Atul Gawande's speech from the year before published in The New Yorker.

Lessons for those wanting to plagiarize for important speeches to students:

  1. don't
  2. technology will catch you out especially if those darned students have internet access when they are listening to your stolen speech
  3. try and avoid really obvious Google terms like 'velluvial matrix' which will find the original source even if someone clicks the 'I'm feeling lucky' button on Google
  4. preface any stolen part of your speech with "so and so said ... and I quote ..."

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