By Taiwo Abiodun-Oni
Have you ever heard of the term “self-plagiarism”? It’s like déjà vu but in writing. Imagine reusing your own work, and people calling it unethical. That’s right, folks, the absurdity has reached new heights, and we’re here to talk about the farce called self-plagiarism.
Self-plagiarism is the act of reusing your own work without giving credit to the original source. Now, you might be thinking, “Wait a minute, how can I plagiarize myself? I created the work in the first place!” Well, my friend, the answer lies in the ever-evolving world of academia and the publishing industry.
The concept of self-plagiarism was introduced to prevent authors from reusing their work in multiple publications, which is a violation of copyright laws. However, this rule has been taken to the extreme, and now even reusing a small portion of your own work without proper citation is considered self-plagiarism.
But let’s be real here, how many times have you used a sentence or two from a previous paper in a new one? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This farce has made even the most experienced writers scratch their heads.
Personally, I think self-plagiarism is a ridiculous concept that takes the fun out of writing. But, as with any farce, there’s always a punchline. The punchline, in this case, is to always give credit to yourself, even if you’re the original source. So, go ahead, reuse your own work, and proudly say, “I wrote that, and I’m not ashamed!”