The Big 3
Follow these links to uncover the truth behind the myths and legends!
Warning: This is a multi-part production, so clicking on a link may take you to another page where the story continues to unfold!
These are best read in order, but can be enjoyed however you like!
Paraphrasing… Mostly Harmless, or So We Thought!
Sitting still and quiet across the table from our interview team, you might not think that Paraphrasing cuts an imposing figure. In fact, rather small in stature with no distinctive features to speak of, it is as almost as though Paraphrasing could be anything that it wanted to be, or anyone…
We’ve been allowed into Paraphrasing’s apartment for this interview; it reasons that all eyes are on it regardless, so why not be open about things?
As much as we appreciate its very open and accommodating attitude, we are still taking precautions to ensure our own safety. As quiet and unassuming as Paraphrasing seems to be, there is a glimmer of something in its eyes, something that makes all of us a bit uneasy…
The Interview of the Year: The Inside Story
START OF INTERVIEW
Interviewer:
Hello and welcome to what some are calling the interview of the year. We are here with Paraphrasing, purported to be the third and youngest member of the “Big 3″, a group of styles currently in conflict with the Content Police and other Content Creation law enforcement agencies. Paraphrasing, thank you for having us here today.
Paraphrasing:
You’re welcome. It is no trouble at all, and I am happy to have you here and hopefully shed some light on the truth of the situation.
Interviewer:
You say, “…the truth of the situation.” Do you believe that there is another side of the story to be told?
Paraphrasing:
Yes, I do. There have been rumors flying for years about my brother Rewriting and our mutual friend, Spinning. We were comfortable with these rumors, they were only the speculation of people with time on their hands. When Spinning was arrested and taken into custody, my brother feared for his own safety and I have not seen him since. This is not right at all.
Interviewer:
The Content Police seem to have a lot of evidence that puts your friend and your brother in a very delicate position. It doesn’t look good for them.
Paraphrasing:
No, it doesn’t look good at all. What I find to be very strange is the lack of positive evidence in their favor. If they were really as bad as the Content Police are making them out to be, why have they been allowed to be free for as long as they have been? If they were truly as bad as everyone says, why have they been able to find work all these years? Where are the positive reviews from the good people who have put them to work for their businesses?
Interviewer:
I am not sure why there is very little positive evidence in their favor. If you have anything you would like to share with us, please give it to me and I will see that it finds its way to the proper hands.
Paraphrasing:
I can certainly do that.
Interviewer:
Now, Paraphrasing, what do you have to say in your own defense? The Content Police are working to build a case against you as well, as I’m sure you’re aware.
Paraphrasing:
There is little that I can tell you that would not be taken and used against me. I am what I am; I help people repurpose content and use it in new ways. Many people take my services and use them in inappropriate, unethical, and at time illegal ways. These things are far beyond my control; I could refuse these types of jobs, but where would that leave me? Someone else would surely pick up where I have left off. All I can say is that while there are ways to check for wrongdoing in my work, they all have their limitations.
Interviewer:
So you’re admitting that you do not have a clean slate?
Paraphrasing:
More or less. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work.
Interviewer:
Of course. I will wait for the evidence we discussed earlier.
END OF INTERVIEW
After the Interview
Paraphrasing seemed very adamant that there was evidence out there that showed his friend and his brother to have positive qualities; whether or not this would be enough to acquit them remains to be seen and is a decision that will have to be made by law enforcement officials. At the conclusion of our brief interview, Paraphrasing handed us a bundle of papers and ushered us out the door, all but slamming it behind us. Something must have shaken it badly, but what? What could a member of the Big 3, and the younger brother of Rewriting have to fear? Could someone be watching Paraphrasing’s every move, even now? Could they see something we could not? Detect something that we could not sense?
Tucking the bundle of evidence away for future consideration, we started wondering who was Paraphrasing? What was it’s history?
It is not hard to figure out that we were on to something, and as soon as possible we were going to get to the bottom of it, and find the real story on Paraphrasing, and what role it plays in the world of Content Creation. In the mean time, in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series you can see some of the positives of both Spinning and Rewriting held up against the negatives, and make your own judgements about their guilt or innocence.
Separating Fact from Fiction
Video: Paraphrasing
As you can see, Paraphrasing is not all bad. There are actually plenty of ways that Paraphrasing can work with writers to create useful pieces of content that do not unfairly beg, steal, or borrow their substance from anyone else. When used correctly, Paraphrasing is a useful (and legal) tool, just like any other.
The world of Content Creation is home to all sorts of characters; some have sterling reputations, some not so much. The “Big 3″ are just such a group, three very influential styles and strategies who have certainly made their presence known over the years.
You might be wondering where Paraphrasing comes in; this whole things seems too surreal, and Paraphrasing seems so…normal. That is the trouble really; Paraphrasing seems so normal, so down-to-earth, that many people do not realize that they have done something wrong until they are approached and accused of plagiarism, a crime that carries a lot of weight in our world.
The Big Connection: Paraphrasing & Plagiarism
- Successful vs. unsuccessful paraphrases – by The University of Wisconsin
- Avoiding Plagiarism – by Writing Commons
- Beg, Borrow and Steal: Plagiarism and how to avoid it Part Two: Art of the Paraphrase – by E. Mack
It is not hard to find examples of Paraphrasing being used for ill; anything from blatant rip-offs to more subtle re-wordings can be found scattered all across the internet. It is not only the work of small-time writers and bloggers that is taken and worked over this way, in fact Paraphrasing’s less-than-honest handiwork can bee seen even in the hallowed halls of science and academia!
And Yet…
Paraphrasing, like the other members of the “Big 3″, is not all bad. There are also reports of Paraphrasing working with authors to create wonderful, informative, useful pieces of content that pay homage to their sources and work with the information they are inspired by.Take a look at some of these guides and informative posts that help show the world that there is a right and a wrong way to work with Paraphrasing:
- Use Solely Your Own Words to Paraphrase – by Writing Commons
- Paraphrase: Write it in Your Own Words – by Purdue University
- How to paraphrase a source – by The University of Wisconsin
What Do You Think?
What are your thoughts on Paraphrasing’s merits or lack thereof?
Do or someone you know use Paraphrasing in a way that is appropriate and ethical? Do you know someone who doesn’t, and instead uses Paraphrasing in a way that gives it a bad name?
We want to hear from you!
Thank you for joining us for this three-part series, we hope you enjoyed a look into the world of Content Creation and some of the aspects of writing and composition that many people never get to explore.
