Melania Trump plagiarism?

Posted by $ jbrenner 8 years, 9 months ago to Politics
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One of the more difficult aspects of being a professor is dealing with plagiarism issues. I ask you to compare Michelle Obama's and Melania Trump's speeches, and decide for yourself. Be objective.

For your information, many professors require students to submit their work electronically so that it can be checked for plagiarism via turnitin.com. While such software checks do check for similarities in words and phrases, the analysis that the software performs does not give proper credit to the student when the student does give proper attribution.

If Mrs. Trump were taking a class from you, would she pass or fail, after last night?


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  • Posted by Wanderer 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    58 consecutive words...? Since no one has come forward saying they'd written, used, or heard those consecutive words before Michelle spoke them, I'd say either her speech writer originated them or, the originator has been dead so long no one remembers.

    This isn't about get out of jail or blame, this is about what's smart. Apologizing and attributing and thanking would be the smartest thing to do. If Melania doesn't then, she's not as smart as I hoped she was.

    And, that's enough. Banging the same old nail over and over again isn't productive. If you don't and can't understand the best way for her to respond to the controversy, then my time is wasted.

    Goodbye.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I bet though that given the thousands of political speeches that are given, that michelle obama was not the first ever to use those words. In any event, I give Trumps wife a get out of jail card on this one, given that she wasnt the one who wrote the speech. that person I guess admitted it anyway. Its a small point and I really doubt michelle obama was the first ever to use those words.
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  • Posted by Stormi 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I had two professors, both PhDs, throughout my university time, both excellent and demanding. One from England was convinced he could impart knowledge upon us. The other, brilliant man, started his courses telling the students he could not impart knowledge, but could teach us how to look for it. I will never forget either of them, but is was culture shock having both during the same semesters, time after time. It did spoil me for other less intense professors.
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  • Posted by Wanderer 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I read it. I don't see the two paragraphs in question in Dole's speech.

    I think you should drop it. Melania's speech writer admitted the offending paragraphs came from Michelle. I'd say that's as close to definitive as you can get - the author said she plagiarized someone else.

    The smart and decorous thing for Melania to do is apologize and credit Michelle, or Michelle's speech writer. That's always the best thing to do in public matters, be smart and decorous. I know it's not Donald Trump's way but, that doesn't mean Melania and his kids can't be smarter and more decorous than him. In fact, I'd say his kids are.
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  • Posted by Hot_Black_Desiato 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Some professors are elitist snobs who refuse to be challenged and think because they have a Ph.D. they are the sole owner of knowledge and how dare anyone ever challenge their position as intellectual superiors. That is one reason I refuse to get my Ph.D in anything.

    B.S = Bull Shit
    Masters = Master of Bull shit.
    Ph.D = Master of Bull shit piled higher and deeper.

    Edited to add thought and fix spelling.
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  • Posted by Stormi 8 years, 9 months ago
    My Gram used "Your word is your bond", over and over in the early 50's, to point out to all the grandkids, how they should act. It was a phrase in common use, my husband also was told that. It is not copyrighted by Michell O! Theoother phrases were also phrase in common use among working class Americans in the 50s, not some novel. Some language is part of the culture, not something owned by Michelle Obama. How about the whole speech Biden copied? If if it were a speech class, pass, as her delivery and personalization was honest and her own, it applied to her background.
    In College, my daughter was told she copied a research paper, but professor could not produce from where. Another professor came in and told him to set her down, give her any topic and tell her to write in in front of him. He did, she did, and he was blown away, and told the other professor he had never seen a student in his class with such a vocabulary and grasp of how to use it. Sometimes professors get goofy.
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  • Posted by Hot_Black_Desiato 8 years, 9 months ago
    Lets also compare, Obama's speeches, Hillary's speeches Jo Biden's speeches who did not "PARAPHRASE" 53 words including "a", "the".., but copied entire speeches.

    Also, I find it interesting how academic elitists, like to apply their academic elitist application of plagiarism rules to NON-ACADEMICS then treat paraphrasing though be it closely as though they were serial killers who ate children.

    Here is ONE Academic definition of paraphrasing.

    "Quoting: To quote is to include the identical wording from the original source in your paper. Quoted material in your paper is distinguished from your own words by the use of " " or by indenting the quoted text (if quoting a longer passage). In addition to quotation marks or indenting, all quoted material should also be cited, using either footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citation.

    Paraphrasing: To paraphrase is to include the ideas or information from an original source in your paper by rephrasing those ideas or information in your own words. The key to successful paraphrasing is to use as few words as possible from the original text--be mindful not to change the meaning that you are trying to convey as you rephrase--and to cite your paraphrase. Without proper citation, your paraphrase could be construed as plagiarism." (http://www.plagiarism.org/citing-sour...)

    Now if you compare word for word, and use academic acceptable standards, this was BORDERLINE, but not done for profit.

    Next, I suppose using the phrases"Your word is your bond", "Work hard for what you get", "My parents passed on their values to me", Values need passed from generation to generation" in my opinion are phrases that fall into the PUBLIC DOMAIN.

    So you can nit-pick all you want. the long and short is that Milania, speaks 5 languages fluently, and English is her 5th language not first or second. Milan is IS a first generation LEGAL immigrant to this country and is a naturalized citizen and has NEVER degraded out country by claiming this is a mean country like Michelle has.

    Next, I took Milania's speech and ran it through 2 plagiarism checkers one being Grammarly and her speech came up with a 29% similarity with both averaged.

    Next and to your last point, SHE IS NOT TAKING AN ACADEMIC CLASS FROM YOU for some academic grade!! Or ANY professor so this is really irrelevant and does not in any way subtract from the FACTS of her life.
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  • Posted by pappyw47 8 years, 9 months ago
    The thing is, both speeches are so like 100 plus other speeches that I have heard in my lifetime. The real problem is it was never believable from Obama, and her activities say it was poppycock. And the Democrat peon who called out Trump should be ashamed of himself. But then, self- aggrandizing fools never are ashamed.
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Ah, you felt moved to vent. That's okay.
    That's why I roar sometimes.
    Watter's World is supposed to be funny; but after some cringing over people's ignorance, I usually snap, voice some profanity and go channel surfing.
    Oh, new thought inspired by you~
    Bet a lot of those idiots have degrees.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I guess there are elements in todays culture that really upset me. I hear young people talking about "going back to school" like its a way to escape reality and not to learn about it. They seem "entitled" to so much that I and others are supposed to provide. It just gets too much at times.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Islam is a very different culture. Its is violent, aggressive, intolerant, and I would bet the idea of plagiarism isnt even in their culture.

    The problem is really with the colleges. Not everyone should go to college, and if they do it should be to LEARN, not just get a paper degree.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I would bet that Melanie Trump had no idea that Michelle Obama or Elizabeth Dole had used that language. She had help writing it, and if anyone is to be blamed it should be her and not Melanie.

    And how come Michelle Obama gets away with it, when the same language was used by someone else earlier?
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  • Posted by $ jdg 8 years, 9 months ago
    Melania Trump didn't plagiarize; her speechwriter did. And it turns out that part of the Michelle Obama speech was in turn plagiarized from a Bob Dole speech.

    Besides, a speech full of that kind of empty generalities doesn't have much in the way of real content to steal.

    I flunk the so-called journalist who "caught" this, and everyone else who thinks it's even important.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Plagiarism and just plain copying of products I think are two sides of the same coin. I never simply copy what others have done. I learn from them and then do something different and better.

    Funny thing is that very often the people who copy really dont get anywhere. They tend to NOT understand the important design elements incorporated in the things they copy, and therefore make an inferior product.
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I agree. Don't know why you felt moved to state as much.
    By the way, (it could have used more seasoning).
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  • Posted by $ 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Michelle pirated the lines from Elizabeth Dole, as stated elsewhere in the thread by MichaelAarethun.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    YES. I think that someone who just tells it like it is would be a good start. At least we know whats going on, instead of that reincarnation of Nixon- namely Hillary
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  • Posted by Wanderer 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    So, she didn't plagiarize?

    I believe her speech writer has already confessed (well, what passes for a confession these days) and apologized.

    That was the original question; not whether she's bright, brave or, a good linguist or good speaker; just whether her speech plagiarized Michelle Obama's. It did. It would be nice if Melania Trump would admit it and attribute those paragraphs of her speech to Michelle Obama.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The text of Elizabeth Dole is printed in this blog- I heard that this speech including the text in question as used by HER prior to either Michelle Obama or Melanie Trump's speeches. I wonder who else used it. Its pretty common pablum stuff anyway.
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  • Posted by $ 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Cheaters do get caught ... eventually ... and definitely before they graduate. Dealing with the cheaters is the most delicate part of my job. I have to presume innocence, yet gather evidence like a detective. The cheaters are paying customers. It is in my best interest and my university's best interest to teach a hard, valuable lesson without summarily dismissing the student until he/she has a second violation, after which the student is dismissed. Even though only 10% of the students are Muslims, probably 80% (maybe even 90%) of the cheaters are Muslims. Many Muslims from other countries have are largely unfamiliar with what constitutes plagiarism, and so I have to do some education on customs. Doing so without being branded a racist is not easy. So far I have managed to do it, but not without significant anxiety.
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  • Posted by CAPnMASS 8 years, 9 months ago
    I wish I had saved it, but someone had documented these lines were not original to Michelle Obama either. The author quoted Dale Carnegie's books and Eleanor Roosevelt.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I thought so- that stuff is too common to have originated from a backup singer from the Supremes (thats what Michelle Obama reminds me of).

    Of course, CNN would never let this information out, as it upsets their hidden liberal agenda.
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