Download - Attribution workshop: Show Your Work
Show Your WorkLinking + attribution =
good journalism + good business+ good ethics
Digital First MediaOctober 2013
#DFMlink
Plagiarism …… is a firing offense. Don’t:• Lift passages from other sources without
attribution & link
Plagiarism …… is a firing offense. Don’t:• Lift passages from other sources without
attribution & link• Lift quotes from other media w/o
attribution (to media, not just speaker)
Plagiarism …… is a firing offense. Don’t:• Lift passages from other sources without
attribution & link• Lift quotes from other media w/o
attribution (to media, not just speaker)• Lift from press release without
attribution (& link if it’s online)
Plagiarism …… is a firing offense. Don’t:• Lift passages from other sources without
attribution & link• Lift quotes from other media w/o
attribution (to media, not just speaker)• Lift from press release without
attribution (& link if it’s online)• Rewrite w/o attribution & link
Links = good business• Better SEO for better search traffic• Pingbacks, alerts from links bring direct
traffic• Pingbacks, alerts from links may bring
new inbound links & social mentions• Links = traffic = revenue = journo jobs
Links = good journalism• Context• Depth• Attribution• Credibility• Clarity• Honesty• Transparency
Press releases• Obligation is to reader, not to our sources
of information• Best approach (if time permits or story
merits): Use as tip & do original reporting• If not, quote or rewrite, but attribute &
link (if it’s online)
Quotes from other media• Best course: Seek your own interview &
use fresh quotes. (But if story is exclusive, acknowledge other story & link)
• If that doesn’t work: Use quote, attributing to speaker and media outlet (even if it’s a competitor)
Attribution in social media• Native “share” or “retweet” carries
attribution• RT or MT (modified tweet) if adding
comment• HT or h/t for “heard through” or “hat tip”• Not necessary to repeat attribution
endlessly in livetweeting
Embeds > links• Embeds are the ultimate attribution• Embed tweets, videos, slides, source
documents• Embedding tools: Storify, Spundge,
Scribd, Document Cloud, SlideShare
Audio & video > links• Record video & audio of interviews• Touts (or longer videos) and audio clips
add multimedia dimensions to stories• Video & audio of the speaker’s words are
the best attribution & authentication
No attribution needed:• What you witnessed personally• Common knowledge• Calendar (unless quoting); source is
implied• If you re-report, acknowledge that you
weren’t first, but don’t need heavy attribution to other media
Cut & pasteCutting & pasting from digital sources can ensure quoting accurately. But:• Attribute & link before pasting• Paste into quotation marks or block
quote • Color code in notes to identify sources• Sloppiness is guilty plea, not excuse
Editors: Demand links• If stories lack links, editors should ask for
them• Failure to provide links raises red flag:
Could be plagiarism and/or fabrication• “Summer of Sin” from 2012
Editors: Be skeptical• Occasionally (always if you’re suspicious)
Google a unique phrase• If journalist can’t provide links, ask for
documentation• If you have doubts or if someone accuses
journalist of plagiarism, consult editor, cluster editor, Jim Brady or me
Investigating• Always take plagiarism & fabrication
accusations seriously• Examine similarities• Ask reporter to explain & show notes,
emails, etc.• Investigate other stories by reporter
Linking as BS detectionJournalists covering Manti Te’o’s story of girlfriend would have exposed the hoax by seeking links to:• Obituary• Story or police report about accident• Girlfriend’s activities at Stanford(She did have bogus social media profiles.)
Effective attribution• Write stories with links: Digital First• Attribute to other media by name,
including competition, not “media reports” or “a blogger”
• Active voice, not “was reported”• Attribute to press releases• Embed tweets, videos
Ethical aggregation• Fair use (excerpt unless you have
permission to use in full)• Attribute (by author & publication, not
“media reports” or “was reported”)• Link (even if you get more value, you
drive traffic to the original source)• Add value (comment, context, content)
Credit ideas, too• If an idea for your story, photo, video or
other project came from someone else’s work, give credit
• Follow the golden rule: If you’d want credit if your work inspired someone, give credit to those who inspire you
• Blog or social media are good places to credit
Call me any timePlagiarism is an emergency. I’ll respond quickly if you tell me you’re dealing with a plagiarism case. Call me at 267-697-9275; if that doesn’t work, email me: [email protected]