Completely Original Content

[Sheila]

I've had a couple of articles returned for revision saying "we accept only completely original content". I've been mulling this over for a couple of days and have to admit that I don't know what this means. I need help. Say, for example, I write (as part of a larger whole):

The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation states that nearly 40% of all Canadian adults are classified as having high blood cholesterol levels. It is suggested that Canadians with elevated risk factors should request a simple blood cholesterol test from their family doctor. Included in the higher risk category are; for men, a waist measurement of over 102 cm (40 inches), or over the age of 40; and for women, a waist measurement of over 88 cm (35 inches), or are over the age of 50, or post-menopausal. Both men and women with a family history of heart disease and stroke at an early age (male relatives before 55 and female relatives before the 65) are also at elevated risk. Smoking and existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and impaired liver function further increase risk.

OK, now, no matter how I slice this, I cannot claim this information as my own. I didn't do the research. It is not original. However, if the article is to be helpful to the general public, it needs to be said. It seems to me, that the purpose of an article is to gather together timely, useful and, above all, accurate, information from what has, in recent years, become a somewhat overwhelming glut of available resources. When it comes to the hard facts of the matter, what I think is absolutely irrelevant, so it can't be a completely original idea, no matter how pretty I dress it up.

Anyone have thoughts on the matter that they would share? I would really appreciate it.

[Lysis]

A suggestion from me is to take one fact and elaborate in your own words in one paragraph. Then, take another fact you read on the site and elaborate in your own words in another paragraph. I sometimes write in health too and I know certain facts are hard to rewrite, but it helps to either research the information so you can expand on it on your own or, of course, you already have a background education in the subject.

The paragraph you showed is packed with info. What I suggest is taking the first sentence and writing what causes high cholesterol. I'd cut the waist measurement or work it into a risk factor paragraph of its own or relate it to eating fatty foods. Then, I'd take the other risk factors and write on them - why is diabetes a risk factor? Why is liver function important in cholesterol synthesis? I'd take the high blood pressure risk factor and expand on why cholesterol causes heart disease/high blood pressure (plaque buildup and the heart needs to pump harder, hardening the ventricles..congestive heart failure, heart attack from dying muscle cells, etc...all that good stuff).

Then, I'd write a paragraph each on HDL and LDL (HDL brings back to the liver, LDL is efferent and disburses to tissue).

Cholesterol is a toughie, because like you said, so much info is out there and facts are abundant on the web. That's just how I'd tackle the info.

[audrabianca]

When you use a study from another source, you have to paraphrase (some say that more than 5 words in a row that are the same is plagiarism) or use quotations. If you read up on public use laws, you will find that some sources (i.e. U.S. government website information) can be reprinted in block without quotes. If I use information like this in an article, it is usually a small amount of text and I give a citation. In some types of writing there is no way to say something different in five words. For example, "a study found that the social media networking phenomenon..." If a term like social media networking is already three words long, then any words around it will bring you close to the original source. You can read and reread your sentence that paraphrases a source to make sure it sounds different, but also be sure to give a citation of where you got your information.

I use findings from news media sometimes in my articles, but I make sure most of the word count is something I dream up. For example, if I write about an obesity study, I will have a series of tips at the bottom written in my own words. I avoid making articles that are just patching together information from other sources even if I report the information in my own words. If you want a feel for how I did that, read my article with this title: Super Size Should Not Be Your Size – Good Choices Prevent Obesity.

[Celeste Stewart]

Original:
The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation states that nearly 40% of all Canadian adults are classified as having high blood cholesterol levels. It is suggested that Canadians with elevated risk factors should request a simple blood cholesterol test from their family doctor. Included in the higher risk category are; for men, a waist measurement of over 102 cm (40 inches), or over the age of 40; and for women, a waist measurement of over 88 cm (35 inches), or are over the age of 50, or post-menopausal. Both men and women with a family history of heart disease and stroke at an early age (male relatives before 55 and female relatives before the 65) are also at elevated risk. Smoking and existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and impaired liver function further increase risk.

Paraphrased:
Is high blood cholesterol really an issue? It is according to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation (CHSF). This foundation says that nearly 40 percent of adult Canadians have elevated cholesterol levels. According to CHSF, risk factors include:
* Men - Age 40 or older, 40 inch or larger waist measurement, family history of early stroke or heart disease, smoker, chronic existing health conditions
* Women - Age 50 or older, 35 inch or larger waist measurement, post-menopausal, family history of early stroke or heart disease, smoker, chronic existing health conditions
Ask your doctor to perform a blood cholesterol test, a simple procedure, to find out exactly how your blood cholesterol levels measure up.

[Sheila]

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply guys. You've given me some really great feedback. I can't say that I'm entirely convinced that paraphrasing leads to completely original content, but that's probably because I have a background in legal work and it tends to make me impossibly anal and nit-picky about wording. I'm thinking that unless I can come up with something I feel is truly fresh to say on a done-to-death subject, I would be happier not doing the piece at all. I'm just not experienced enough yet to do it right.

[Celeste Stewart]

It's fine to paraphrase a brief piece of information as above, but you wouldn't want to paraphrase an entire article. Use facts from credible sources, citing them along the lines of "According to____, paraphrased fact. . .) and create your own unique article around that fact. There's nothing on this planet that hasn't already been discussed and written about but that doesn't mean you can't write an original article on a topic that's been discussed to death

For example, you might start your article as above, giving some background about the problem and then move on to how to get tested, how to treat borderline levels, how to treat severe cases, etc. Or you could try a completely different angle such as how to prevent high cholesterrol, alternatives to prescriptions, instilling healthy habits in kids, etc... What's your angle? Use facts to support your position and add credibility to your article but present your unique perspective and you'll be fine.

[mavalverde]

The concept of "Completely Original Content" it's applicable depending on the topic that's being written on. It's dificult to understand when writing on specific medical topics for ex cholesterol & heart disease, unless you are reporting ln the results of your own research. Wrting articles on medical topics is based in gathering relevant information from published scientific articles and putting it together in an interesting, concise and logical manner. The author's opinion is irrelevant, it will just cotribute to unnecessary wordiness and distraction to the reader.