1 and done policy

[Mxylpyk]

To whom it may concern:
I'm finding that an article that I just recently submitted was rejected on the grounds of being plagiarized, and as such, my account is being suspended and no more submissions are being accepted from me.
In trying to be polite/professional, I can attest that this is, by and large, not the case--plenty of research was put into the article before submitting it. If it is that big of an issue to have submissions of only original content, then perhaps it would be best to give authors (especially new ones) a place to cite sources. Articles aren't written without some degree of research. If this site only accepts original content, then we authors are going to need some type of familiarity with the subject matter before writing about it. Otherwise, people would make things up and go from there.

Additionally, your editors on this website take a decidedly heavy handed approach to dealing with new authors--I would have a hard time recommending this place to anyone I knew looking for something like this, simply due to the fact of the things that I've dealt with in the last 12-24hrs. If this method of operation that pervades this website is the standard, then the skills test that I had to take and pass isn't a good measure of skill, and should be discarded.

I am not sure where to go from here outside of another website that treats it's new authors degrees better---I don't mind having my work critiqued. What does bother me is the approach that CC has taken. In my mind, I'm starting to think that the article wasn't even read. In reviewing it on my own, there are some subject/verb issues as well as some grammatical errors that should have been addressed, but to come out and say that it is plagiarized really smacks of bias and elitism on the editors' part. Spelling is one thing, but to backhand someone's work to the degree that mine has been for errors that I've previously mentioned really puts a chill on continuing any relations with this website.

I will go back and fix the grammatical and subject verb errors that I feel need to be corrected, but if I have truly been banned form this site based solely on the opinion of the editor that reviewed one submission of my work, then I'm not sure that there is any point in going further.

If there is a mod that could respond with way to address this issue, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[jadedragon]

"I'm finding that an article that I just recently submitted was rejected on the grounds of being plagiarized, and as such, my account is being suspended and no more submissions are being accepted from me."

Yes, you are done. Constant Content is for writers - not for people skilled in copy and paste. The rest of this response is for the benefit of new writers.

"In trying to be polite/professional, I can attest that this is, by and large, not the case--plenty of research was put into the article before submitting it."

So by and large only some of the article was copied from elsewhere?

"If it is that big of an issue to have submissions of only original content, then perhaps it would be best to give authors (especially new ones) a place to cite sources."

We can cite sources as much as we want. According to the Constant Content Submission Guidelines, all work needs to be completely original. (see I cited a source)

"Articles aren't written without some degree of research. If this site only accepts original content, then we authors are going to need some type of familiarity with the subject matter before writing about it. Otherwise, people would make things up and go from there."

You either need to already be an expert on the topic or be prepared to research it. Opinions are a dime a dozen and are not accepted at Constant Content.

"Additionally, your editors on this website take a decidedly heavy handed approach to dealing with new authors--I would have a hard time recommending this place to anyone I knew looking for something like this, simply due to the fact of the things that I've dealt with in the last 12-24hrs. If this method of operation that pervades this website is the standard, then the skills test that I had to take and pass isn't a good measure of skill, and should be discarded."

Ability to pass a skills test is only one minimum indicator of success as a writer. Ability to deliver error free original content is also critical. High standards are what set this site apart from free article directories.

"I am not sure where to go from here outside of another website that treats it's new authors degrees better---I don't mind having my work critiqued."

Oh you could go to another site but good luck finding one that treats its authors better. Let us know if you find one!

"What does bother me is the approach that CC has taken. In my mind, I'm starting to think that the article wasn't even read."

If iThenticate found it had significant copying, maybe it was not read completely. However, humans do review all submissions here. Remember the quality goal?

"In reviewing it on my own, there are some subject/verb issues as well as some grammatical errors that should have been addressed, but to come out and say that it is plagiarized really smacks of bias and elitism on the editors' part. Spelling is one thing, but to backhand someone's work to the degree that mine has been for errors that I've previously mentioned really puts a chill on continuing any relations with this website."

It is the author's responsibility to proofread for errors. So there are two problems - poor quality AND plagiarized work. There is no continuing relationship with the site after a ban.

"I will go back and fix the grammatical and subject verb errors that I feel need to be corrected, but if I have truly been banned form this site based solely on the opinion of the editor that reviewed one submission of my work, then I'm not sure that there is any point in going further."

There is no point in going further. Good luck elsewhere.

If there is a mod that could respond with way to address this issue, I'd greatly appreciate it.[/quote]

[Mxylpyk]

"I'm finding that an article that I just recently submitted was rejected on the grounds of being plagiarized, and as such, my account is being suspended and no more submissions are being accepted from me."
Yes, you are done. Constant Content is for writers - not for people skilled in copy and paste. The rest of this response is for the benefit of new writers.

then that is unfortunate--because this wasn't an issue of copy/paste. Significant research was done on my end with regard to the information that was contained within the article. I'm not a writer--I don't publish literary articles on a constant basis, so perhaps that might be something to look into in the future. Copy/paste isn't a skill--it's a technique used when fixing pictures/graphics. Yes, it can also be used in Word documents. Along with the skill of writing (yours, mine, and the whole world over), skills and techniques can be used for good or bad. In this case, the technique in question wasn't used for bad, and should not automatically be assumed to have been employed to do so.

"
"In trying to be polite/professional, I can attest that this is, by and large, not the case--plenty of research was put into the article before submitting it."

So by and large only some of the article was copied from elsewhere?

(Snideness notwithstanding) no, in that the whole of article was intended to be original--looking at different sources and the amount of overlap on many of them, it basically devolved into "what is a better way to say what this person is saying, using my own words? " Maybe that isn't the best way of developing a suitable article. But it is better than making things up or copying them outright.

"
"If it is that big of an issue to have submissions of only original content, then perhaps it would be best to give authors (especially new ones) a place to cite sources."

We can cite sources as much as we want. According to the Constant Content Submission Guidelines, all work needs to be completely original. (see I cited a source)

This would relate to citing a source in the MLA, AIAA, or some other type professional method of documentation that allows the editors to track where the authors are going to get information. snideness aside, your statement wouldn't be accepted as a suitable way to document a source (this can be attributed to the way the most research papers require sources to be cited, referenced, and documented at the end of the paper rather than at the bottom or within the body of the document).

"Articles aren't written without some degree of research. If this site only accepts original content, then we authors are going to need some type of familiarity with the subject matter before writing about it. Otherwise, people would make things up and go from there."
You either need to already be an expert on the topic or be prepared to research it. Opinions are a dime a dozen and are not accepted at Constant Content.

again, there was a significant amount of research done during and while fingers were put to keyboard. this was not constructed as an opinion piece. The article is modeled after some of the information that I had been reading on the topic. That isn't classified as plagiarism.

"Additionally, your editors on this website take a decidedly heavy handed approach to dealing with new authors--I would have a hard time recommending this place to anyone I knew looking for something like this, simply due to the fact of the things that I've dealt with in the last 12-24hrs. If this method of operation that pervades this website is the standard, then the skills test that I had to take and pass isn't a good measure of skill, and should be discarded."

Ability to pass a skills test is only one minimum indicator of success as a writer. Ability to deliver error free original content is also critical. High standards are what set this site apart from free article directories.

that is understandable about the nature of the site. what is something that should be considered is what if your standards are shaking out the wrong people as well as some of the right ones? the skills test shouldn't be the minimum bar that is set--submitting a writing sample would be a much better start than choosing the right word to fill in the blank. I don't recall doing that

"I am not sure where to go from here outside of another website that treats it's new authors degrees better---I don't mind having my work critiqued."

Oh you could go to another site but good luck finding one that treats its authors better. Let us know if you find one!

again, snideness aside, that shouldn't be an option that an individual feels the need to pursue after visiting and attempting to pursue opportunities on this website. that isn't a good way to treat your customers, either the ones that submit work to you, or the ones that buy from you.

"What does bother me is the approach that CC has taken. In my mind, I'm starting to think that the article wasn't even read."

If iThenticate found it had significant copying, maybe it was not read completely. However, humans do review all submissions here. Remember the quality goal?

yes, I remember the quality goal. I also remember, having worked extensively with code (Mathlab, C, C++), that programs are not foolproof. this tells me that there is a significantly heavy over-dependence on something that has been developed by humans to run on a computer, rather than using the computer that sits right between your ears. Reading the article would have been one of the first things that should have been done by the editors if you/they are that adamant about high quality work. Half reading an article and jumping to a conclusion is just as dangerous as not reading it at all. If iThenticate is used to such a degree on this website, then nearly every last person who makes a submission to the editors should be subject to the same type of suspension that I have dealt with, simply due to the fact that the internet and the article have one thing in common--they both use words (albeit differently in some cases, but nonetheless, words are a significant makeup of any written submission). If the submitted content and the internet aren't supposed to match, then this would preclude the use of words in the English language as a whole.

"In reviewing it on my own, there are some subject/verb issues as well as some grammatical errors that should have been addressed, but to come out and say that it is plagiarized really smacks of bias and elitism on the editors' part. Spelling is one thing, but to backhand someone's work to the degree that mine has been for errors that I've previously mentioned really puts a chill on continuing any relations with this website."

It is the author's responsibility to proofread for errors. So there are two problems - poor quality AND plagiarized work. There is no continuing relationship with the site after a ban.

on a first submission, there are bound to be errors. that may not be the case for you, but for the rest of us in the real world, we are going to mistakes, especially when it comes to written work. Spelling was fine, organization was ok, but there were two instances of not so good subject/verb and grammar(tense). for a first submission, that is relatively good. To immediately say that having two errors is indicative of poor quality speaks to me that there is an unrealistic approach being taken to this on your end.

"I will go back and fix the grammatical and subject verb errors that I feel need to be corrected, but if I have truly been banned form this site based solely on the opinion of the editor that reviewed one submission of my work, then I'm not sure that there is any point in going further."

There is no point in going further. Good luck elsewhere.

then again, that is unfortunate. rudeness aside, thank you for your time.

[Celeste Stewart]

Keep in mind that JadeDragon is another writer, not a representative from Constant-Content. One of the editors or Constant-Content's management team will hopefully weigh in and explain the policy to you.

[jadedragon]

Thanks for adding that Celeste. I also have not seen and have no way to see the rejected article or the results of iThenticate. I do trust CC to weed out bad content to protect the ability to sell at good prices here. Sorry if you were offended. Attacking a great site offends some of us I'm sure. Good luck in your future endeavors.

[Elizabeth Ann West]

Mylpyk

When I first started at C-C, waaaaay back in 2007, I wrote my first article and obsessed over it for 2 days. I printed it out. I printed out the guidelines. I took a red pen to it, at least three times. I read it out loud to my mother on the phone. I knew C-C was a great opportunity, and I didn't want to mess it up. It was not only accepted, it sold the same day.

The reality of the writing world is every piece is an audition. Publishers, web developers, and editors are NOT thankful or going to worship anyone for being a writer. The only way you land the job, make the sale, or get published is by impressing the people reviewing your work. So writing a post about how no one helped you or gave you a second chance is going to fall on deaf ears.

C-C isn't for non-professional writers, meaning you have to take your writing to a professional level. I happen to be a full-time Mom. But, I work to improve my writing skills, wrote for my college newspaper, and belong to a few professional writing and open source organizations. C-C is for people who have some exposure, at the very least, to marketing/journalism/writing. If you don't see that "According to Constant-Content guidelines...." is citing a source, I'm sorry, you are showing that this isn't the right fit for you. We aren't writing term papers here. The parenthetical form of citation is appropriate for academic work, but not articles for the general public. In fact, when reporters cover academic research, they write: "According to a recent study by University of X, calories from protein burn fast than calories from carbohydrates...." or whatever the findings are. Somewhere, they mention where the study is published. There is no parenthetical citation.

We aren't reporters here though, in the sense that we only cover recent news. The writers here are on the forefront of quality writing for the developing world of Internet copy. We have discussions here about the evolution of writing standards, about ways to cite material, the best ways to communicate techy topics, etc. All of this is available right here on the forums. The point is that C-C isn't going to hold anyone's hand as a new author, because rejection and plagiarism standards are universal in this craft. I don't mean to be harsh, not at all, it's reality. Other sites that will accept anything directly plagiarized are criminal, not better.

There are many forum posts here about citing sources. All you needed to do was look. Good luck to you, and just so you know, if you use material that isn't yours in any capacity, you should cite it. It's even okay to include Works Cited at the end, provided you choose one way and remain consistent with it.

[jadedragon]

Another point is that writers are not customers to CC - we are suppliers. CC is like an art gallery that picks and chooses which artist's work it will display. I can't paint at all and I would not be offended if an art gallery refused to show my work (actually I'd be shocked if they did!). Not saying you can't write at all, but it is evident that you don't understand the industry expectations enough yet to be successful.