The committee that revised the Society’s Code of Ethics felt the document’s tenets and underlying principles apply to all journalism regardless of how it’s ultimately presented. Still, the committee knew people interested in ethical journalism may benefit from additional guidance from the Society and other people and organizations.
Below are several resources that the Society’s ethics committee compiled to help people with day-to-day decisions. These resources are not formally part of the Code. Also, these lists will grow and change as more resources are found, or as resources become obsolete.
For those people who still have questions, please email the Society’s Ethics Hotline: ethics@spj.org
Never plagiarize. Always attribute.
- A paper written by the Society’s Ethic Committee says its Code of Ethics is simple and clear when it comes to plagiarism and attribution.
SOURCE: http://www.spj.org/ethics-papers-plagiarism.asp
- Few actions harm journalism as a whole more than plagiarism and fabrication. The topic is discussed in detail throughout this American Copy Editors Society e-book, which is the product of a yearlong effort by several journalism organizations and journalism schools.
SOURCE: http://www.rjionline.org/newsbooks/aces
- Steve Buttry, a journalist and professor, provides a strong argument on his blog about why journalists should link to original sources throughout the Internet. In short, linking is honest, transparent, attribution and provides context.
SOURCE: https://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/4-reasons-why-linking-is-good-journalism-2-reasons-why-linking-is-good-business/
- The boundary between plagiarism and aggregation can often be blurred. About.com aggregates different resources from around the Internet to provide journalists with perspectives on what is and is not plagiarism.
SOURCE: http://journalism.about.com/od/ethicsprofessionalism/tp/Plagiarism-Journalisms-Cardinal-Sin.htmp