One day you are surfing the internet, and you see your article posted on another website without your name, your byline, and with no reference to the original website. Or, you are reading a book and comes to know that one of the parts seems familiar to you, and then it draws the attention that is written by you, yet the part does not have any citation listing you as the author. Yes, at that time, you have been plagiarized and is a victim of it. Being a victim, you will feel seriously harmed and injured and is not a small problem. Dealing with plagiarism is a stressful endeavor, and in many cases, a lot of work is done for compensating the harm that has been caused. Precisely, you should know that it takes months or, in some cases, years before everything is settled.
What Things Are to be Done if you Already are a Victim?
It is said that procedures are different for students, scientists, and bloggers. So before doing anything, you should understand what measures are to be taken depending upon the level of your work that has been plagiarized. Below are the few things that you must make a note of for addressing the issue adequately.
- Get some viewpoint on the complete scenario. At first, you are required to evaluate the situation and figure out how tricky it would be to deal with the plagiarist whoever he must be. It is understood that one must not accept his mistake and will make counterclaims. So, it is important for you to anticipate the outcomes and analyze what you want from the plagiarist.
- Document the evidence. If someone has used your content without taking your permission, you have to prove it. So, you are required to have convincing evidence that will prove that your content is stolen. Also, remember that the plagiarist can delete the content he posted online before you make any case. So, collect evidence first.
- Figure out how much work has been plagiarized. Find out by searching that how much of your content has been stolen and if you find your work on several domains. Make a list of it before complaining or filing a case.
- Contact the plagiarist. After evaluating, you can contact plagiarists and let them know what you expect from them and what you want to do. If they refuse to do what you want, you may still have a record of contact.
- If required, contact the lawyer. Contacting the lawyer is the last resort and you may use it if the plagiarist refuses to do what you want and you think that contacting the lawyer may compensate you financially. Lawyers may give you decent advice for moving forward.
Read Also – Types of plagiarism