Commentaries Pulled for Plagiarism

[Jerome]

Two volumes of the Pillar New Testament Commentaries (ed. D. A. Carson) authored by Peter O'Brien (Ephesians and Hebrews) are being recalled and destroyed by the publisher, as is O'Brien's 1990 New International Philippians commentary:

http://www.eerdmans.com/Pages/Item/59043/Commentary-Statement.aspx

 

[HankD]

Two volumes of the Pillar New Testament Commentaries (ed. D. A. Carson) authored by Peter O'Brien (Ephesians and Hebrews) are being recalled and destroyed by the publisher, as is O'Brien's 1990 New International Philippians commentary:

http://www.eerdmans.com/Pages/Item/59043/Commentary-Statement.aspx

Hmm, this is bad news. I have the Hebrews Commentary by Peter O'Brien.

HankD

 

[HankD]

Two volumes of the Pillar New Testament Commentaries (ed. D. A. Carson) authored by Peter O'Brien (Ephesians and Hebrews) are being recalled and destroyed by the publisher, as is O'Brien's 1990 New International Philippians commentary:

http://www.eerdmans.com/Pages/Item/59043/Commentary-Statement.aspx

I'm wondering - Why did it take 26 years to make this discovery?

HankD

 

[Smyth]

I'm wondering - Why did it take 26 years to make this discovery?

Only in the past few years have there been websites designed to find plagiarism.

 

[HankD]

Only in the past few years have there been websites designed to find plagiarism.

Oh, OK.

HankD

 

[Bluefalcon]

Wow, that's crazy.

 

[HankD]

Wow, that's crazy.

Yes, just what constituted the plagiarism according to those who decided that O'Brien had committed said offense? ?
The URL blurb makes the accusation but doesn't give the exact criteria they used to make the determination.

True O'Brien admitted to the offense.

HankD

 

[exscentric]

Years ago I read several systematic theologies at the same time and a number of times I read the exact same paragraph in different authors books with no indication that it was a quote. This was in the older works.

 

[Revmitchell]

Two volumes of the Pillar New Testament Commentaries (ed. D. A. Carson) authored by Peter O'Brien (Ephesians and Hebrews) are being recalled and destroyed by the publisher, as is O'Brien's 1990 New International Philippians commentary:

http://www.eerdmans.com/Pages/Item/59043/Commentary-Statement.aspx

So this was an honest mistake, he did not intend to claim others work as his own, and Carson has nothing to do with it. Got it.

 

[Deacon]

The author conceded that plagiarization occurred. The admission would be devastating for his career.
Digitalization of resources makes research convenient, more through, and quicker but also greatly increases the potential for inadvertently plagiarizing material.

When I'm working on Sunday bible class material I only rarely footnote my classroom handouts.
I don't publish my material so it seems unnecessary.

He acknowledges: "I now see that my work processes at times have been faulty and have generated clear-cut, but unintentional, plagiarism. For this I apologize without reservation."

Rob

 

[Revmitchell]

So this was an honest mistake, he did not intend to claim others work as his own, and Carson has nothing to do with it. Got it.

 

[HankD]

It is absolutely necessary to give in detail the criteria for plagiarism to help other potential authors.

Especially for writing commentaries which of necessity have information extracted/abstracted from other sources.

HankD

 

[Revmitchell]

It is absolutely necessary to give in detail the criteria for plagiarism to help other potential authors.

Especially for writing commentaries which of necessity have information extracted/abstracted from other sources.

HankD

The problem with the standard for plagiarism is that while someone my intend to give proper credit to the original author if the citation is not completed exactly correct with no errors than the author is seen as a plagiarist. It is a poor standard and misrepresents what someone has done.

 

[StefanM]

The problem with the standard for plagiarism is that while someone my intend to give proper credit to the original author if the citation is not completed exactly correct with no errors than the author is seen as a plagiarist. It is a poor standard and misrepresents what someone has done.

When I used to teach composition, I would treat unintentional plagiarism differently than intentional plagiarism. Plagiarism done intentionally yielded an F. If done unintentionally, I usually either allowed a re-write (with some penalty) or a small deduction (for small infractions).

In my mind, one is an error, and one is cheating.

 

[Revmitchell]

When I used to teach composition, I would treat unintentional plagiarism differently than intentional plagiarism. Plagiarism done intentionally yielded an F. If done unintentionally, I usually either allowed a re-write (with some penalty) or a small deduction (for small infractions).

In my mind, one is an error, and one is cheating.

In my mind as well. The morality of one is in great distinction to the other.

 

[Bluefalcon]

It seems like the source(s) plagiarized are not English or the infraction would have been detected by many long ago. I suspect a n older German or French work never translated into English that was put to substantial use without reference given. But only if the source is revealed can the extent and perhaps even intent be known. I doubt it was just a thought or sentence here and there to go to the drastic measure of pulping 3 commentaries of a major series. It's unheard of. O'Brien is 81 years old. But if he were 41 his scholarly career would equally be over.