Perhaps you're right and this has taught the students in question a valuable lesson. At the very least it's a hot talking point, and that being the case I'm glad you highlighted the issue.

As I said in the post, if this were any ordinary “amateur” blogger, none of this would have been be an issue.

In fact, I strongly oppose the idea that blogging requires some sort of “credential”. The point was that the blog in question was by a journalism student – a media professional in training. And a media professional in training must understand that the same standards of professional conduct – attribution, not infringing copyright and so on – apply on their blogs as in any other published medium.

I don't think it is patronising to apply the same standards to a student journalist as you would to a graduate “professional”. Quite the contrary: I think it would be more patronising to take the attitude that someone is “just a student” or “just a blogger”.

I was also careful not to “humiliate” anybody. Nobody is mentioned by name. In fact, I still don't know the name of the student in question, nor do I care. However, I know that my criticisms were taken on board by all the students on the course. I know, because some of them e-mailed me to discuss the issue. You'll see in the comments above that some lecturers on the course, were also very positive about my approach.

I personally would much rather read the opinions of a more carefree blogger than one bound by protocol and formal tuition. Get a grip.

I am in complete agreement with your comment. It was an honest, (if unacceptable) mistake, but it was dealt with brilliantly.

I seriously hope I haven’t put anyone off blogging, and that the university doesn’t restrict its students’ blogging as a result.

It’s good to see the blogs now have an identification on them so that it can be seen who is writing what, and a link to the author’s email address.

I doubt it was intended to sound as patronising as it does but I like to think that some of us baby journalists do have our heads screwed on (as has been indicated by many of the other comments)

Plus given how much the subject of plagarism gets hammered home every time we get an assignment is it too much to expect just a teeny-tiny spark of common sense?

Still, it certainly is a learning curve for all involved and Martin has made some good points which he may have noticed have been implemented, such as the full identification and ability to email blog authors on the ukjournalism site.

And even though our law exams finish at the end of May, I don’t think I shall be putting my copy of McNae away just yet.

As a student at UCLan myself, one of the best bits we’ve done this year was setting up a blog for the third year online journalists. http://www.ukjournalism.co.uk/baonline – it’s been a great resource and way to reflect on our course.

It’s a shame that someone from UCLan hasn’t quite grasped the blogging ethic, but they are only a first/second year and believe me you don’t know much in the third year compared with the real world, let alone in the first or second year.

I’m sure they will learn from their mistake.

I think that your comments are extremely valid on this subject.
Surely any journalist or budding journalist should sign up to the unwritten code that acknowledges any sources of material whether this is in a blog or printed material.
As a student at UCLAN,I can assure you that best practice is drummed into us all the timeand I totally take on what Andy Dickinson is saying in his comments.This,I am sure was an isolated incident as far as UCLAN is concerned but there is a wider issue to be addressed in the blogosphere.Quite how we do that I am unsure

“If you are going to blog publically, you need to be ready to accept public criticism.”

This is the problem. I think all journalists and definitely wannabes have to grasp this as a fundamental given regardless of where they publish.

However, in the wider blogosphere – even with some very experienced and popular bloggers – the same problem occurs. See this discussion. Find the comments by the very popular blogger Elise,

http://www.noodlepie.com/2007/02/what_are_the_wo.html

For many bloggers, there is a fundamental clash of what is and is not allowed to be criticised. The old school, pre-blog approach, which I hold to, is if it’s in the pulic domain, it’s fair game. The thing is the public domain is so much bigger now by a factor of a gazillion and so many people are putting themselves into it possibly without really thinking of the possible consequences. Journalism students, more than any group I can think of, must understand this.

One slightly tangential thought here. One news story that is just begging to happen – but give it another 5 or 10 years or so –

“Teen sues parents over baby blog”

I wonder how many kids will resent their parents blogging their lives for them?

Have you actually read my post?

I made it clear in my clarification that I do not wish to suggest that everyone at UCLAN is responsible for this, even though the original tone of the post might have suggested that. I was always careful to stress that I am complaining about some specific students. I also mentioned one UCLAN student blogger whose work I really like. There are many other great student-journalists who blog.

However, as discussed in the post, this is not an isolated incident. There have been other cases of journalism students displaying poor blogging and professional practice at other universities. Another working journalist expressed similar experiences. There is clearly a broader issue to be discussed here.

I must stress, as I have elsewhere, that I do not think this was a case of deliberate plagiarism. As Robin Hamman notes above, far more more serious cases have occurred at blogs run by paid professionals.

Second, contrary to your assertion, the author of the post in question has not been in touch with me to apologise. The post by Monkey is not the one to which I was referring.

Third, as I explained in the post, I would have responded less publicly if that option had been available. The whole point of this post (and indeed your and university lectuers’ criticism of it) is that bloggers should be personally responsible for their actions. The university has done nothing wrong, and as I explained in my clarification, is actually to be commended for providing you with an excellent learning experience. Why should I involve them?

I am astonished by your call for a “less public” solution. The whole point of the way blogging is changing journalism is that journalists need to understand that their readers, using blogs, will hold them to account in a much more public manner than was previously possible. If you are going to blog publically, you need to be ready to accept public criticism.

As it happens, I e-mailed my post to a lecturer at the university immediatly after posting it in order to give an opportunity to reply.