August 25, 2019

SOME of the dozens of books I use in my research...

Well, this isn't the post that I had planned for today, but it is a necessary one...

I have been researching school shootings and related issues for over 20 years. In that time, I have purchased dozens of books, proprietary research studies, paid for newspaper article access for articles behind a paywall. I have bought more ink and computer paper than I want to think about, as well as numerous other supplies.

I have spent countless hours over 20+ years doing this research, talking to experts such as Dr. Dewey Cornell, Lt Col Dave Grossman, Dr. Peter Langman, Dr. Stanton E. Samenow, and many others. If I have a question then I go to someone who would know; in most cases that is a primary source of information rather than second, third, or fourth-hand information. That takes research to know who to ask, and time to write to these experts.

All of these books purchased was self-funded

In other words--I've put in the time and the finances to get the knowledge that I have today. So it royally pisses me straight off when someone uses my identical words to post as their own with no attribution (and I called them out publicly for doing it). I don't do that to others. Yet I have had that happen 3 times this month alone. I work hard and don't mind sharing what I have learned. But to copy someone else's work, word for word, and use it as their own, is disingenuous. It also causes the person who shares their knowledge to no long want to share their work until they have been published and copyright infringement is easier to deal with. That hurts everyone--knowledge that could help is now being protected until some future time. And for those stealing plagiarizing someone else's work--how do you know that what I wrote is correct? What if I got it wrong? Don't you want to know for sure?

SOME of my research files. All of this takes time, and
funds for paper, ink, folders, etc. 

My research is acknowledged in the Rosemond
book Raising a Nonviolent Child.

I know some will say that I am just worried about profit. If that was the case, I wouldn't spend so much of my own money on this research. My son is grown, I don't have to do this. But someone with over 20 years of study is bound to see the big picture and have some insights to offer...which will now be less forthcoming from myself. I have made no money in this endeavor. There are easier and less costly--in terms of funds and time--to make a profit.

It isn't right to steal material property from other people and it is not right to steal intellectual property from other people. I will call it out when I see it. It doesn't matter if it is on social media, it is still stealing to take others' work and use it as your own. Do your own work. Put in the hours and funds yourself. And when you do take and use someone else's work as your own--you run the risk of it being in error.

Do your due diligence, do the heavy lifting, and always ask permission to share someone else's work. It's the right thing to do.

Content copyright © J Clark 2019. Please seek permission to use material from this blog.