Contested texts: issues of plagiarism

Popular views of plagiarism are based on the concept of original authorship and the moral and economic implications of it. Plagiarism itself is usually linked with academic misconduct by students and by teachers/lecturers/writers. Reaction by institutions and professional groups tends to be one of discipline and punishment, at times in law, most often by gatekeeping bodies. The growth of the Internet has made gatekeeping difficult. Academic life tries to balance gatekeeping with facilitation, and this dialectic presents real challenges today, above all where collaborative writing is concerned. Post‐modern views of authors and texts add to the complexity. It is suggested that popular views of plagiarism may not be flexible enough.