How Citizen Journalists Should Use Communal Knowledge

Citizen journalists can write about any topic they choose. But, when they write about communal knowledge, which is "community information that no particular individual can claim to own,"* there are several questions raised about the unique quality of the work.

1. Is the work plagiarized?

If the citizen journalist gives credit where credit is due, then it is not plagiarism. Many writing forums question other writers regarding source citing, and writers should be questioned. If someone writes an article with information from a certain source, then the source should be credited. It's only fair. However, if the writer is writing on a personal experience that is linked to a communal knowledge topic, then the work is original.

2. Is it just an essay?

Essays and reports are pieces of writing that stems from research about a certain subject. These types of writing are allowable in the world of citizen journalism, but again, credible sources should be used. References from one source alone are not enough to write a great paper. Sources should come from a variety of texts, websites, and even interviewed professionals. Using a plethora of information gives the writer a bigger picture of the topic.

3. Is the citizen journalist giving their own thoughts to the subject matter? If so, then the work has a special view point that may be considered unique. Presenting the topic in a personal context can create a different point of view that may not be previously written.

4. Does the citizen journalist transform the old into new? By this, I mean is the writer giving a new twist to old information? Putting a fresh perspective on outdated topics gives relevance to the work and modernizes the piece.

With those questions aside about the writing, let's look at using communal knowledge websites that are used for source finding. There are several websites for people to post information about any subject. Anyone can publish on these sites. How relevant is the information? How true are the so-called facts? The information isn't always correct and the facts should be checked against professional sources.

Any website that is hailed as "Anyone can edit" should be read with a grain of salt. As I have found in my researches that a lot of the information is not true, I realized that using these websites for precise facts is just a waste of time when it comes to writing high-quality articles. These websites are backed by people like you and me, and are considered citizen journalists for publishing information.

When I'm looking for the straight facts about a subject, I want to consult websites or professionals in their field of knowledge who can give me the correct answers. In the end, after the citizen journalist has published their piece of work, all they have is their own credibility. And, if their article is not credible, he or she loses respect. Correct knowledge and information is imperative for citizen journalists.

* The Writing Center,Yale University. "Writing at Yale." http://www.yale.edu/bass/writing/sources/plagiarism/common.html