TAA’s DEI Committee Reads Land and Labor Acknowledgement at 2024 Annual Conference

TAA’s DEI Committee (CDEI) Chair Laura Frost read a Land and Labor Acknowledgement at the opening session of its 2024 Textbook & Academic Authoring Conference in Nashville, TN on June 21.

“As a member of both TAA’s Board and CDEI, I believe that incorporating land and labor acknowledgments into our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts is a critical step in recognizing the contributions and rights of marginalized groups,” said TAA DEI Committee Member Nicole Dillard. “Land acknowledgments honor the indigenous communities who have historically cared for the land, acknowledging their enduring connection and the injustices they have faced. This practice fosters cultural sensitivity and awareness among our members, promoting a more respectful and inclusive organizational culture. Similarly, labor acknowledgments are equally important as they recognize the diverse contributions of labor, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

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Plagiarism vs Copyright: What’s the Difference?

By Brenda Ulrich

When someone copies your work without your permission, is that plagiarism or copyright infringement?  These terms are often used interchangeably, but in fact they do not mean the same thing.

Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s ideas or work as your own, without proper credit. But there may be no direct copying involved – it could just be paraphrasing an idea from someone else’s publication.  The main offense is the failure to provide attribution. Plagiarism is not illegal, but it is certainly an offense in academia, often with severe academic consequences, e.g., a failing grade for a student, revocation of a job offer, and so forth.

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What Can You Do If Your Work Is Plagiarized?

By Sierra Pawlak

During the July 2024 TAA Conversation Circle on the topic of plagiarism, Micki Caskey, a Professor Emerita at Portland State University, shared her experience with having her work plagiarized.

“It was a shock to me that my work had been taken,” she said. “The reason I cared is because I worked really hard on that project. This was work I had committed a lot of intellectual space to, and I just was aghast that someone would take it. It’s not that I am the greatest author in the world, I just would like to be credited for the work that I’ve done.”

Caskey discovered her work had been plagiarized in 2021 when she went to update a piece she originally wrote in 2007 and had updated in 2014, a research summary on the developmental characteristics of young adolescents.

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How Social Connections Can Positively Impact Writers

By Angelica Ribeiro, Ph.D.

As a writer, you have likely experienced negative emotions at some point. Whether it is receiving a rejection letter for your manuscript, facing criticism for your ideas, or getting stuck in your writing, it is normal to feel this way. The key is to learn how to cope with these emotions rather than trying to eliminate them.

Social connections can be a great tool for managing negative emotions like stress, frustration, and disappointment. Robert Waldinger, the leading author of The Good Life, explains how warm social connections can regulate your negative emotions:

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WIPO Publishes Contracts Toolkit for Authors and Publishers

The World Intellectual Property Association (WIPO) has published a new toolkit for authors and publishers that includes “a checklist of the most essential considerations while drafting and concluding a contract.”

Contracts in Publishing: A Toolkit for Authors and Publishers, was drafted by Brian Wafawarowa, Chairperson of the Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA), and Isobel Dixon, a renowned South African poet and Head of Books at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency in the UK, in consultation with several international author and publisher organizations.

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