I believe that the difference between appropriation and plagiarism has to do with the fact that appropriation is usually used to prove or argue a point. Plagiarism is used recycle a thought without altering anything about it. Appropriation is also used to help in the evolution of cultures through appropriating characteristics from other cultures. There is however a fine line between appropriation and plagiarism. Such artist collectives as FOUND! Magazine take found objects and put them together in magazine form usually under one theme such as their latest issue dealing with jail time. They’re not claiming they were the ones who wrote the material but they do now own whatever they are sent. With plagiarism, it’s considered illegal. To plagiarize, one must steal someone’s work and claim it as their own without acknowledging a previous author. I believe that is the most important point to draw the line between the two – the acknowledgment of a previous author. In school, when writing an essay, if we’re to re-state an idea or theory, we’re to cite the author we got the information from. That in itself is a form of appropriation because we’re using these ideas to help prove or argue a point. To use their ideas and not cite the author would be illegal – and thus, plagiarism.We see appropriations in many different forms however, and it can often lead people to believe that it is plagiarism. I feel that if people examine whether or not the author is being credited, it will help differentiate between the two.

–Samille