Plagiarism Allegations on Textbook's Definition of Plagiarism

The five co-authors of a Miami Dade College communications department textbook are feuding over allegations of plagiarism -- including plagiarism of the textbook's definition of plagiarism, The Miami Herald reported. One communications professor at the college says her colleague lifted several passages from other sources. But a college investigation of the matter largely dismissed those charges, finding that more clarification was needed for certain passages and blaming some of the inadequate sourcing on changes the publisher made. The college's faculty union backs those findings. However, communications among the communications textbook co-authors have broken down, reports the newspaper, and the future of the book is in question.