Ancient History Site, Help and Questions - Read More (1 Viewer)

[Patar]

Okay, I know especially with those of you who do Sparta for your HSC, there are a decided lack of credible sources on the internet. Well, I'm not here to judge my own site - you can judge if its a credible source or not.

I try to quote modern and ancient historians, I'll admit myself I am a student studying at Gosford High School.

This site covers FOUR topic areas, at present TWO are being done - Pompeian areas and lots Spartan areas of the syllabus is up there already.

www.arcanehistory.com

The front page only shows the 15 most RECENT posts, you'll need to navigate to Sparta or Pompeii, and to read the entire articles click on their red titles.

Tell me if you like the layout, information, use of sources, etc. I take your feedback seriously and with apprehension

 

[xeuyrawp]

It's all just very descriptive, to be honest.

 

[Patar]

You are referring to my writing style on Pompeii? Sparta is a more ancient-and-modern historian explanation topic, Pompeii is very much descriptive, and 'what we find out about...'

I'll try and improve it. I am told my Spartan work is of higher quality.

 

[redox]

It's a nice idea and I'll take some time to read through your stuff and offer suggestions...but I wasn't sure if you're encouraging us to use your website itself as a source?

 

[Patar]

Yeah, you can use it as a source, or give me feedback on how it's going; I get the information from a range of sources, for example the ones on Pompeii I'm using Open High School notes, Toni Hurley's 'Antiquity 3', 'Secrets of Vesuvius' (not very good this book, sorry Kate Cameron!), Brian Brennan + Estelle Lazer's 'Pompeii and Herculaneum: Interpreting the evidence', and Pamela Bradley's 'Cities of Vesuvius'. Plus any ancient sources I can find cited on the net.

I'm trying to get it together, by the end of the year it should cover ALL HSC syllabus dot points on Ancient Sparta, Pompeii and Herculaneum, Rome (78-28BC), and Julius Caesar . I might even write to the authors of my sources with their permission once its all done to get a book together to give to HSC students non-profit.

What do you think?

 

[xeuyrawp]

As it is, if the site gets big enough, you'll either have to do point by point sourcing (referencing), or take down the site. What you're doing is effectively plagiarism, which becomes serious at a big level.

Sorry, but that's how it happens.

Edit: With regards to making it a not-for-profit book, that won't happen. I don't think you understand the idea of ownership; authors don't own their books, the publishers do. I doubt either the authors or the publishers would allow you to take their information and stick it in hard copy, regardless how it's sold.

 

[Patar]

Well we're encouraged to source-reference and I'll admit I'm better at doing it with Sparta's ancient sources than I am with Pompeii, but with all my articles I do cite author's names, books... I dont just blatently copy them. Doing Software and IST has made me more aware of straight-out stealing.

The site's informative anyway, the 1968 copyright act gives provision "for the purposes of study, criticsm, research or review" and I do notice that Toni Hurley, Pamela Bradley, Brian Brennan and Kate Cameron seem to have similar lines in their books where they are near-copies of one or the other.

I make pains to quote my sources in there, some of it relates to archeological finds which arent all copyrighted if an author cites them.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Well we're encouraged to source-reference and I'll admit I'm better at doing it with Sparta's ancient sources than I am with Pompeii, but with all my articles I do cite author's names, books... I dont just blatently copy them. Doing Software and IST has made me more aware of straight-out stealing.

The site's informative anyway, the 1968 copyright act gives provision "for the purposes of study, criticsm, research or review" and I do notice that Toni Hurley, Pamela Bradley, Brian Brennan and Kate Cameron seem to have similar lines in their books where they are near-copies of one or the other.

I make pains to quote my sources in there, some of it relates to archeological finds which arent all copyrighted if an author cites them.

You can't just say 'I didn't start it!' - the authors may have permission from each other to copy.

That being said, there is absolutely no way that the publishers would let you sell a 'not for profit' book.

 

[Patar]

Hence why I source-reference, and piece together my own thesis taking into account a wide range of sources rather than merely copying. The non-profit book was merely speculation, I don't seriously believe there wouldnt be a lot of red tape in doing so.