Hypothetical

[brightlywoven]

If a storyline from Grey's Anatomy demonstrated a point I wanted to make in an essay, how inappropriate would  it be to cite it?
What if it was really, really pertinent?

Comments

[shehasathree]

What kind of essay is it?

[brightlywoven]

Dealing with challenges in the design of randomised controlled trials (and how clinicians may subvert the randomisation process)

[shehasathree]

I say go for it! Surely you're allowed to discuss hypotheticals, and this one just happens to have been neatly laid out in pop culture form for you?

[cealdis]

It would be inappropriate to cite it, but I see no problem in changing the story line sufficiently much that I wouldn't be breaking plagiarism rules (and then using it as an illustrative example). But then I like playing fast and free with plagiarism rules.

[parrot_knight]

It would depend how you cited it, and how you could shape the context around it; but I'd be in favour of attempting it. How long have you got before the essay is submitted? Is there time to do some research - even contact the writer(s) or the production office to ask whether the incident was based on input from their medical advisers?

[brightlywoven]

*laughs hollowly* due tomorrow, I think I just want to spice it up to relieve the tedium ;)

[parrot_knight]

An aside on how these situations are confronted in popular cultural texts might be considered illustrative... ;)