| Subject: Holy cow. *disgust* |
Author:
Kiersten
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Date Posted: 12:09:10 06/05/07 Tue
So I have this student. We'll call him Plagiarism Boy, or PB for short (not to be confused with the delectable Peanut Butter).
They just turned in their first papers, which were to be reviews. He chose to write a movie review on Shrek the Third. Well, perhaps I am too generous. "He chose to write" is not quite the accurate term. Maybe something like "He chose to steal" is better.
Almost his entire paper, barring two or three sentences and a few places where he changed a couple of words, was copied word for word from two different published online reviews. I caught him because 1) I recognized one of the reviews as a review from a site I gave them to look for examples of longer reviews, and 2) I knew there was no way this side of Pluto that he knew the word "titular."
The. Entire. Paper. So brazen! Usually, when I catch plagiarism, it's a paragraph here and there. And usually, it's stupidity or carelessness. Not this. This was way worse. Waaaay worse. Instead of giving him 24 hours to fix the few plagiarized spots and turn it in again, I decided to give him a zero. Hey, he sure earned it, trust me.
Today I handed back papers and asked him to stay a bit later so I could talk to him. I so wanted a group office, because I really wanted a witness to this conversation! But I couldn't very well talk to him about his grade in front of the lingering students (I think that actually might be illegal), and I have no office to use, so I just used an empty classroom down the hall.
It went something like this:
ME: Is there anything you want to tell me about your paper?
PB: No...
ME: (waits)
PB: I mean, I looked at some other sources for it...
ME: You did more than look. (I show him his paper which has been highlighted for ease of perusal and, let's face it, dramatic effect.) All the highlighted places on there were cut and pasted, word for word. That's plagiarism. That's stealing.
PB: Well, uh...
ME: You didn't write any of that except for a few sentences.
PB: Well, uh...
ME: You've received a zero on that paper. You can still pass the course, but if you do it again there's a very good chance you will fail the class.
PB: But I was in a bind! Can't I have another chance?
ME: No. Because it was so much of the paper, there's really, I'm sorry, absolutely no way you could do that and not know it was wrong.
PB: (does not deny it, looks a little afraid, and kind of hardened)
ME: So, no, you're getting a zero. Just don't do it again.
PB: But can't you cut me some slack? Can't you work with me?
ME: No.
PB: Please?
ME: No.
PB: Please?
ME: Why?
PB: I was in a bind! I was having a really hard time writing it, putting it in my own words. So I didn't copy and paste. It's more like I read it, and then looked at it as I was writing my review.
ME: You didn't just read it and put them aside. It's word for word.
PB: But I was in a bind, I had to get something written!
ME: So did everyone in the class.
PB: But...
ME: Everyone was in the same situation as you. (What is left unsaid, but what is filling the air, is, "but you're the only one who cheated.")
PB: Can't you cut me some slack? Can I turn it in tomorrow?
ME: No. I'm sorry.
PB: Can I turn it in tomorrow?
ME: Well, you can, but you won't get any points for it.
PB: Can't you work with me? Please?
ME: I can't. It's the policy, and frankly, it's the law. I can't make an exception for you. I can't say, "Oh, it's okay this time---"
PB: No, I'm not saying it was okay. It was wrong. But---
ME: Then why'd you do it?
PB: I was in a bind! Please?
ME: No. I'm sorry.
PB: Please.
ME: No. I know it's hard-nosed, but that's the policy. I can't do anything about it. If I do it for you, I have to do it for everyone.
PB: Please.
ME: No.
PB: Please.
ME: No.
The "Please" and "No" part went on for several minutes. Seriously.
IDIOT! First, did he really think I wouldn't catch him? I was this close to quizzing him on words he used in his review. "Tell me about narcolepsy." Did he think I would be unfamiliar with the examples I gave him?
Second, comparing his reaction to that of other students that I've dealt with is like night and day. Other students are always, "Oh my gosh. I did what? I'm so dumb! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I did that! I didn't know that wasn't enough to prevent plagiarism! I don't want to cheat! I'm sorry, sorry, sorry!" His was totally, "I know it was wrong. I'm not sorry. I'm sorry I got caught, but I sure ain't sorry I did it." So brazen.
Sheesh.
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