Charged with Plagairism and submitted to Academic Integrity? HELP!!!

[PreMedSS]

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Despite the forum title, I'm not the one in trouble. That being said, my friend is the one who as been charged with plagiarism and has been reported to academic integrity. The situation goes as followed...

She is currently taking an Immunology course at a small liberal arts college and she recently took her midterm for the class. There was some question about defining an antigen or something of the sort, and she had written down almost the same exact definition as the textbook (Peter Parham's, The Immune System 3rd Edition).

When the exams were graded, she was contacted by the professor (a newbie in her first term of teaching) saying that because she said almost the same thing as the textbook, she had been submitted to the academic integrity committee at our college under the charge of alleged plagiarism.

Any advice for her SDN?

 

[TexasPhysician]

Sounds like good memorization skills to me.

 

[Stumpyman]

Your "friend" needs to go talk to the dean (of student services). If that doesn't work, go to whoever is above that dean, if that doesn't work go to a lawyer.

 

[BrandNewDay]

Unless it was an open book exam, that case should be tossed out ASAP. I memorized (and used) plenty of quoted definitions for my exams.

 

[Negrodamus]

Why would that be plagiarism? Was she expected to give a source for every answer she gave on the exam?

 

[PreMedSS]

Your "friend" needs to go talk to the dean (of student services). If that doesn't work, go to whoever is above that dean, if that doesn't work go to a lawyer.

She was contacted by the professor and the professor had said that she is willing to revoke the submission of her name to academic integrity, but as a punishment, she would have her points from that question revoked and she would not receive the same curve that the other students had received for that midterm.

What I don't understand is that even though its a lesser punishment than the charge of plagiarism, its still a punishment nonetheless. I don't understand why she's being punished for this. Don't all of us who have taken a Bio course memorized something and spit it our verbatim at some point?

Do the professors want us to revolutionize the definition given or something like that?🙄

 

[PreMedSS]

Unless it was an open book exam, that case should be tossed out ASAP. I memorized (and used) plenty of quoted definitions for my exams.

nope, no open book exam.

Why would that be plagiarism? Was she expected to give a source for every answer she gave on the exam?

nope, she wasn't. this wasn't listed in the exam instructions.

 

[CodeBlu]

This is ridiculous. Tell your friend to talk to the dean.

I've used MANY textbook definitions before.

 

[Stumpyman]

She was contacted by the professor and the professor had said that she is willing to revoke the submission of her name to academic integrity, but as a punishment, she would have her points from that question revoked and she would not receive the same curve that the other students had received for that midterm.

What I don't understand is that even though its a lesser punishment than the charge of plagiarism, its still a punishment nonetheless. I don't understand why she's being punished for this. Don't all of us who have taken a Bio course memorized something and spit it our verbatim at some point?

Do the professors want us to revolutionize the definition given or something like that?🙄

Just take the offer... It would probably be better to go the safe route.

And yeah bio is mostly memorization, but on a short answer (or long) question, it's usually best to memorize the info and put it into your own words.

 

[PreMedSS]

Just take the offer... It would probably be better to go the safe route.

And yeah bio is mostly memorization, but on a short answer (or long) question, it's usually best to memorize the info and put it into your own words.

I told her that could be an option, just take the punishment and move on. That being said, the principle behind it stands, its still a punishment being given on an exam that is a large part of her overall letter grade and its unwarranted at that.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'd fight it. Go higher and higher in administration until it is dropped. If it isn't, contact legal aid.

 

[alexandertg6]

This is ridiculous. Tell your friend to talk to the dean.

I've used MANY textbook definitions before.

agreed. Its frivolous. Let it go to honor court, it will get thrown out. It is common practice that sources do not need to be cited on exams, and if there is a professor who thinks they must be it should be stated clearly in the instructions of the exam.

I had a similar situation to this where I was essentially docked 50% of my grade on a final paper over a frivolous rule of the professor's which he did not state in class or include anywhere in the assignment or on the syllabus. What happened is he actually lost my paper and docked me for not catching the fact that he had lost it until I saw my final grade. An honor pledge was signed at the time it was turned in with a TA as witness, so there was no doubt that I had actually turned it in on time. I talked to the professor and he refused to change the grade, so I eventually appealed it and won the appeal.

Every now and again some professor will try to short change you. If it happens, just go to their superiors, and if you have done nothing wrong you will not be punished.

Best of luck,

Alex

 

[kpcrew]

there are a lot of people that are overly concerned with their friends on sdn and possess quite detailed knowledge of their friends' situation. or maybe they just have a penchant for referring to themselves in the third person.

 

[PreMedSS]

there are a lot of people that are overly concerned with their friends on sdn and possess quite detailed knowledge of their friends' situation. or maybe they just have a penchant for referring to themselves in the third person.

if you want, you can simply look through my post history and you'll see that i took immunology last year. please, if you're going to come into the thread, try to contribute.

 

[alexandertg6]

if you want, you can simply look through my post history and you'll see that i took immunology last year. please, if you're going to come into the thread, try to contribute.

Lol look through kpcrew's post history and you will see that he/she rarely contributes to anyone's thread. Don't take it personally 🙂

 

[PreMedSS]

Lol look through kpcrew's post history and you will see that he/she rarely contributes to anyone's thread. Don't take it personally 🙂

noted. i'll just take your word for it. 😳

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I don't get the humor.
Alright, so she wanted you to source your definition... From the in class reading... Which she assigned.... Which defined material on your tests...
Yah I still dont get the humor. Fight that, no question.

 

[IMSingular]

Well this could be troll thread.😍

 

[kpcrew]

Lol look through kpcrew's post history and you will see that he/she rarely contributes to anyone's thread. Don't take it personally 🙂

this man knows

 

[Gigantron]

Lol look through kpcrew's post history and you will see that he/she rarely contributes to anyone's thread. Don't take it personally 🙂

Plus he's/she's embittered by his/her lack of a med school acceptance plus the fact that the re-applicant forum will soon become his/her new home.

 

[kpcrew]

Plus he's/she's embittered by his/her lack of a med school acceptance plus the fact that the re-applicant forum will soon become his/her new home.

when I go 1 for 4, i will let you know so that you won't feel so inadequate

 

[gettheleadout]

Fight the power!

 

[bajastapler]

Your "friend" needs to go talk to the dean (of student services). If that doesn't work, go to whoever is above that dean, if that doesn't work go to a lawyer.

^do this

 

[JOHNNYCAGE]

Tell your friend not to stand for this and fight it till she gets all the points back. I would be absolutely furious if I were her.

 

[PantherPride]

there are a lot of people that are overly concerned with their friends on sdn and possess quite detailed knowledge of their friends' situation. or maybe they just have a penchant for referring to themselves in the third person.

A friend of mine said they liked this post

 

[link2swim06]

Here is the fastest solution. My friend was in the identical situation and here is how it played out.

He goes into the professor's offices and tells him he can prove he didnt cheat and ask the professor to name a term and he will say the verbatim definition.

Needless to say after about 2 randomly picked terms and perfectly reciting the definitions, the professor tossed out the allegations.

 

[gettheleadout]

Here is the fastest solution. My friend was in the identical situation and here is how it played out.

He goes into the professor's offices and tells him he can prove he didnt cheat and ask the professor to name a term and he will say the verbatim definition.

Needless to say after about 2 randomly picked terms and perfectly reciting the definitions, the professor tossed out the allegations.

And if you don't know the verbatim definition for every term from the course? That sounds like too much work.

 

[username456789]

This has got to be the stupidest accusation of plagiarism ever. The professor asks for a definition of a word. The definition is given. Punishment ensues.

None of this falls under any umbrella of "plagiarism" or "academic dishonesty." This professor is an idiot.

 

[LupaCupcake]

She should fight this, no reason to get punished. Exams like that don't expect you to cite material unless they ask for it which is typically only on open book. So she memorized the actual material...is that not a good thing? I would say it is better to put things in your own words even if you remember the exact definitions because it shows that you comprehend the information instead of you have great skills of memorization, but that is completely besides the point.

Did she even realize she was writing it so close to the actual book definition? She should absolutely fight this.

 

[zwitterion34]

You can avoid plagiarism by using your own ideas. For example, for Alzheimer's disease, instead of using the word Alzheimer's disease, refer to it as a disease that is characterized by neurodegeneration. 😎

 

[flodhi1]

I have never in my life ever heard something as outrageous as this. Can someone ask the professor if she was supposed to memorize the publication city, the authors name and was she supposed to use an APA or MLA citation during the exam?

 

[Gigantron]

You can avoid plagiarism by using your own ideas. For example, for Alzheimer's disease, instead of using the word Alzheimer's disease, refer to it as a disease that is characterized by neurodegeneration. 😎

Pretty sure we've reached a consensus that this is not plagiarism.

"😎"

when I go 1 for 4, i will let you know so that you won't feel so inadequate

Make it 1 for 3 since your asian and Stony Brook will, most likely, will not give you the time of day.

As for the bolded, wrong again. 🙂

My wording, believe it or not, is quite accurate for your situation.

I love these internet argumentative types that dig deeper graves with every post. Not only did you try to mince my words, but you completely failed to understand them. But I do like how you realized that as you were typing it and tacked the inadequacy quip on there to try to preemptively deal with my post while hiding your own insecurities.

Cute and wrong.

 

[BurntFlower]

Your friend should definitely fight about this issue. Like many others said, this is not plagiarism.

 

[kpcrew]

blah blah blah

🙄

 

[Gigantron]

🙄

Your submission is appreciated.

*chuckles and leaves thread*

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

I think definitions are considered common knowledge anyway, so plagiarism shouldn't really be an issue. That would be like citing your O chem text book because you wrote the reaction exacly how it was in the book.


In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

Answer: x=4*

*Bird, Big "Sesame Street", Season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 Nov 1992.Date accessed: 15 Nov 1994.

 

[gettheleadout]

In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

Answer: x=4*

*Bird, Big "Sesame Street", Season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 Nov 1992.Date accessed: 15 Nov 1994.

 

[kduck]

I think definitions are considered common knowledge anyway, so plagiarism shouldn't really be an issue. That would be like citing your O chem text book because you wrote the reaction exacly how it was in the book.


In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

Answer: x=4*

*Bird, Big "Sesame Street", Season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 Nov 1992.Date accessed: 15 Nov 1994.

👍

 

[alexandertg6]

I think definitions are considered common knowledge anyway, so plagiarism shouldn't really be an issue. That would be like citing your O chem text book because you wrote the reaction exacly how it was in the book.


In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

Answer: x=4*

*Bird, Big "Sesame Street", Season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 Nov 1992.Date accessed: 15 Nov 1994.

strong work 👍

 

[theWUbear]

Lol look through kpcrew's post history and you will see that he/she rarely contributes to anyone's thread. Don't take it personally 🙂

👍

 

[Wolfman89]

Here is the fastest solution. My friend was in the identical situation and here is how it played out.

He goes into the professor's offices and tells him he can prove he didnt cheat and ask the professor to name a term and he will say the verbatim definition.

Needless to say after about 2 randomly picked terms and perfectly reciting the definitions, the professor tossed out the allegations.

Cocky as f**k I like it!

I think definitions are considered common knowledge anyway, so plagiarism shouldn't really be an issue. That would be like citing your O chem text book because you wrote the reaction exacly how it was in the book.


In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

Answer: x=4*

*Bird, Big "Sesame Street", Season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 Nov 1992.Date accessed: 15 Nov 1994.

 

[KindofBlue]

Man, I wish I knew this professor..
It really ticks me off that people like these really exist.
I agree with most of the posts, no way she should be punished for some bull **** reason from a bull sh*tter.

 

[Ormm]

i think definitions are considered common knowledge anyway, so plagiarism shouldn't really be an issue. That would be like citing your o chem text book because you wrote the reaction exacly how it was in the book.


In the future though, make sure she cites sources. Example:

Question: 2+2=x

answer: X=4*

*bird, big "sesame street", season 2, episode 24, original air date: 11 nov 1992.date accessed: 15 nov 1994.

+1

 

[WorldChanger36]

Fight...

[YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/XuEqzIW9kNU[/YOUTUBE]

 

[darkhope]

Deleted...sorry my bad....

 

[ksmajmudar]

wow so many plagerizers in sdn this is ridiculous, if you quote something word for word, even if you memorized it, you still have to give credit by citation...i'm actually disappointed at sdn on this thread...

eg:
" I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed" does not make it my idea if I memorize it...

You clearly did not read OP's post.

 

[Gigantron]

wow so many plagerizers in sdn this is ridiculous, if you quote something word for word, even if you memorized it, you still have to give credit by citation...i'm actually disappointed at sdn on this thread...

eg:
" I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed" does not make it my idea if I memorize it...

I almost feel like reporting this troll post...

 

[ponyo]

report him for failing to cite the quote 😛

 

[Belle Melodie]

report him for failing to cite the quote 😛

👍

 

[zwitterion34]

Fight...

[YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/XuEqzIW9kNU[/YOUTUBE]

FAIL!!!

Here you go..

[YOUTUBE]XuEqzIW9kNU[/YOUTUBE]

Your welcome. I'm happy to be you're help. 😎