How Bad is this IA?

[abbie_toonie]

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Via email today I received results from the Dean of Students of a conduct investigation. Result: at fault for academic dishonesty. Disciplinary probation for a semester is the punishment.

My story is like this:

I had an English paper due in which I was supposed to consider a controversial topic and look at both sides. I knew the arguments of both sides, so I typed them out lucidly. But instead of getting the facts of both sides from actual websites, I chose random websites that were vaguely similar to the topic and used them as references. The arguments of both sides remain valid, but the websites I used to reference them are not because the arguments are a collection of things I've heard in the past about the topic.

I'm wondering if this IA is a true cheating IA or if med schools look at it as if it's more benign?

This has been the worst Christmas in my life.....

 

[anisole]

You smell that boys? That's the smell of dreams being burned... Sorry OP, this is the worst IA you can possibly get.

 

[Goro]

So basically you went reference shopping? I've seen worse. I wouldn't even call this plagiarism, just laziness. Unless there's something else you're not telling us? I would think that you'd just get a failing grade on this assignment for doing a lousy job.

Own this, and explain it in the suitable boxes, and see how the app cycle will turn out.

If you get 100% shut out, then you're going to need a few years of exemplary behavior, preferably in positions of responsibility.

Via email today I received results from the Dean of Students of a conduct investigation. Result: at fault for academic dishonesty. Disciplinary probation for a semester is the punishment.

My story is like this:

I had an English paper due in which I was supposed to consider a controversial topic and look at both sides. I knew the arguments of both sides, so I typed them out lucidly. But instead of getting the facts of both sides from actual websites, I chose random websites that were vaguely similar to the topic and used them as references. The arguments of both sides remain valid, but the websites I used to reference them are not because the arguments are a collection of things I've heard in the past about the topic.

I'm wondering if this IA is a true cheating IA or if med schools look at it as if it's more benign?

This has been the worst Christmas in my life.....

 

[abbie_toonie]

So basically you went reference shopping? I've seen worse. I wouldn't even call this plagiarism, just laziness. Unless there's something else you're not telling us? I would think that you'd just get a failing grade on this assignment for doing a lousy job.

Own this, and explain it in the suitable boxes, and see how the app cycle will turn out.

If you get 100% shut out, then you're going to need a few years of exemplary behavior, preferably in positions of responsibility.

Thanks for the reply. I guess you can call it reference-shopping. The issue is that a couple of the references were about the topic but were a little off, in that they didn't include information that I said they included.

 

[Goro]

Sometimes one has to apply with the app one has, warts and all, and see how the cycle shales out. Always have Plan B.

Thanks for the reply. I guess you can call it reference-shopping. The issue is that a couple of the references were about the topic but were a little off, in that they didn't include information that I said they included.

 

[desiredmembername123]

When are you applying? Putting time between what happened and your application can only help. The real problem here is the label "academic dishonesty" when really what you did was ****ty referencing.

 

[pseud0]

So all you did was lie about references? You could have done much worse..like actually cheated on something or plagiarized someone...this should just be an F/D graded paper and not a permanent stain on the record. but im not a teacher so what do i know

 

[MoDiddy]

I feel like OP is leaving something out (which is the case with prob ~95% of these IA threads). I'm on the honor council at my school and you would only get a zero and a warning for this at most.

Edit: Not calling you a liar OP but I understand during times like this it is easy to dumb things down/be in denial. By all means if you're being forthright with us I would appeal because the punishment seems pretty harsh.

 

[candbgirl]

I feel like OP is leaving something out (which is the case with prob ~95% of these IA threads). I'm on the honor council at my school and you would only get a zero and a warning for this at most.

You're right. It seems the punishment is a little extreme for what he's told us.


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[dbeast]

Yeah I don't understand what you did wrong...

 

[Lannister]

Yeah I don't understand what you did wrong...

Citing a resource that you didn't actually use is considered plagiarism.

Edit: after further research, I've realized I'm probably wrong. Citing a resource that you didn't actually use is generally frowned upon, but I can't find anything that actually deems it plagiarism.

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[DoctorCakes]

Citing a resource that you didn't actually use is considered plagiarism.


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Can you elaborate? Sources on this? (no pun intended)

 

[Lannister]

Can you elaborate? Sources on this? (no pun intended)

It's just what I was always told in my English classes in high school, as well as the training I went through to become a TA. I can't find any sources to back that up so it's possible that what I've been told is incorrect.

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

Appeal, your punishment is way too harsh if this is the whole story.

 

[DoctorCakes]

It's just what I was always told in my English classes in high school, as well as the training I went through to become a TA. I can't find any sources to back that up so it's possible that what I've been told is incorrect.

yea I don't think his actions are considered plagiarism but his IA doesn't mention plagiarism either. I'd appeal OP. Honestly I'd even complain to the professor if I got a 0 on this assignment. At most you deserve points off for references. Assuming we're taking this story at face value

 

[Lannister]

yea I don't think his actions are considered plagiarism but his IA doesn't mention plagiarism either. I'd appeal OP. Honestly I'd even complain to the professor if I got a 0 on this assignment. At most you deserve points off for references. Assuming we're taking this story at face value

I suppose if the IA is for "academic dishonesty" then it's technically accurate as saying you read sources that you didn't is dishonest. Normally I'm pretty unsympathetic when it comes to cheating but in this case I'd agree that appealing is a good idea.

 

[ak-aka-dak]

Since this is now your second IA you really should appeal it. Two IA's could be a game stopper.

 

[desiredmembername123]

Wait he has 2????


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[candbgirl]

Since this is now your second IA you really should appeal it. Two IA's could be a game stopper.

Where did you get the idea it was a second IA? My eyes must be failing me.


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[Kpw101]

Why is the punishment that harsh? I feel like my professors would've just failed me and be done with it.

 

[DokterMom]

I feel like OP is leaving something out (which is the case with prob ~95% of these IA threads). I'm on the honor council at my school and you would only get a zero and a warning for this at most.

Edit: Not calling you a liar OP but I understand during times like this it is easy to dumb things down/be in denial. By all means if you're being forthright with us I would appeal because the punishment seems pretty harsh.

Don't know if you're 'spinning' your story or not, but if you're not, can you ask to meet with the dean and beg him/her to change the 'label' to something less harmful? Own your transgression and admit your culpability, but ask for a label that won't be quite so damaging.

You're throwing yourself on the mercy of the dean. Hopefully, s/he has some and you didn't 'burn' it previously...

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'd appeal. I mean, if you submit a research paper with references that don't say what you're saying they do, they just reject your paper and tell you you're an idiot (I assume--this never actually happened to me because I actually read my references before I use them). You should have gotten a zero and a warning at most.

 

[candbgirl]

Thanks. OP is also a Pharmacy student!


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[JB50]

Sometimes one has to apply with the app one has, warts and all, and see how the cycle shales out. Always have Plan B.

Wise Goro

 

[ak-aka-dak]

Where did you get the idea it was a second IA? My eyes must be failing me.


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An older post from the OP states that he received an IA in the past for marijuana which in and of itself would not be a game changer.

 

[JB50]

An older post from the OP states that he received an IA in the past for marijuana which in and of itself would not be a game changer.

Weed + Academic dishonesty = very likely a game changer homie.

 

[ak-aka-dak]

Weed + Academic dishonesty = very likely a game changer homie.

That's what I said if you go back and read my first post in this thread. My most recent post implied that weed alone would not have necessarily been a game changer.

 

[IlDestriero]

Making up references because you're too lazy to look them up sounds like academic dishonesty to me. It's so ridiculous it might hurt more than some old cheating scandal.


--
Il Destriero

 

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

I'm just shocked that a professor actually checked the references. Half the time I'm not even convinced they have read my paper.

 

[LizzyM]

I've been on the receiving end of a similar paper and here's how it looks... Assignment is to do an investigation (research) on a topic area and report the findings. Student writes some made-up baloney and slaps some references on the paper. (I had someone who actually plagiarized the list of references by lifting the first 12 off of a published paper on the same topic. The topic area was my area of expertise so I looked at one reference thinking, "who is being quoted here for that statement?" and the citation didn't match the topic of the sentence at all. That got me digging deeper and the whole thing unraveled.) It is clearly academic dishonesty to submit something that claims to be a research paper but is actually an opinion piece without evidence and then making it appear that you have evidence (citations) for the statements made in the paper.

If the purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that you have acquired the skills to do library research and manage a review of the literature then clearly writing any old thing and slapping some bogus citations at the end is not a response to the assignment. If someone hands in nothing, they deserve a zero. If they waste my time with a bogus manuscript, they deserve to be punished for dishonesty, IMO.

 

[JustAPhD]

So you have an IA already and applied this season?:

I have an IA for pot that I disclosed this application cycle. My stats: 3.77gpa, 3.74sgpa, 512 MCAT, applied to 22 schools... only got 3 secondaries. I'm sure my IA has to do with that.

Unless you're trolling us, which is very possible, it doesn't look good for you. 2 IAs is a lot to overcome when the vast majority of applicants are squeaky clean.

 

[enchantediris]

I feel like the point of giving references is that even if you "know the arguments of both sides", you have to have gotten those facts from somewhere, and the people who originally made those arguments should be credited for their ideas. I have a hard time believing that you could make a good and compelling argument on a controversial topic, with evidence, without thinking that you should check your statistics or back up your claims. What was the extent to the citations? These days in my classes, you are expected to have in text citations as well as a sources list at the end. Did you just make up references at the end, or did you also make up in text citations?

 

[Goro]

So mentioned above, OP has two IAs now. I suspect that there is a bad LOR somewhere in the mix as well. So, as I suspected, there was info that wasn't given to us. I understand OP was asking about the effects of the plagiarism IA, but this is a more complex story and a teaching moment.

OP now has a track record of flouting rules. My Adcom's response would be "with so many quality candidates who don't have these things on their records, why take a chance on this kid???" And onto the reject pile OP goes.

Having two children of my own, I have long since learned that there are always two sides to every story.

Not the OP, but I have an IA for pot that I disclosed this application cycle. My stats: 3.77gpa, 3.74sgpa, 512 MCAT, applied to 22 schools... only got 3 secondaries. I'm sure my IA has to do with that.

Thanks for the reply. I guess you can call it reference-shopping. The issue is that a couple of the references were about the topic but were a little off, in that they didn't include information that I said they included.