How would you react if you caught someone cheating off you?

[lobo.solo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Honestly to avoid sounding unscrupulous, I think that there is something wrong when people are so caught up in trying to protect their asses that they stop realizing that life is a lot easier with collaboration.

Life is about collaboration.... think about it. Are you self-sufficient in every aspect??

 

[Aerus]

Gunner vibe? What IS that anyway?

Listen up SON. You should be listening in these situations to learn a thing or two....

If your at work and a coworker snatches an idea and mentions it in a meeting in front of your boss thus taking credit for your idea..... Do go to your boss and and explain that it was your idea? NO. You'd look like a complete tool. Do you go to your coworker and say "that really upset me today, how about in the future we collaborate over our ideas?" NO. You'd look like an even bigger tool.

You never, ever, mention any of your ideas in front of your coworker again AND, when the opportunity presents itself you plant a bad idea or one that you know you're boss wont like. There are just so many things you can do but you NEVER tattle to your boss. No one likes a snitch.

You should take a moment to reread my post, SON. 😉 It seems like you didn't get the gist of it at all.

I said:

This is a bit unnecessarily harsh and gives off a huge gunner vibe, but I'm not going to argue against its results.

I completely disagree with your point in not addressing your coworker nor your boss. You MUST deal with the situation like a PROFESSIONAL. Sure, you can teach them a lesson by intentionally sabotaging them, and again I don't disagree with the results it produces, but you would look like the BIGGEST TOOL if you did that.

 

[Tatiana3325]

Point well taken.



Seriously? It's silly to turn her in, but brilliant to spend boo-scads of time making a fake lab report to avoid confrontation? For all of the griping about horribly busy schedules, you guys sure do have a lot of time on your hands.

It doesn't take the long. The answers are wrong remember?

 

[Ashley1989]

Life is about collaboration.... think about it. Are you self-sufficient in every aspect??

But doesn't collaboration imply both people contribute? With cheating its someone who only takes without reciprocating and then they get the great grades with your work.

Unless you purposely give them wrong answers, but I'm not comfortable with that.. It just seems so malicious. 🙂

 

[hiyaman]

To the OP.

Don't let them see your paper again....

easy as pie.

 

[ccrone]

Chips fall where they may..... Jeopardizing academic career... Wha??

Tattling is never the answer (for most things). Do not do this. it's none of your beeswax.

You know what, if somebody steals my work and turns it in as his/her own, IT'S MY BUSINESS. Stealing is stealing is stealing, whether it's a wallet, a car, or my ideas and/or work product. Do you have any idea what happens to people and companies "in the real world" when they steal ideas/work and present them as their own?

Here's a hint: all big tech firms have huge in-house legal teams just waiting to do a shock and awe on anybody who steals their intellectual property.

Hey Ashley--

Remember the other day when you said that I'm the nicest person you've ever seen around here? I don't know that I'd go that far, but people stealing my ideas and work is something I simply cannot abide. About the only thing I find more offensive than someone stealing my work is somebody else claiming that I should get over it and sit idly by while they do it.

I just don't get it. Where on earth do people get off thinking they can cheat, break the rules, steal other people's ideas, and the poor souls on the receiving end of that kind of behavior need to sit around and take it?!

I'm sad to say that this kind of behavior is rampant in academia. It's definitely dog eat dog out there, and it doesn't get better (especially for research scientists).

 

[Tatiana3325]

You should take a moment to reread my post, SON. 😉

I said:



I completely disagree with your point in not addressing your coworker nor your boss. You MUST deal with the situation like a PROFESSIONAL. Sure, you can teach them a lesson by intentionally sabotaging them, and again I don't disagree with the results it produces, but you would look like the BIGGEST TOOL if you did that.

Good luck with that with that! 🙂

I'll spare you the loss of innocence.

 

[ImmunoPharmD]

Hi everyone,
The reason why I ask is because today in one of my biology labs my partner asked to see my lab report to compare some data. After I handed her the report the TA started to explain the procedure and so I turned my attention away from my partner. Throughout the lab I noticed that my partner kept looking at her phone and when I saw what she was looking at I noticed that she had taken a picture of my lab report and was copying it! I was in such a huge shock I didn't know what to do or how to respond so I just started the procedure and didn't say much the rest of the lab, an my partner turned in "her" report at the end of class. Our TA is really relaxed so he was ok with her turning it in at the end of class.


Solution: Get all 100s on your lab reports, then on your last report, purposefully write stupid things like "mitochondria exists only in the liver to export capsase to the thyroidgurd.." and she'll instantly fail that report! That'll teach her.

In all honesty, though, cheaters will always lose in life.
I want to know what to do next time in case this happens again. I'm not handing over my reports anymore, but if a variation of this happens again what do I do?

,

 

[lobo.solo]

But doesn't collaboration imply both people contribute? With cheating its someone who only takes without reciprocating and then they get the great grades with your work.

Unless you purposely give them wrong answers, but I'm not comfortable with that.. It just seems so malicious. 🙂

Agree, collaboration imply both people. What I said was that sometimes people need a hand and is ok to help when you can. Now, if it becomes a pattern that is the problem and is no longer a collaborative relationship, but more of a person taking advantage of your work....

 

[ImmunoPharmD]

Solution: Get all 100s on your lab reports, then on your last report, purposefully write stupid things like "mitochondria exists only in the liver to export capsase to the thyroidgurd.." and she'll instantly fail that report! That'll teach her.

In all honesty, though, cheaters will always lose in life.

 

[Aerus]

Good luck with that! 🙂

(get 13 year old.....now I know why parents with teenagers lose their minds. Friggin know-it-alls with no life experience to reinforce anything.).........,

Many many many have been in the shoes of those who cheat off of another. I have been in those shoes and have dealt with the situation in a professional manner. I told the person who kept cheating off of me to stop, as I didn't appreciate my hard work being ripped off of. My main reason for this was that I didn't want to be accused of cheating because our answers matched. They understood [although reluctantly], and everything was left that way. I have no idea if he went to find another person to cheat off of, but it wasn't my problem any longer.

Accusing someone of acting like a 13 year old is a big thing. Especially when you treat this situation like a 13 year old.

There are just so many things you can do but you NEVER tattle to your boss. No one likes a snitch.

 

[235788]

Solution: Get all 100s on your lab reports, then on your last report, purposefully write stupid things like "mitochondria exists only in the liver to export capsase to the thyroidgurd.." and she'll instantly fail that report! That'll teach her.

In all honesty, though, cheaters will always lose in life.

.... its hard to really believe that when they are pumping out high grades (due to things like that testbank thread), and unfortunately medical schools can't really judge character except by your legal record (honestly, anyone can BS a interview and fake compassion/honesty; lie about really anything except grades and legal record...). Too bad they don't hook people up to lie detectors (but even then, people would cheat with something like xanax)

 

[Tatiana3325]

You know what, if somebody steals my work and turns it in as his/her own, IT'S MY BUSINESS. Stealing is stealing is stealing, whether it's a wallet, a car, or my ideas and/or work product. Do you have any idea what happens to people and companies "in the real world" when they steal ideas/work and present them as their own?

Here's a hint: all big tech firms have huge in-house legal teams just waiting to do a shock and awe on anybody who steals their intellectual property.

Hey Ashley--

Remember the other day when you said that I'm the nicest person you've ever seen around here? I don't know that I'd go that far, but people stealing my ideas and work is something I simply cannot abide. About the only thing I find more offensive than someone stealing my work is somebody else claiming that I should get over it and sit idly by while they do it.

I just don't get it. Where on earth do people get off thinking they can cheat, break the rules, steal other people's ideas, and the poor souls on the receiving end of that kind of behavior need to sit around and take it?!

I'm sad to say that this kind of behavior is rampant in academia. It's definitely dog eat dog out there, and it doesn't get better (especially for research scientists).

Yeah it's your business because you let them. And I hate to break it to you but it's impossible to prove that you didn't steal the other persons work.

Not to mention you're the only one who would care unless someone stole a 20 pg paper of yours or something and even then I'm not sure I'd go to war over that.

Lawyers??!! do you have any idea what lawyers do? They strategize within the parameters of the law. In other words, no one gives a damn if someone copied your lab because no one can prove it therefore it didn't happen.

 

[Ashley1989]

Agree, collaboration imply both people. What I said was that sometimes people need a hand and is ok to help when you can. Now, if it becomes a pattern that is the problem and is no longer a collaborative relationship, but more of a person taking advantage of your work....

I see what you're saying. Im all for working together and helping my peers but this felt so wrong, especially since she obviously thought she pulled the wool over my eyes by taking a picture.

 

[Aerus]

I see what you're saying. Im all for working together and helping my peers but this felt so wrong, especially since she obviously thought she pulled the wool over my eyes by taking a picture.

No, don't feel bad. Your friend merely asked to match data. This is mere confirmation (which assumes they already did their share of work) and that is fine. Your lab partner took it too far when they pulled out the phone and tried to copy all of your hard work.

 

[Ashley1989]

You know what, if somebody steals my work and turns it in as his/her own, IT'S MY BUSINESS. Stealing is stealing is stealing, whether it's a wallet, a car, or my ideas and/or work product. Do you have any idea what happens to people and companies "in the real world" when they steal ideas/work and present them as their own?

Here's a hint: all big tech firms have huge in-house legal teams just waiting to do a shock and awe on anybody who steals their intellectual property.

Hey Ashley--

Remember the other day when you said that I'm the nicest person you've ever seen around here? I don't know that I'd go that far, but people stealing my ideas and work is something I simply cannot abide. About the only thing I find more offensive than someone stealing my work is somebody else claiming that I should get over it and sit idly by while they do it.

I just don't get it. Where on earth do people get off thinking they can cheat, break the rules, steal other people's ideas, and the poor souls on the receiving end of that kind of behavior need to sit around and take it?!

I'm sad to say that this kind of behavior is rampant in academia. It's definitely dog eat dog out there, and it doesn't get better (especially for research scientists).

+1
And I'm surprised research scientists have this problem as well I thought they had a high standard.. Then again I saw this 60 minutes thing on a guy who falsified cancer research information (?) and several people died as a result. I don't remember any specifics because it was awhile ago but I just kept thinking "wow, if only your mama could find out what a liar her son is." idk why but there's something about my mom that makes me never, ever want to lie/cheat/steal etc.

 

[Tatiana3325]

It does jeopardize OP's academic career. If two papers are found to be the same wording and such, then one of them has cheated and the other has let them cheat. Neither case is acceptable, with the latter being in a tiny bit better situation.

You do not want to be caught letting someone cheat off of you, though.

EXACTLY. This is why you don't rat someone out but instead supply false answers to cover your own a** and teach a lesson.

Sigh.

 

[Ashley1989]

No, don't feel bad. Your friend merely asked to match data. This is mere confirmation (which assumes they already did their share of work) and that is fine. Your lab partner took it too far when they pulled out the phone and tried to copy all of your hard work.

Exactly!! Thank you, Aerus. I feel like that's what I've been trying to say when i couldn't quite figure out why I was so mad about it. Yes, this is what I'm feeling. I thought she had her work done and she made me believe she had and then she essentially lied to me on top of taking my work.

 

[Thego2guy]

Because I'm a guy, I wouldn't give a damn. I notice women are too touchy about "cheating."

Lmao!!!

Agreed 👍

 

[ccrone]

I see what you're saying. Im all for working together and helping my peers but this felt so wrong, especially since she obviously thought she pulled the wool over my eyes by taking a picture.

I'd like to revise my advice, re: what I would do.

I'd email the TA, and copy the professor AND THAT CHEATING BITCH . That'll learn her. 😎

I'd love the opportunity to hear a sociologist's perspective on how our society developed the backwards notion that it's okay to steal someone's work (so long as it's fewer than 20 pages, or something 🙄), but not okay to send a clear, unmistakeable message that violating that boundary is completely unacceptable.

Personal war story: a pilot project I did on childhood obesity got a lot of attention last year, and I decided to go through the IRB process to get approval to gather data for a formal study. Another professor blatantly ripped off my protocol and tacked it onto a grant application he had in the pipeline. When I found out, the professor who was guiding me through the process made sure that what this guy was doing came to light. I don't know all of the ins-and-outs of what happened to him, but I do know that he is no longer allowed to be the PI on anything going through my university's IRB, and he has been disbarred from the NIH (he can't get funding from NIH in the future).

The point is, even if people on SDN don't feel like stealing work/ideas/intellectual property is wrong, the professional community takes a pretty dim view of that kind of behavior. This idea that it's unprofessional to protect your work and insist that others not present your ideas as their own couldn't be more misguided.

And I say that as someone firmly rooted in the "real world."

 

[Tatiana3325]

Honestly to avoid sounding unscrupulous, I think that there is something wrong when people are so caught up in trying to protect their asses that they stop realizing that life is a lot easier with collaboration.

Mmmmmm right.

 

[ccrone]

EXACTLY. This is why you don't rat someone out but instead supply false answers to cover your own a** and teach a lesson.

Sigh.

I think the point is that the TA could catch the blatant plagiarism and fault the OP where she did nothing wrong. She can minimize the possibility of that happening by being proactive and bringing the TA's attention to it on her own terms. Whether it's riskier for the OP to proactively address it, or risk being accused of plagiarism later, is largely a matter of personal opinion.

At any rate, choosing to be proactive does not make one a rat, or any other such nonsense.

 

[sotto voce]

I guess I missed the part where she was just double-checking her answers? If so, that's not a big deal.

Still, though, the bottom line is if two people turn in similar lab reports, you will both get failed out of the class and perhaps get kicked out of your university. So be proactive and report this to the professor. Let him/her decide if cheating is a big deal - it's not your job.

 

[Aerus]

EXACTLY. This is why you don't rat someone out but instead supply false answers to cover your own a** and teach a lesson.

Sigh.

If you're taking initiative to do something about it, you won't have to resort to teaching them a lesson. It's much better if we handle everything in the most professional way possible.

You CAN screw the cheater over by supplying wrong answers, but it's better to tell them that you don't want them to copy your hard work only to risk both of you guys getting into trouble.

 

[Tatiana3325]

I'd like to revise my advice, re: what I would do.

I'd email the TA, and copy the professor AND THAT CHEATING BITCH . That'll learn her. 😎

I'd love the opportunity to hear a sociologist's perspective on how our society developed the backwards notion that it's okay to steal someone's work (so long as it's fewer than 20 pages, or something 🙄), but not okay to send a clear, unmistakeable message that violating that boundary is completely unacceptable.

Personal war story: a pilot project I did on childhood obesity got a lot of attention last year, and I decided to go through the IRB process to get approval to gather data for a formal study. Another professor blatantly ripped off my protocol and tacked it onto a grant application he had in the pipeline. When I found out, the professor who was guiding me through the process made sure that what this guy was doing came to light. I don't know all of the ins-and-outs of what happened to him, but I do know that he is no longer allowed to be the PI on anything going through my university's IRB, and he has been disbarred from the NIH (he can't get funding from NIH in the future).

The point is, even if people on SDN don't feel like stealing work/ideas/intellectual property is wrong, the professional community takes a pretty dim view of that kind of behavior. This idea that it's unprofessional to protect your work and insist that others not present your ideas as their own couldn't be more misguided.

And I say that as someone firmly rooted in the "real world."

No that would not be effective. It's obnoxious and makes you look like you can't handle situations on your own.

And I don't believe one word you're saying about some nameless man facing severe consequences for taking an idea that he could have easily thought of. I mean come on.

For the record never discuss something like that because someone will and should go ahead with the idea before you do. It's not stealing. It's called being faster out of the gate.

 

[sotto voce]

I think the point is that the TA could catch the blatant plagiarism and fault the OP where she did nothing wrong. She can minimize the possibility of that happening by being proactive and bringing the TA's attention to it on her own terms. Whether it's riskier for the OP to proactively address it, or risk being accused of plagiarism later, is largely a matter of personal opinion.

At any rate, choosing to be proactive does not make one a rat, or any other such nonsense.

I agree, and there's really no risk if you just give the TA a heads up. Just mention this incident to the TA and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Ashley1989]

I guess I missed the part where she was just double-checking her answers? If so, that's not a big deal.

Still, though, the bottom line is if two people turn in similar lab reports, you will both get failed out of the class and perhaps get kicked out of your university. So be proactive and report this to the professor. Let him/her decide if cheating is a big deal - it's not your job.

No she copied my whole intro, discussion and conclusion, she told me she was just going to check her data

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You're allowed to have stuff on your desk during exams? I prefer to go through the test and mark the wrong answers (then other people mark the wrong answers, too) but also write, in very small font, the right answers. Then right before I turn in the test, I go back and change all the answers.

Also, I have noticed that the cheaters aren't usually pre-meds. E.g. in physics the ones cheating were generally the construction science and food science majors, not pre-meds, pre-dents, or pre-vets. That's just been my experence.

Oh, and I saw one of my friends cheating during an O-Chem test and I will never trust him again. I don't want to be anywhere around him, go to the same medical school as him, or practice medicine one day with him, ever.

You've got to be f'ing kidding me man. He cheated on an exam, he didn't shot someone Jesus.

 

[ccrone]

No that would not be effective. It's obnoxious and makes you look like you can't handle situations on your own.

And I don't believe one word you're saying about some nameless man facing severe consequences for taking an idea that he could have easily thought of. I mean come on.

For the record never discuss something like that because someone will and should go ahead with the idea before you do. It's not stealing. It's called being faster out of the gate.

Yeah, sorry, it's kind of hard to keep something a secret when you get interviewed by Good Morning America and Bill Clinton goes on television to praise your work. 🙄

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

But doesn't collaboration imply both people contribute? With cheating its someone who only takes without reciprocating and then they get the great grades with your work.

Unless you purposely give them wrong answers, but I'm not comfortable with that.. It just seems so malicious. 🙂

Like I said, she owes you. She's not going to not let you see her paper if you need to check an answer or something. Foster a relationship of collaboration and working together honesty.

 

[Tatiana3325]

If you're taking initiative to do something about it, you won't have to resort to teaching them a lesson. It's much better if we handle everything in the most professional way possible.

You CAN screw the cheater over by supplying wrong answers, but it's better to tell them that you don't want them to copy your hard work only to risk both of you guys getting into trouble.

You seriously don't get that it paradoxically makes you look bad, not the cheater, when you "lodge a complaint".

What then ends up happening is that people don't like you. Perhaps your professor is now pissed at you because he now has more stuff to do.

You'll learn.

 

[235788]

You seriously don't get that it paradoxically makes you look bad, not the cheater, when you "lodge a complaint".

What then ends up happening is that people don't like you. Perhaps your professor is now pissed at you because he now has more stuff to do.

You'll learn.

This is true... Tons of paperwork and meetings (same reason cops will sometimes let you off with a warning, or let you carry on after blatantly committed a moving violation in front of them)

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

No she copied my whole intro, discussion and conclusion, she told me she was just going to check her data

Oh, this seems like a little bit more annoying problem then. I thought this was something like copying or fudging a little bit of data. Did she really just copy entire paragraphs word for word without any question? Ok, that's a bit more of a malignant motion on her part...

 

[Tatiana3325]

I think the point is that the TA could catch the blatant plagiarism and fault the OP where she did nothing wrong. She can minimize the possibility of that happening by being proactive and bringing the TA's attention to it on her own terms. Whether it's riskier for the OP to proactively address it, or risk being accused of plagiarism later, is largely a matter of personal opinion.

At any rate, choosing to be proactive does not make one a rat, or any other such nonsense.

It's a lab report. The answers are all the same.

Seriously going to the prof is embarrassingly elementary. I don't know another way to say it. They will respect you and like you more if you give them less to do.

 

[Aerus]

You seriously don't get that it paradoxically makes you look bad, not the cheater, when you "lodge a complaint".

What then ends up happening is that people don't like you. Perhaps your professor is now pissed at you because he now has more stuff to do.

You'll learn.

Tsk tsk, learn to read, my friend. You're rushing through posts now.

The main priority one should do in this problem is to address the CHEATER, not the professor YET. There is no need to make a huge issue out of this if you can explain your reasoning to the cheater, how you worked so hard on it for so long and how risky it is to blatantly copy off your work.

I've done this before and it's worked like a charm. Maybe you'll learn someday...🙄

It's a lab report. The answers are all the same.

There is more to lab than just the numbers.

 

[ccrone]

This is true... Tons of paperwork and meetings (same reason cops will sometimes let you off with a warning, or let you carry on after blatantly committed a moving violation in front of them)

Yes, it's true that this is a possibility. Each situation is different, and each person has a different threshold for what they will tolerate before leveling a formal accusation.

In the instant case, we have a situation where someone blatantly stole the OP's work and submitted it as her own. The majority of universities take a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism. There's a significant risk that the OP will get tangled up in academic dishonesty allegations whether she lodges a complaint or not. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Ashley1989]

Oh, this seems like a little bit more annoying problem then. I thought this was something like copying or fudging a little bit of data. Did she really just copy entire paragraphs word for word without any question? Ok, that's a bit more of a malignant motion on her part...

I'm not sure but she had pictures of my report on her phone, the thing is that her and I never even talk she's always talking about stupid stuff with her friends while I do the experiment. I'm so glad this quarter is pretty much over

 

[sotto voce]

You've got to be f'ing kidding me man. He cheated on an exam, he didn't shot someone Jesus.

I take honesty and integrity seriously. That's just me. If he cheated in O-Chem, why not in medical school, too? Why not in residency and during his career? Once a cheater, always a cheater. I went from trusting him totally to not trusting him at all, and I never will again.

 

[sotto voce]

No she copied my whole intro, discussion and conclusion, she told me she was just going to check her data

Even worse. Send the TA an email right now and explain the incident and ask to meet with her tomorrow or asap.

 

[ccrone]

I'm not sure but she had pictures of my report on her phone, the thing is that her and I never even talk she's always talking about stupid stuff with her friends while I do the experiment. I'm so glad this quarter is pretty much over

Hi Ashley,

I don't think I mentioned how sorry I am that you got sucked into this situation. I'm so, so sorry--not only that the person abused your trust, but that she opened a huge can of worms for you by doing it. Your time is precious, and I'm sad that you have to waste it going through the back and forth over what to do about it.

All of this is to say: mean people suck. Hang in there! I know you're glad the class is winding down.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I take honesty and integrity seriously. That's just me. If he cheated in O-Chem, why not in medical school, too? Why not in residency and during his career? Once a cheater, always a cheater. I went from trusting him totally to not trusting him at all, and I never will again.

I'd explain why this logic that the educational system has tried indoctrinating us with since K is bull, but I'd rather not. Lets just agree that you've been drinking the moral kool-aid and not thinking for yourself, because thinking for yourself is bad right?

Anyway, life is unfair and people will take alternative paths and occasionally end up in a better place than you. But that's ok, because they aren't you and thus not your problem.

 

[Tatiana3325]

.

 

[sotto voce]

I'd explain why this logic that the educational system has tried indoctrinating us with since K is bull, but I'd rather not. Lets just agree that you've been drinking the moral kool-aid and not thinking for yourself, because thinking for yourself is bad right?

Anyway, life is unfair and people will take alternative paths and occasionally end up in a better place than you. But that's ok, because they aren't you and thus not your problem.

Well let's not confuse two distinct issues. Cheating is wrong and should be punished. That's the first issue. If you witnessed a total stranger murder another total stranger, wouldn't you report it, even though it really doesn't affect you?

The second issue is the effect on the "OP." She potentially could be expelled from this university and forever blacklisted by all other universities and even medical schools if she does not report this incident. Her whole life could be ruined. To talk about just letting it go is nonsense. As I've said, OP should discreetly report this to the TA.

No she won't. The point is that you care about it more than the faculty would. Its a lab report. With all due respect to OP i seriously doubt she said anything earth shattering or brilliant in a lab report. The academic honesty rules are like a "swim at your own risk" sign or "caution wet floor". They HAVE to say not to cheat so that they can't be accused of condoning cheating.

OP you need to command some respect by being a passive aggressive backstabber. She never would've cheated off of you in that way otherwise.

There are degrees of cheating. I had a 3 hour quantum III exam this morning and the second the prof stepped out for a second phones were on deck looking stuff up. Is that unethical? No. Because you have to know what you need to look up in the first place. It's just the way it IS. And the professor doesn't care. It's not that big of a deal. He'd care if some Butters brought it to his attention in front if the whole class bc then he'd be in the position of having to break the "rules" himself or administer a new exam. In which case Id be the first one to throw a girly punch out back after class.

Again, just tell the TA during office hours about the incident. If what you say is accurate, and in fact the TA "doesn't care," then reporting this sinister act won't matter, right? "It's not that big of a deal" apparently.

 

[Aerus]

No she won't. The point is that you care about it more than the faculty would. Its a lab report. With all due respect to OP i seriously doubt she said anything earth shattering or brilliant in a lab report. The academic honesty rules are like a "swim at your own risk" sign or "caution wet floor". They HAVE to say not to cheat so that they can't be accused of condoning cheating.

OP you need to command some respect by being a passive aggressive backstabber. She never would've cheated off of you in that way otherwise.

There are degrees of cheating. I had a 3 hour quantum III exam this morning and the second the prof stepped out for a second phones were on deck looking stuff up. Is that unethical? No. Because you have to know what you need to look up in the first place. It's just the way it IS. And the professor doesn't care. It's not that big of a deal. He'd care if some Butters brought it to his attention in front if the whole class bc then he'd be in the position of having to break the "rules" himself or administer a new exam. In which case Id be the first one to throw a girly punch out back after class.

No, there are people that DO care if someone cheats. Yes, taking out cell phones to look up stuff during a test IS cheating. As said before, many schools have a zero cheating tolerance policy.

The reality is that you probably have had a professor or two let other people get away from cheating and now you're venting your frustrating experiences here.

If someone's cheating affects you, then you must handle it professionally. If someone cheats and it has nothing to do with you, then I'll sort of agree that alerting a professor may or may not be too much.

 

[ccrone]

No she won't. The point is that you care about it more than the faculty would. Its a lab report. With all due respect to OP i seriously doubt she said anything earth shattering or brilliant in a lab report. The academic honesty rules are like a "swim at your own risk" sign or "caution wet floor". They HAVE to say not to cheat so that they can't be accused of condoning cheating.

😕

You know, I don't claim to be a mind reader, or know why people make the rules they make. But I feel completely confident in my assertion that that's not why plagiarism, cheating, and academic dishonesty are prohibited.

At least, not at any institution of higher learning that places any value on the degrees they confer. Every. Single. Class. I have taken has included a deathly serious discussion of cheating and the consequences. It's in the syllabus. It's talked about on the first day. We're reminded before/during exams, and as papers and projects come due. Every year begins with a department meeting where the chair explains that people cheat all the time, they get caught, and they get unceremoniously cashiered into a failing grade. And yes, professors at my school have informed students more than once that they will receive a failing grade on any plagiarized assignment (including a simple lab report).

Where do you go to school? Ivy League? University of Phoenix?

 

[Stumpyman]

Should have confronted her (in a cool manner) about it. She was boastful enough to copy your work on her phone, making sure you didn't know what she was doing, so you should be somewhat more upset and speak to her.


Or, of course, "karma will get her, and hopefully she'll get punched in the boob one day." - Neurosis

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Even worse. Send the TA an email right now and explain the incident and ask to meet with her tomorrow or asap.

I'll agree to this point, if the pages are the samething and you have the potential here to be damaged.

 

[sotto voce]

😕

You know, I don't claim to be a mind reader, or know why people make the rules they make. But I feel completely confident in my assertion that that's not why plagiarism, cheating, and academic dishonesty are prohibited.

At least, not at any institution of higher learning that places any value on the degrees they confer. Every. Single. Class. I have taken has included a deathly serious discussion of cheating and the consequences. It's in the syllabus. It's talked about on the first day. We're reminded before/during exams, and as papers and projects come due. Every year begins with a department meeting where the chair explains that people cheat all the time, they get caught, and they get unceremoniously cashiered into a failing grade. And yes, professors at my school have informed students more than once that they will receive a failing grade on any plagiarized assignment (including a simple lab report).

Where do you go to school? Ivy League? University of Phoenix?

Oh, you wish it was something as good as an 'F' on your transcript! You will get an 'XF' for academic dishonesty, and that will stick with you forever. Good luck getting into medical school; there are plenty of applicants who haven't displayed such a profound lack of character and a total disregard for the cornerstones of civilization.

 

[sotto voce]

I'll agree to this point, if the pages are the samething and you have the potential here to be damaged.

Thanks. 🙂 The point isn't really about punishing the cheater (that will happen if the TA deems it necessary), but it's about you yourself not being accused of cheating.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Well let's not confuse two distinct issues. Cheating is wrong and should be punished. That's the first issue. If you witnessed a total stranger murder another total stranger, wouldn't you report it, even though it really doesn't affect you?


This is a false analogy. You cannot compare cheating to murder. Furthermore who is it to say that it is wrong? Our culture? Your god? The reality is that cheating is a collective of certain behaviors we may truly in an almost arbitrary sense demonize


The second issue is the effect on the "OP." She potentially could be expelled from this university and forever blacklisted by all other universities and even medical schools if she does not report this incident. Her whole life could be ruined. To talk about just letting it go is nonsense. As I've said, OP should discreetly report this to the TA.

If it is as a severe case as it seems then yes she should block her ass. However if it were a case of simply checking answer or even copying answers then no. There's almost no threat to her.


Again, just tell the TA during office hours about the incident. If what you say is accurate, and in fact the TA "doesn't care," then reporting this sinister act won't matter, right? "It's not that big of a deal" apparently.

Why do I get the impression you spend your Sundays in the fetal position?