Plagarism - double standards (1 Viewer)

ArtOfLosing

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
69
Location
Canberra
Gender
Female
HSC
2006
This post is just a bit of a vent but....

In out last assessment task (Watson & Crick) there were a couple of cases of plagarism and, like the rules say, those people got zero. Before the assignment was due we'd all been told DONT PLAGARISE, Blah blah blah, plagarism...... we'll know if you do it...... grrrr. etc.

And so when I'm going through text books for info on our next assignment (Burnet), I discoveres the same set of questions that we'd just been given in the Hineman Prac manual. My outspoken anti-plagarism teacher had copied the questions for our whole assignment without acknowledging the source - is that not plagarism?

I'm not saying plagarism should be allowed I'm just venting about the double standards that teachers have.

And one of my faviourite lines from the tv show 3rd Rock from The Sun seems very appropriate right now:

"I'll have you know that every word in this book has been published before! Have you ever read the dictionary?!?" - Dick Solomon

well, that's it from me.....
ttfn
 

Dr_Doom

Active Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Messages
1,238
Location
NSW
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
lol good quote. But the teachers can get away with it. As they are the teachers. My teacher usually copies from excel or cambridge. Also the assignment you were assigned is probably a dot point for prac. And there would be no point for the teacher to rewrite it in their own words.
 

JuliaT

New Member
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
12
Gender
Female
HSC
2006
as a recommended text for the course, isn't it expected that the teacher will use it when teaching? it's like saying a teacher is plagerising the syllabus if they don't reference it. it's the course material - i don't think there's any need to reference the source.

i guess it could be annoying though.

but to what extent did the students plagarise? did they copy and paste whole paragraphs from websites or just used some of the wording? i always find, when it could to technical, factual reports for scientific courses that there is a fine line between stating the facts and plagarising.
 

valour

New Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
Messages
14
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
I guess it could be a problem if the teacher was attempting to pass off the questions as his/her original work and take the credit for it.
Or if it was so as to test their ability to set questions was being.

But if it was to test YOUR ability to research and DEMONSTRATE understanding of the work then what is the problem.

The easiest way to avoid plaigarism is to get the information you need from several sources and mesh it together, dumbing down the language to a level you are comfortable using everyday - use a dictionary or thesauras to do so.
Don't forget, in Uni you are simple expelled for it - and they now have programmes that can easily check a small phrase that has been copied from anywhere on the web.

Good luck
 
H

housemouse

Guest
The teacher is just testing you what you can do in the assessment task and he/she isnt benefiting in anyway.

Besides, teachers have double standards or do hypocritical things anyway.
Dont bring a mobile phone to class (my school doesnt allow mobile phones), he/she brings one anyway.
Dont use liquid paper, uses it anyway etc etc.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top