Are teachers and computers responsible for plagiarism?

Iria · Oct 20, 2006, 08:50 PM

Source: Ars Technica
_________
Plagiarism, always a problem, has exploded into an epidemic at universities as the Internet and article databases now make it simple to cut and paste; students increasingly grow up in a "Rip. Mix. Burn." culture that is used to slinging digital material across the world without giving too much thought to copyright. But is it really the students who are to blame? Baroness Deech, who heads the UK's student complaint agency, argues that teachers and technology share the responsibility.

TheBlackCat · Oct 22, 2006, 01:21 AM

Why is it always everyone elses' fault but the people who commit the act? These students cheated. At least in every university I know of students are told specifically what they can and cannot do. They are told specifically what sources are appropriate. And they go ahead and do it anyway, knowing full well that they are doing something unacceptable and knowing full well what the consequences will be if they are caught. I have no sympathy. The whole point of grades is to measure someone's progress. If they are cheating, then it is no longer a measure of their progress. Tests are meant to test. Research assignments are meant to require research. Experiments are meant to require experimentation. If you students are "poor writers", they should either learn to write better or go to a major where writing is not important. If students are "running behind" then they should be in an easier major or should get better time-management skills. If students are "simply lazy" then they should not be in a major that requires students to work. It is as simple as that. Students should not be excused because they are not willing or able to do what is necessary for the major they have voluntarily chosen to take.

I am all in favor of making students take notes. They are probably required to more often then they do, and just don't bother. Just because a powerpoint presentation is used does not mean the powerpoint is all the material that is necessary. I have seen complex issues boiled down to three bullets. That is because the professor discussed those bullets in great detail for 30 minutes each.

And of course students should be required to look offline. I have not taken a course that considered anything other than peer-reviewed journal articles and a few sites run by major scientific authorities to be reliable sources of information online. And the point was made that the students look at online sources despite being told not to, and then are punished for it. How is that wrong? How can you stop that other than by doing exactly what they did?

I find the very fact that this organization would defend as acceptable the sort of blatant cheating they listed as an example makes me question the reliability of its statements.

Oct 20, 2006, 08:50 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Are teachers and computers responsible for plagiarism? Source: Ars Technica _________ Plagiarism, always a problem, has exploded into an epidemic at universities as the Internet and article databases now make it simple to cut and paste; students increasingly grow up in a "Rip. Mix. Burn." culture that is used to slinging digital material across the world without giving too much thought to copyright. But is it really the students who are to blame? Baroness Deech, who heads the UK's student complaint agency, argues that teachers and technology share the responsibility.

Oct 22, 2006, 01:21 AM	#2
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	Why is it always everyone elses' fault but the people who commit the act? These students cheated. At least in every university I know of students are told specifically what they can and cannot do. They are told specifically what sources are appropriate. And they go ahead and do it anyway, knowing full well that they are doing something unacceptable and knowing full well what the consequences will be if they are caught. I have no sympathy. The whole point of grades is to measure someone's progress. If they are cheating, then it is no longer a measure of their progress. Tests are meant to test. Research assignments are meant to require research. Experiments are meant to require experimentation. If you students are "poor writers", they should either learn to write better or go to a major where writing is not important. If students are "running behind" then they should be in an easier major or should get better time-management skills. If students are "simply lazy" then they should not be in a major that requires students to work. It is as simple as that. Students should not be excused because they are not willing or able to do what is necessary for the major they have voluntarily chosen to take. I am all in favor of making students take notes. They are probably required to more often then they do, and just don't bother. Just because a powerpoint presentation is used does not mean the powerpoint is all the material that is necessary. I have seen complex issues boiled down to three bullets. That is because the professor discussed those bullets in great detail for 30 minutes each. And of course students should be required to look offline. I have not taken a course that considered anything other than peer-reviewed journal articles and a few sites run by major scientific authorities to be reliable sources of information online. And the point was made that the students look at online sources despite being told not to, and then are punished for it. How is that wrong? How can you stop that other than by doing exactly what they did? I find the very fact that this organization would defend as acceptable the sort of blatant cheating they listed as an example makes me question the reliability of its statements. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken