Just so you know – professors know when you plagiarize
November 12, 2009 by MIMI ENSLEY
Filed under News
Mary Anne O’Neal can spot plagiarism pretty quickly.
O’Neal, a first-year composition instructor in the English department, said she can usually tell when her students submit work that isn’t their own, especially as the semester progresses and she learns to recognize the students’ personal writing styles.
“It’s always really easy for me to spot it,” O’Neal said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It’s always surprising that they think they’re going to get away with it.”
She said she addresses plagiarism early in the semester, and her students go through an online tutorial about the issue.
“I always start with a very stern warning to them,” she said.
Kristin Foxworth, a junior from Ellaville, said she’s had some professors who were adamant about making students follow the University’s guidelines on plagiarism.
“One professor really got down to business and said that he would do everything he could to get you kicked out of school if you did that,” Foxworth said. “So, they take it pretty seriously.”
But not all professors are so straightforward.
Elena Bianchelli, a lecturer in the classics department, said she puts the academic honesty policy in her syllabus but doesn’t discuss it with her classes.
“I think it’s something that is discussed before they come here,” Bianchelli said. “By the time they get to college they have already prepared enough papers to know what [plagiarism] is.”
In case they don’t figure it out in high school, the University makes sure students understand plagiarism and the other aspects of the University’s honor code by providing information sessions during orientation.
Members of the University’s Student Academic Honesty Council are also available to discuss academic honesty throughout the school year.
“I think [the sessions] are to help clarify the specifics of the policy and bring it more into the forefront of students’ minds,” said Eva Jordan, a member of the council. “It reminds them that being at UGA means being honest, having that sense of responsibility and caring that the degree that you earn means something.”
But some students aren’t getting the message.
At the University Council meeting last week, the Educational Affairs Committee presented its annual report on academic honesty. For the 2008-2009 academic year, the University heard 141 cases of plagiarism.
The Office of the Vice President for Instruction handles academic honesty cases for the University.
“We want professors to report to us instead of meeting with a student first,” said Debbie Bell, the coordinator for student academic honesty. “That protects a student’s due process rights.”
The process of dealing with honor code violations begins with a facilitated discussion between the student and faculty member involved.
They work together to determine whether or not a violation has occurred and what an appropriate punishment would be.
“The faculty member has the opportunity to spend some time – some individual time – to explain what’s expected,” Bell said.
She described these sessions as educational experiences, serving to help students better understand the school’s policies.
If the faculty member and student can’t reach an agreement, a panel reviews the issue and decides the outcome of the case.
But Jordan said students could avoid this lengthy process by simply realizing they’re actions have consequences.
“Teachers know [when you plagiarize]. They know and they will report you,” she said. “It’s better to get a low grade on an assignment than to get a zero or possibly fail the class.”
