Course: English 112
From the faculty perspective:
Every student in Dr. Smith's English 101 class was required to turn in a 10-12 page paper on October 14th. The students were able to choose a topic but the paper had to present an argument with documented support. While reading the papers, Dr. Smith came across a paper that did not meet the criteria for the assignment. Towards the end of the paper there were some arguments presented, but the first half of the paper was simply a regurgitation of a book they were required to read in English 100. Dr. Smith was unsure what to think. The student did not fully meet the requirements of the assignment and the topic chosen seemed very odd. Dr. Smith used a search engine and found that most of the paper was taken word for word from five different web pages. The student simply pasted sections of each source together to form the paper she handed in. Dr. Smith had spent time in class discussing his expectations for academic honesty, and he provided the class with information as to what constituted plagiarism.
Dr. Smith e-mailed the student and requested a meeting to discuss it with her.
The student provided the following information:
Susan met with Dr. Smith and told him that she did not plagiarize the paper. Dr. Smith asked her repeatedly if she copied any portion of the paper from another source. She denied the accusation and became indignant that he would accuse her of cheating. Dr. Smith then produced all five sources and laid them out in front of her with the appropriate sections highlighted. Susan became very quiet, then started to cry. She told Dr. Smith that she thought she could use information from the Internet without citing it. She said she was very busy with her other classes and just did not have time to put into this paper. She did not think copying from the web was a problem.
Issues to Consider:
1. Approach: What is the best approach to discussing the situation with the student?
It is best not to make any announcements regarding individuals cheating in class. Students' judicial files are protected by federal law and it is important not to share any identifying information with the class (this includes sharing information with parents or anyone who calls on the student's behalf without a release of information signed by the student). It is best to contact the student after class, at home, or through e-mail. If you are interested in more information regarding how to conduct the meeting, please see "How to Confront."
2. Student Learning: What do we want students to learn from these incidents?
- Cheating is wrong regardless of the circumstances. They always have other alternatives.
- It is never ok to take someone's words and present them as your own, regardless of the source.
- Students are expected to do their own work. If they take work form any source without appropriate acknowledgment of that source is considered cheating. It is a university expectation that they know all university policies, including the academic integrity policies. Student's must take responsibility for their actions.
- Behavior does not define the person. Sometimes great people make poor choices. It is the behavior that needs to be confronted.
- When in a difficult situation, students should go to their instructor for advice.
- If they deserve an F in a class then they should accept the F. They can retake the class. If they cheat they lose self-respect as well as risk their opportunity to attend NC State. Students that feel pressure due to a heavy workload sometimes make these bad decisions.
3. Separating behavior from the person:
While the story provided by the student may assist in understanding her motivation, there is no circumstance in which cheating should be used as an alternative. Part of the lesson learned by students when they are confronted and sanctioned is that they must consider all their options prior to making a choice. People experience difficult and even desperate times in their lives. If they choose to take the easy way out then there will be consequences for everyone involved. Not reporting a violation for this reason sends the message that it is an acceptable alternative during a "crisis."
4. Bargaining: What do you do when the student pressures you to respond in a specific way?
Avoid bargaining. It is a common strategy for students to offer alternatives to the faculty member's initial response. While some students fully accept responsibility for their behavior and the appropriate consequences, others may not. At times students become extremely emotional and either intentionally or unintentionally manipulate the faculty member into believing the student should not be held accountable. If a student becomes very emotional or tries to bargain with you and you begin to question whether or not you should pursue the charge, we suggest that you stop the meeting and call the Office of Student Conduct for a consultation.
In this particular case, the student has become very emotional. It is very difficult for anyone to continue to hold a student accountable while they are crying or very upset. If necessary, stop the meeting and allow the student time to regain their composure. If necessary make a referral to the University's Counseling Center. You can always reschedule to handle the paperwork at another time. We should expect that some students will get very emotional when confronted with this behavior. This should not stop us from holding them accountable. As already mentioned, we should separate the behavior from the person. It is not fair to hold one student accountable but not another simply because he or she showed more emotion. This can be difficult for everyone involved.
Reporting the violation has two major benefits. The first is accountability. If this is not the first incident in which the student has cheated, then the records will show a pattern. Judicial files are confidential so if it is a one-time mistake, it will be kept in the Office of Student Conduct and is not usually noted on their transcript. The second benefit is that reporting the violation helps to protect the faculty member. As long as University procedures are utilized, faculty members are acting within the scope of thier job.
5. Processing Violations: What is next?
The next step is to fill out the paperwork. It can be located at Report of an Academic Integrity Violation (RAIV). When the student admits guilt by signing the RAIV, the faculty member determines the appropriate sanction. The form provides several alternatives as well as a place for the faculty to write in a sanction. An F on an assignment and an F for a class are common sanctions. Faculty members usually consider a number of elements when determining a sanction. They consider the extent to which the student cheated (copied one answer verses an entire paper), the weight of the assignment (5% verses 50%), the student's response to the situation, and other relevant information. The staff in the Office of Student Conduct can provide case precedent upon request.
In situations where the recommendation is an "F" in the class and the student chooses not to sign the paperwork or plans to appeal the sanction, he or she should be allowed to continue to attend class until the matter is settled. When a student does not sign the form, send the unsigned form and all the supporting material to the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at Box 7321 NCSU. The staff will contact the student to review the situation and possibly schedule a hearing. For more information regarding Academic Integrity Review Boards, call the Office of Student Conduct at 515-2963.
The student's file is kept confidential and the violation is only indicated on their transcript if they are suspended or expelled. The record is kept for five years from the date of resolution. If they have no prior violations and do not violate the academic integrity policies in the future, then the situation will likely end with the faculty's sanctions. Please see the Academic Integrity Procedures or Common Questions for Faculty for more information or contact the Office of Student Conduct at 515-2963.
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