Fifteen minutes on the Internet is usually all it takes to compile a good essay. But such a cut and paste mentality is actually cheating, and soon it will lead to a one-year suspension from the TU.
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There was time when Dr. Martin de Jong of Technology, Policy and Management used to turn on his Internet search-engine before beginning to correct his students’ essays. He could then quickly check if parts of an essay had been copied from the Internet. ,,I once had an average student, who usually got 5’s and 6’s, who suddenly wrote a brilliant essay. Strange, I thought, but then I discovered he’d gotten his essay from the Internet. Last year, in the course “Decision-making in an international context”, I caught five out of twenty-five students cheating this way via the Internet. I felt disappointed and screwed.”
At the end of 2001, Technology, Policy and Management started the campaign “copying is a cop-out”, which addressed such ignoble actions as looking at ones notes during exams, copying texts without citing sources, and parasitical behaviour during group projects. All students received an information leaflet, and posters with slogans like, ,,Be original. Think.”, hang in the faculty.
The campaign emphasises prevention and information, for students and instructors. But what exactly is the difference between citing, paraphrasing, and cheating? According to De Jong, students are often unsure of what is and isn’t allowed. ,,Most cases of plagiarism are unintentional. And with doubtful cases, you must proceed cautiously.”
This especially applies to students from countries, like those in Asia, where the relationship between teacher and student is rigidly hierarchical. De Jong: ,,These students aren’t used to criticizing their superiors and they have difficulties taking distance from the literature.”
Once the faculty is sure everyone has been informed about the rules concerning copying, action can be taken to stop it. The maximum penalty will be a one-year suspension. Other TU faculties have decided to copy Technology, Policy and Management’s campaign, but they will, of course, first cite their original source.
Fifteen minutes on the Internet is usually all it takes to compile a good essay. But such a cut and paste mentality is actually cheating, and soon it will lead to a one-year suspension from the TU.
There was time when Dr. Martin de Jong of Technology, Policy and Management used to turn on his Internet search-engine before beginning to correct his students’ essays. He could then quickly check if parts of an essay had been copied from the Internet. ,,I once had an average student, who usually got 5’s and 6’s, who suddenly wrote a brilliant essay. Strange, I thought, but then I discovered he’d gotten his essay from the Internet. Last year, in the course “Decision-making in an international context”, I caught five out of twenty-five students cheating this way via the Internet. I felt disappointed and screwed.”
At the end of 2001, Technology, Policy and Management started the campaign “copying is a cop-out”, which addressed such ignoble actions as looking at ones notes during exams, copying texts without citing sources, and parasitical behaviour during group projects. All students received an information leaflet, and posters with slogans like, ,,Be original. Think.”, hang in the faculty.
The campaign emphasises prevention and information, for students and instructors. But what exactly is the difference between citing, paraphrasing, and cheating? According to De Jong, students are often unsure of what is and isn’t allowed. ,,Most cases of plagiarism are unintentional. And with doubtful cases, you must proceed cautiously.”
This especially applies to students from countries, like those in Asia, where the relationship between teacher and student is rigidly hierarchical. De Jong: ,,These students aren’t used to criticizing their superiors and they have difficulties taking distance from the literature.”
Once the faculty is sure everyone has been informed about the rules concerning copying, action can be taken to stop it. The maximum penalty will be a one-year suspension. Other TU faculties have decided to copy Technology, Policy and Management’s campaign, but they will, of course, first cite their original source.
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