Re: plagiarism

Duncan Chiu (dchiu@idt.net)
Thu, 12 Jun 1997 17:57:00 -0400


scot@flume.cs.dartmouth.edu wrote:
>
> Chuck Biehl wrote:
>
> > This isn't really a math thing but a potentially hot issue where I am.
> > Suppose a student does a research paper for a teacher and submits it.
> > Then suppose another teacher gives a similar assignment for which the
> > same research is appropriate. Say the student makes appropriate changes
> > to the paper and submits it to the second teacher WITH THAT TEACHER'S
> > FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE STUDENT HAS DONE AS WELL AS HIS/HER
> > PERMISSION TO DO SO. There is absolutely no intention to deceive anyone.
> >
> > Is this plagiarism?
>
> At Dartmouth it would not be called plagiarism. The section on the
> Academic Honor Principle defines three categories of violation:
> Examinations, Plagiarism, and "Use of the same work in more than one
> course." This third section states:
> _________________
>
> Submission of the same work in more than one course without the prior
> approval of all professors responsible for the courses violates the
> Academic Honor Principle.
>
> The intent of this rule is that a student should not receive academic
> credit more than once for the same work product without permission. The
> rule is not intended to regulate repeated use of an ideas or a body of
> learning developed by the student, but rather the identical formulation
> and presentation of that idea. Thus the same paper, computer program,
> research project or results, or other academic work product should not
> be submitted in more than one course (whether in identical or rewritten
> form) without first obtaining the permission of all professors responsible
> for the courses involved. Students with questions about the application
> of this rule in a specific case shoud seek faculty advice.
> __________________
>
> Thus at Dartmouth this
>
> 1) Would not be called plagiarism.
>
> 2) Would be allowed with permission of the teachers. A student here
> would be expected to get the permission of the FIRST teacher as well as
> the second.
>
> It sounds like you need to establish a clear guideline. In the absence
> of some statement like the one above and with the permission of the
> second teacher I would think that the student should not be faulted for
> academic dishonesty.
>
> Scot Drysdale

Chuck Biehl wrote:
>
> This isn't really a math thing but ...

Chuck,

This it Very Much a Math thing! and more.

If we agree on a grade range as follows:

A 9-page, 9-hour to 10-page, 10-hour
B 8-page, 8-hour to 9-page, 9-hour
c 7-page, 7-hour to 8-page, 8-hour
D 6-page, 6-hour to 7-page, 7-hour : :
: : :

an A in a course will be from 81 page-hour to 100 page-hour;
a B, 64 page-hour to 81 page-hour;
a C, 49 page-hour to 64 page-hour;
a D, 36 page-hour to 49 page-hour;
etc.

A student submits a paper to a second teacher for a second course
credit, the second teacher should expect from the student a range of
162 page-hour to 200 page-hour for an A;
128 page-hour to 162 page-hour for a B;
98 page-hour to 128 page-hour for a C;
etc.

Anything short of that constitutes intellectual dishonesty! The key word
is not plagiarism. It is Fairness! Fairness to the students in the
second course; fairness to the integrity of learning; fairness to the
division of disciplines ...

If a student gets a grade in social studies and turns in the paper to an
English class, the English teacher has every right to ask the student to
expand and modify that paper to the highest standard (s)he can demand.

Question: If a student turns in a well written paper on a mathematician
for a History class and later (within a marking period or a year?)
sumits it to a math teacher, should he/she accepts it so that the
student can pass the course, say, in Calculus?

The point I want to raise is: what are we rewarding a student by
accepting the paper for a second course credit? I couldn't help but
thinking of the lady who won the lawsuit from McDonald only because the
hot coffee she spilled on herself was from McDonald!

duncan