Plagiarising Works

[TeeJay]

Just a short laugh but today I saw what must be the most fucked up idea yet at our liberal schools. An engineering student was given a fail based on the assertion his paper was plagiarized. Now here's the kicker which had me laughing all night at how idiotic our schools have become.

The school claims he plagiarized HIS OWN WORK. I kid you not. Because he essentially recycled a paper he wrote for a second class even though it was his own paper & work, the school considers that plagiarized as he did not disclose this fact before submitting it.

True story (and most of the brain dead lemmings in the class actually AGREE with the decision!)

 

[stinkynuts]

Nope, not plagiarism. Just efficient.

 

[explorerzip]

For quite some time students have been uploading papers to anti-plagiarism web-sites like Turnitin.com. I think similar services were just starting to come out when I was in school and they gave you a report about it's similarity to other written works. So the system actually gave you a change to make changes before submitting it. Did this student not think that his work be checked against a database?

 

[kherg007]

Most academic codes this is still considered plagiarism, as my memory of Uni days was that you can't submit same papers for 2 different classes. In fact I remember talking to an old prof about that when I was a student as he had it in his syllabus how it was not permitted. His argument was he was testing students on what they learned in his class and that paper was a reflection of a different class. He said if a student wanted to do it on a similar topic they need to give him a head's up and he'd work with them to insure it was unique enough to reflect stuff from his class.

 

[franci]

For quite some time students have been uploading papers to anti-plagiarism web-sites like Turnitin.com. I think similar services were just starting to come out when I was in school and they gave you a report about it's similarity to other written works. So the system actually gave you a change to make changes before submitting it. Did this student not think that his work be checked against a database?

Why would he check his work against his work?

 

[mrexcite]

This is still plagiarism, it's just not nearly as serious as stealing others work. The student would have known that as well (unless he was incredibly naive).
In the "real world" there are cases of this in the media business where people have got into serious trouble. One of the reasons why Rick Reilly from Sports Illustrated was forced to fade away was because he was caught recycling his own work.
Imagine how you'd feel as a customer if a tradesman came to your door and recycled parts to, say, repair your furnace, or dishwasher?

 

[Promo]

For quite some time students have been uploading papers to anti-plagiarism web-sites like Turnitin.com. I think similar services were just starting to come out when I was in school and they gave you a report about it's similarity to other written works. So the system actually gave you a change to make changes before submitting it. Did this student not think that his work be checked against a database?

Exactly. The Universities I went to made it clear via a written policy that recycling your previous papers would also be considered plagiarism unless an exception was pre-approved. Often it is indeed allowed if you build upon the original content to meet the requirements of the new paper and credit the original paper - I had this happen for several term papers and my final thesis.

Not sure why the OP thinks this is so ridiculous.

 

[HrCa]

Why would he check his work against his work?

He wouldn't - he knew he was submitting the same paper (more or less) a second time.

Weirdly, had he properly attributed the first paper in the second, the university probably wouldn't have been as fussed about the plagiarism. They probably still would have failed him because of what kherg007 said - can't submit the same thing for different classes.

Self-plagiarism is a big deal in the academic world. Outside of that, I would agree that it is efficient (I think we call it marketing).

 

[explorerzip]

Chris Spence from the TDSB resigned a few years ago for plagiarism. Shouldn't have gotten a payout IMO.

http://m.thestar.com/#/article/news..._resigns_amid_growing_plagiarism_scandal.html

 

[TeeJay]

Self-plagiarism is a big deal in the academic world. Outside of that, I would agree that it is efficient (I think we call it marketing).

And yet plagiarism is passing someone else's idea off as your own
Where did this bizarre notion you could self plagiarise ever come from?

 

[fuji]

Just a short laugh but today I saw what must be the most fucked up idea yet at our liberal schools. An engineering student was given a fail based on the assertion his paper was plagiarized. Now here's the kicker which had me laughing all night at how idiotic our schools have become.

The school claims he plagiarized HIS OWN WORK. I kid you not. Because he essentially recycled a paper he wrote for a second class even though it was his own paper & work, the school considers that plagiarized as he did not disclose this fact before submitting it.

True story (and most of the brain dead lemmings in the class actually AGREE with the decision!)

They expect original work in each class. He deserved the fail. Plagiarism is a funny word when it is your own work but the school will have a definition of it in their rules of conduct that students agree to, and it will prohibit using the same work twice.

 

[lomotil]

Just a short laugh but today I saw what must be the most fucked up idea yet at our liberal schools. An engineering student was given a fail based on the assertion his paper was plagiarized. Now here's the kicker which had me laughing all night at how idiotic our schools have become.

The school claims he plagiarized HIS OWN WORK. I kid you not. Because he essentially recycled a paper he wrote for a second class even though it was his own paper & work, the school considers that plagiarized as he did not disclose this fact before submitting it.

True story (and most of the brain dead lemmings in the class actually AGREE with the decision!)

He was asked to write a paper for that specific course and if he didn't do that just merely submitted a previous paper, then the self plagiarism should have resulted in a failure. He could have have modified and reformatted his previous work and made reference to it even to avoid giving his school any reason to penalize him. The school makes the rules and has the degree granted authority ultimately, and he should abide by this rules if he wishes to graduate.

 

[SoftHands813]

In higher education institutions, academic integrity is a very broad and exacting policy. Activities such as submitting the same work for more than one course (even if it's your own), or submitting material for which credit has already been earned, will still typically violate AI policy.

In the OP's example, it is possible the student violated AI policy, and not necessarily committed plagiarism.

You should be able to access any university's AI policy online.

 

[SkyRider]

Too bad this policy doesn't apply to law firms.

I've seen legal opinions in various prospectuses that are verbatim identical in all the prospectuses. In other words, the law firm is recycling the same opinion and charging a separate fee each time. Of course, the law firm will argue that they had to do a bit of extra work to ensure the opinion is still current and they face additional legal liability for each prospectus.

 

[Perry Mason]

Too bad this policy doesn't apply to law firms.

I've seen legal opinions in various prospectuses that are verbatim identical in all the prospectuses. In other words, the law firm is recycling the same opinion and charging a separate fee each time. Of course, the law firm will argue that they had to do a bit of extra work to ensure the opinion is still current and they face additional legal liability for each prospectus.

Big difference... apples and oranges... or bananas and cherries, if you prefer!

One is a creative effort to show understanding of a subject or earn some form of academic recognition or accreditation... the other is setting the terms, conditions and representations of a contract. If the offerings are the same or similar, would you not expect the same or similar terms, conditions or representations to apply?

Perry

 

[SkyRider]

the other is setting the terms, conditions and representations of a contract. If the offerings are the same or similar, would you not expect the same or similar terms, conditions or representations to apply

We're ok with that but why is the law firm charging a separate fee each time for the same opinion? Each subsequent opinion is an exact photocopy of the first.

 

[Perry Mason]

We're ok with that but why is the law firm charging a separate fee each time for the same opinion? Each subsequent opinion is an exact photocopy of the first.

How do you know they are?

How do you know the terms of the engagement/retainer of the law firm?

Why is it an "opinion" rather than offering representations and warranties to the public?

Most clients expect some degree of certainty from their lawyers... why should there be different language if "the old one works"?

Most buyers appreciate the same language because it means that it is easier to understand what it means and that the same terms apply so they don't have to go through it word by word?

Why should a law firm not use the exact same language if it applies? Is there virtue in saying the same thing in different words just to be different? Ever hear of boilerplate?

Are you expecting different language in the labels of each can of soup that you buy?

Perry

 

[basketcase]

Just a short laugh but today I saw what must be the most fucked up idea yet at our liberal schools. An engineering student was given a fail based on the assertion his paper was plagiarized. Now here's the kicker which had me laughing all night at how idiotic our schools have become.

The school claims he plagiarized HIS OWN WORK. I kid you not. Because he essentially recycled a paper he wrote for a second class even though it was his own paper & work, the school considers that plagiarized as he did not disclose this fact before submitting it.

True story (and most of the brain dead lemmings in the class actually AGREE with the decision!)

Nothing new. It happening to someone I knew decades ago.

Anything you submit to the University is University property. This even applies to patents. Without specific legal documents signed beforehand, the University owns the rights to any inventions you submit for coursework. Once he submitted the first paper it is no longer his to do with as he wants.

 

[SkyRider]

Why should a law firm not use the exact same language

Yes, it is exactly the same words verbatim and yet the law firm wants us to pay the full fee again. Anyway, my boss told them where to go and they reduced the fee for the second opinion to to a less exorbitant amount. Everybody happy.

 

[SashaRose]

Just a short laugh but today I saw what must be the most fucked up idea yet at our liberal schools. An engineering student was given a fail based on the assertion his paper was plagiarized. Now here's the kicker which had me laughing all night at how idiotic our schools have become.

The school claims he plagiarized HIS OWN WORK. I kid you not. Because he essentially recycled a paper he wrote for a second class even though it was his own paper & work, the school considers that plagiarized as he did not disclose this fact before submitting it.

True story (and most of the brain dead lemmings in the class actually AGREE with the decision!)

Plagiarism: The wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work.

Since it's his own work, if they want to punish the student for reusing his paper then they should punish him for something else. That is NOT plagiarism. The reasoning for their decision would not hold up in court.