Janie thinks her actions do not constitute plagiarism or academic dishonesty, and that the sanction is too harsh, especially after she describes what she feels are extenuating circumstances. Is she right? Do you have any ideas about better ways for Janie to handle this problem in the future?
Response 1: The fact that Janie has trouble with English isn't justification for copying answers from another student's paper. The instructor didn't really have any choice in the matter -- the rules are very clear. The student got caught cheating so the "F" grade on the test is appropriate in this instance. Since Janie disagrees, she doesn't have to accept the sanction, she can appeal to the College academic integrity committee. Obviously Janie realized that she was having trouble with comprehension well before the exam. There are many resources available to students who are having trouble that Janie could have used in addition to asking the instructor for additional help.
Response 2: It's hard to admit you may be having difficulty with a class, but copying answers and risking an F is not a good solution. If you sense early in the semester that you are feeling lost, you may want to approach another student, talk with your instructor or go to the University Learning Centers and schedule extra tutoring. Oddly, this could become a good chance for you to meet other people at the university. This IS a clear case of cheating because Janie copied answers from another student. Unfortunately, "stress" is not usually considered an extenuating circumstance. Failure may be embarrassing, but not as embarrassing as failure because of academic dishonesty.
Response 3: Janie's actions clearly constitute deceitful behavior and academic dishonesty. The sanction is justified for her action. If Janie learns to use deceit to "get by" in challenging situations during her academic years, she will probably continue the behavior out in the workforce. I would not want her working for or with me. These sanctions are in place to reinforce important information. They should not be waived for challenging circumstances. She could have talked with the professor and asked for extra time to study for her test, or she could have asked more questions about what subject items were going to be on the test so she could better focus her studies. Communication between student and instructor throughout the duration of the course is important and it is incumbent on the student to be proactive about it.
This page opened in a new window, to return to the previous page, close this window.