-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Plagiarism discussed in the NCTE Newsletter
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 18:23:20 -0600
From: Jo-Anne Andre <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
References: <[log in to unmask]>
<[log in to unmask]> <[log in to unmask]>
<[log in to unmask]> <[log in to unmask]>
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Hi Natasha,
I wouldn't object to sharing our correspondence.
I do think plagiarism is a fascinating subject, but sometimes our
discussions fail to reflect the complexities of particular cases. Much
of the discussions seem to suggest that if we as instructors do
everything right, plagiarism wouldn't be a problem. But that's not true.
This fall, I had a student in my academic writing class who plagiarised
despite the fact that the assignment was inquiry-based (and thus,
presumably meaningful to the student), the assignment was process-based
(with a preliminary proposal required before the final paper), and the
class included explict instruction not only on how to properly document
sources but on how sources form part of a larger academic conversation,
on how citations help to build ethos and arguments, and so forth.The
class is one that students tend to like, and I love teaching it. I'm
not sure what I could have or would have done differently. And in this
case, the student in question was in no danger of failing the class.
Given the context, I was very upset to encounter a case of plagiarism.
In my view, the case reflected a lack of academic integrity on the part
of the student. As you can tell, I'm still upset about it.
Gotta run,
Jo-Anne Andre
Natasha Artemeva wrote:
> Hi Jo-Anne,
>
> Indeed, and I think it's a mistake.
> What would you say if I posted our correspondence on the listserve?
>
> Natasha
>
> Jo-Anne Andre wrote:
>
>> Hi Natasha,
>>
>> I agree with your point entirely. However, it seems to me that
>> sometimes in our discussions on the CASLL list, the two kinds of
>> plagiarism (inadvertent plagiarism vs calculated cheating) get
>> conflated in our discussions.
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
>>
>> Natasha Artemeva wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Jo-Anne,
>>>
>>> I don't think academic integrity and plagiarism are one and the
>>> same. I think the case that Rob described causes a real concern, but
>>> as long as we as teachers direct students to writing about things
>>> that matter to them and facilitate their learning of academic
>>> genres, there is no big deal if they use a quote without a proper
>>> APA attribution. Just my personal opinion.
>>>
>>> Of course, when a student submits somebody else's work as her own or
>>> does what my students did (copies whole sections verbatim from the
>>> teacher's article), it's a different matter.
>>>
>>> Natasha
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne Andre wrote:
>>>
>>>> Just to be a devil's advocate, what if you had asked, "Why are we
>>>> so obsessed with academic integrity?"
>>>>
>>>> Jo-Anne Andre
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Natasha Artemeva wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I was reading a modern Russian novel the other day, and in the
>>>>> foreword the editor was saying that in this novel a reader would
>>>>> find hidden
>>>>> quotes from various famous Russian authors whose names were then
>>>>> listed. I am sure any of us can provide multiple examples
>>>>> of "borrowing" from other authors in literature, music, film, even
>>>>> in academic papers. Why are we so obsessed with student plagiarism?
>>>>>
>>>>> Natasha
>>>>
>>>>
>
>
>
--
Natasha Artemeva, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor
School of Linguistics and
Applied Language Studies
Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5B6
Tel.+1 (613) 520-2600 ext.7452
Fax +1 (613) 520-6641
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.carleton.ca/slals/faculty/artemeva.htm
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