Ok so here’s my situation. I turned in an analysis paper last week and my teacher told me to come to his office hours to talk to him about it. I get there and he read tells me my paper was plagiarized from the Amazon book description and that he has reported it to his undergraduate director, and whatever happens from there happens. However, I admitted to copying and pasting the description, and altering slightly (dumbing down words, taking some things out, etc.) to correspond with the chapter we had read, but that was not what I had intended to turn in, I used this is a reference summary for the argument while writing the actual analysis. I had never intended for it to be turned in, and it was stupidity and my rushing to another class that I turned in the wrong assignment. I had no reason to think I turned in the wrong thing, I just grabbed the wrong papers out of my folder or something when I handed in my paper (they were both one page in length). I explained the circumstances of why this mistake even happened to my professor and after I met with him I sent him a copy of the paper I had intended to turn in, with a screenshot of when it was last edited on my computer to prove this, and expressed that I hoped that my work in the remainder of the course would prove that Im not the kind of student to cheat.
I’m now at the mercy of the undergraduate director and Im fearful that Im going to receive an XF on my transcript. Im wondering if I were to withdraw from the course if that will prevent this, I do need it to graduate and would take it next semester. I would even be willing to have just a plain F on my transcript rather than this. I’m just really concerned because it wasn’t my intention to plagiarize.
Im just wondering if anyone knows of any sort of precedence for a case like this or has any background knowledge for advice.
Usually the process includes a meeting so you can explain your circumstances in person to the dean/director.
As an instructor, my experience has been that the dean asks for all the student’s class work and at least two people comb through it looking to establish a pattern of original work or plagiarism. The dean makes a decision based on the student’s history and the original charge. There is usually a meeting with the student explaining what will happen, and if the student will be referred further to an university-wide honors group. If you have a professor, faculty member, or student leader who will write a letter vouching for your integrity, then that may help. I recommend you make some calls to find out the specific steps you need to follow. And if, for some reason, you are left out of the loop, and they make a decision without your input, ask if there is an appeals process. Just remember to always be polite.
Good luck!
As to whether or not you should withdraw – you should talk to an advisor or even the professor and find out the implications. In my experience, students usually withdrew, but I remember one student who couldn’t because her hours would fall below a minimum she needed to maintain a scholarship which was reported late in the semester.
What do you think of my chances of leniency are in my case? I expect that there are going to be consequences, and I accept that, I just don’t want my stupidity and I attention to detail for turning in the wrong thing to completely screw me over academically or even risk expulsion. I am a junior and so close to graduation and have never plagiarized or had any violations of academic dishonesty.
@CaptainPhasma7 Have you had a decision yet? I would expect your clean academic history and being an upperclassman will weigh in your favor.
No, withdrawing from the class will not solve your problem. The best solution is to talk with your academic advisor ab out what happened. If you really did hand it in by mistake then show the advisor your evidence. But if there is any possibility that you were not ready with the actual essay so you did intend to hand the plagiarized page in, then confess. If you own it, things will go a lot better than if you don’t. Don’t do that unless it is true though. If it was a mistake, provide the evidence that you have. Then go talk to the person who heads up the academic honesty board. Find out about the process. Lastly, if you have an advocate on the faculty, like if you work in someone’s lab, go talk to that person and explain what happened. Sometimes faculty members will send letters supporting the character of a student to the professor of the class in question or to the head of the honor board to try to short circuit the process-in other words, to propose a solution like getting a poor grade but not going to the board. If you did cheat, just own it and do the same thing, in terms of talking to the people I just mentioned. If you do those things, then it is quite possible that you get a D or F in the class but that you don’t end up in front of the board. I can tell you that the excuse you have provided is given by many students who are accused of plagiarizing. It is a quite possible scenario which makes it likely that it is true but also likely to be used as an excuse when it is not true and the student was just up against the wall and panicked. Only you know which is true for you. But, conduct yourself with honor regarding the situation and you are likely to have the best outcome.Every professor was once a student and they tend to be empathetic even when their own class is involved. They are more empathetic when a student is clearly being truthful even if it is an admission that they cheated.
Also, withdrawing will not obviate the honor board. It will probably make matters worse because it makes it look like you are trying to skirt the issue. The issue needs to be resolved even if you were to drop the class. It would not go away unless you were no longer enrolled in school. So, don’t go that route-it is a bad one.