I’m part of an online stats class through another sister college. I couldn’t take stats through my normal college because I didn’t have time in my schedule to do so. I had to submit an essay portion analyzing some data so I did. My friend is also in the same class with me and she picked the same data set as me. With statistics, you get the same numbers if you do it right (same means, standard deviations, etc) through the R program. The professor got back to both of us saying: I’d also caution you make sure you are completing these exams independently of any other student. You are not permitted to work with others, and doing so can result in failure of this course.
She then proceeded to send an announcement to the rest of the class pretty much saying the same exact thing except adding on academic probation, etc.
I’m really worried and freaking out about this because I did not cheat. I did my own work but I do not know how to prove that. Any advice? I really do appreciate anything! I do not want to be reported and fail this class just because the professor thinks I worked on this assignment with my friend. I take academics seriously, online or not, and I did not do that!
Thanks so much.
Was your professor specifically calling you out and accusing you of working with your friend, or was this just a general announcement sent out to the whole class? It sounds like it may be the latter – your professor may just be reminding everyone that work should be done independently. Your professor knows that using R will give you the same data, especially if you’re provided with the same data sets. The only part that could come across as working together would be if your essay portions were worded the same, although there really is only so much variation that can occur in analyzing set data. It sounds like your professor wasn’t accusing you specifically of anything and was instead just reminding everyone that work should be done independently.
@Ranza123 it was both - she sent out a general announcement to the class and commented on my turnitin submission to make sure that my words are my own & to not be working with others during these exams. I am 79% sure that this is a warning - a heads up. But I just wanted to make sure that she was warning me and just get general advice from others who have been through this as well.
Sounds like a warning. Your prof can probably tell that you are both from the same sister college, and because you chose the same data set, he/she had questions. I have taken several online graduate courses for recertification with my husband who is also in the same field. Whenever possible, we choose differnt prompts and discussion topics so that we are not accused of not doing our work independently. You and your friend could do the same.
The problem doesn’t change just because you make a new thread about it. Now that you offer more details, my best suggestion is don’t communicate with your friend about class stuff, and choose different problem sets.
If your professor emailed you individually first, and then emailed the whole class, then I would assume that she definitely suspects that something is up between you and your friend. So for the remainder of this class, for every assignment, do not tell your friend which data set you are using for the problem set. Don’t discuss the homework with your friend. Don’t do the homework together. And if you need help or have questions about the homework, talk to the professor first instead of your friend.
Even though you did, in fact, do your homework independently, your professor clearly suspects that you did not. The email you received is likely going to be your first and only warning.
Did your friend happen to also receive an email before the 2nd email to the whole class? What does your friend say about all this? Did your friend really just happen to pick the same data set as you did by coincidence or did she somehow learn which one you picked and did that one as well?
Was there any write-up or written part of the homework that you had to submit as well? By chance, did you share any of that with your friend and is it possible that she copied/plagiarized some/all of the written part from you without telling you?