Re: SEC: Plagiarism-help

[Ken Umbach <kumbach@UNLIMITED.NET>]

Take a look at http://www.termpapers-on-file.com/ -- it will scare your
pedagogical socks off (though most kids probably cannot afford the $12.95
per page the place is getting for its term papers).

As for sources of the quoted items ... all I'll say is that if someone
plagiarized that first one ("Summer Night's Dream ..."), well ... he or she
needs a LOT of help, as it is truly, stunningly, awful.  Who on God's Green
Earth would steal THAT?

But on a more basic level ... is not the concern evidenced in this post an
excellent argument for tracking papers (at least major ones, too long to do
in class or under observation) from development of topic, though selection
of sources (and documenting of sources!), to writing of drafts, through
final editing?  (And maybe this is an argument for requiring HAND-WRITTEN
drafts.)  Would ANY student plagiarize a paper and work backwards to
simulate topic selection, outline, drafts, and final revisions in order to
pass it off as his or her own work?  (ESPECIALLY if he or she had to produce
the sources IN the LMC or from other legitimate repository -- that is,
phyically be able to produce them for inspection upon request.)  That would
be more work than just doing it legitimately in the first place.

Comments?

Ken

At 10:41 AM 5/7/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Well I really hate to ask this, but I need help.  I have been searching
>for hours and am not having any luck.  The senior Eng. teacher brought
...
>
>"A Summer Night's Dream of Truth"
>    Once upon a time, when the Earth was in full flourishment, and the
>idea of good and evil was still new, and unexplored; layed a land,
>formed by the sweat of those who worked it.  This is where our tale
>begins, with but one simple worker, who layed his path unlike any of
>those who came before him.  Let us look in, shall we?
--
Kenneth W. Umbach, Ph.D., Policy Analyst
California Research Bureau, California State Library
900 N Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, California 95814
E-mail: kumbach@unlimited.net (or kumbach@library.ca.gov)
Phone (voice) 916-653-6002 (fax) 916-654-5829
Personal Web page and selected papers: http://members.unlimited.net/~kumbach
This message reflects my opinion, not that of my employer or anyone else.

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