UWP Lecturers P.S.Re: plagiarism reports

[juliab at ucr.edu]

Just one more comment to confirm what Gray Scott said: the people at the Academic Integrity are wholly supportive of what we do and our ability to detect plagiarism and talk to our students about it. 

Moreover, they have the training (which we don't) to deal with these sometimes very difficult students, and to get to the source of the problem.  Yes, it is only fair for us to talk to students and to make them aware of the probable consequences.  But once the report is filed (and we are, by the way, obligated to file these reports even if we are sympathetic to the student's circumstances), and we have provided all the documentation, and at least made the attempt to talk with the student, the AI office is efficient and thorough.

I only emphasize this point to say that we instructors do not have to make extraordinary efforts to talk with students who plagiarize, especially if we anticipate a real confrontation; we do have to inform them, and we do have to file the report. Like Gray, I have a handful of students every quarter who get reported, and I am always grateful that the AI people are there to resolve the problem for me. 

Julie