College Worries.....

LegacyUser

Hi

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with the below problem.....

I'm currently in my final year in college, have finished my exams and have submitted my thesis.

I received a letter about two weeks ago to say that I was found to have plagiarized in one of the essays I had handed up before my exams.

I had to go to a meeting with the college exam board to explain myself. Turns out some of the passages in my essay had been directly taken from a source and I had not referenced the source it was taken from. I would not intentionally have done this - I was really stressed and tired when doing up the essay and had certainly not realised what I had done at the time.

I met with the board - I didn't feel that it had gone well and I'm stressing now about what the punishment will be.

Wondering if anyone had any thoughts/experience with anything like this? Do you think I'll be expelled from college after working hard for the last few years?

Thanks in advance for any help

My name is URL

I have no experience of the issue, and don't know anyone that has (at least admitted it)

Did you tell them it was an honest mistake and that you were stressed? If you feel the decision is OTT you can always appeal it. But they'll check your records to see if anything like it happened before

The onus is on you to speak to lecturers if you feel stressed out and apply for extensions etc, the fact that you didn't isn't a great factor tbh

entropi

I've not had experience in that situation myself, but all the advice i can offer is that: surely they should realise, if they have ANY sense...because knowing both the subject and the students is their job...that the pressure placed upon final year studies is pretty high and sometimes things can go awry. You explained to them at the meeting that it was a genuine mistake and just plain forgot to submit the source of the detail yeah? I would only hope that they will accept this and give you a final grading.

I hope things turn out well for you, especially after the hard work involved.

LegacyUser

can you figure out from reading the essay that its supposed to use them parts? eg are they in quotes? Are they well known sources that would have been obviously spotted? Have you other essays been fine? if so point these out to them?

LegacyUser

When I was in first year at a NUI college I was found to have writing on my hand that could have given me an advantage over other students. It was a simple rule for binary addition '1 + 1 = 0 carry 1' and this was spotted by one of the invigilators. They sent to to the bathroom were I had to wash it off and then carry on with my exam. The funny thing was binary arithmetic didn't come up in the exam.

I was sent a letter in the post saying I had a meeting with the registrar and vice registrar and I started sh1tting it. I went in and said that I had written it on my hand while studying a few hours before the exam and forgot about it (which wasn't really true as I saw it while walking in but I thought it wasn't important enough to get me into trouble and didnt bother washing it off) they said in the fairness of other students they had to make an example of me so they set my result to zero and I had to repeat the exam in August. The repeat exam was about 10 harder then the summer exam and ended up failing it but passed it by compensation.

So IMO the worst case scenario is that you will have to re-do the essay.

I'm surprised they didn't tell you what they are going to do in the meeting.

username90

It has never happened to me personally but I do know of a girl that got caught a few times. Yes, a few times!! It was only in 1st and 2nd year yr I think tho so not sure if theyd be a lot more strict if you're in your final year.......She just went 2the meeting, cried a lot (fake btw), they gave her a fine of I think €50 and sent her on her way!! It probly al depends on the course and college you're in tho??

There's nothing you can do about it now to change it so just try keep your head up high and think positive!! Good luck!!

LegacyUser

hi op,
I wouldnt worry too much, if you were honest in your meeting (like you are here about the stress and it being a geniune mistake) then the worst that can happen is that you will have to re write your essay, they will look at past performance and even things like your schedule around the time yor were writing said essay!
believe me, having past experience (troubles in final year....) the lecturers, supervisors and all academic staff will do anything to help you, they have to make sure standards are met, but with geninue mistakes and generally good students they will realise it was a mistake: and allow you to prove yourself again with essay:

ps
you mentioned you thesis in post: again i know from a jittery few months they can be hugely stressful....its over....your fine!!

chuci

Happened to me in 4th year of college with a research proposal there were 2 sentences that were not paraphrased enough not to be put as direct quotes which at the time i didnt realise. We had a load of problems with our group leader and i pointed out that i have never been in trouble in college and scored highly on all my other essays. my grandad was really sick around this time too which I told them. They let me have a choice of having a pass mark of 50 or handing in the research proposal again. I opted for the pass mark as to graduate with my class. seriously it won't be as bad as what you think.

LegacyUser

1+1=0carry1 wrote: »

. The repeat exam was about 10 harder then the summer exam and ended up failing it but passed it by compensation.

So IMO the worst case scenario is that you will have to re-do the essay.

I'm surprised they didn't tell you what they are going to do in the meeting.

OP usually not as bad as you think, if you had no problems with any other work and your lecturers over four years can verify that then you should be fine.
Is this the first time anything like this has happened you?
You say "some of the passages" --> it really depends on how much, if its a major section then they cant really give you marks, don't mean to be hard but it is logical that if you submit something with a high percentage of someone else's work then you cant get marks for it.
It this is your first offence and if it was down to stress you need to tell them that and ask can you resubmit a new piece of work (as your first attempt so that it doesnt affect your overall grade, if you redo as a second attempt you may not be able to get honours)

Just for clarity - 1+1=0carry1 it would be highly highly unusually to be able to pass a repeat exam by compensation.

Conflicit disclaimer - worked in 3rd level sector for over 10 years

chocgirl

Think it'll depend on what college it was and whether they decide to make an example of you or not. If it's happening frequently you'll probably get away with it.

The software to stop plagiarism is quite new to most colleges, well universities anyway, and you have to have blatantly plagiarised to get caught. I'd say best case scenario you'll have to redo the essay hopefully it won't impact on your overall grade though.