jstevens1
14-09-2006, 20:55
I am writing in response to the fairly recent subject of plagarism in schools, colleges and even universities.
I am now writing to confess that I was a cheat. I did not want to cheat but this was how it happened. This was in 1982/82. I had just been given a geography project to complete for my CSE Geography exam. It would count for 1/3 of the overall marks. The subject matter was about my home town. I undertook several field trips and the write ups were in my own words. However, I had to write up more general stuff about my home town and I showed my assignment list to my mum. Mum worked in a University library so knew quite a lot about my home town so she wrote out copious notes for me. I tried to put them in my own words but it all came out wrong. I therefore felt discouraged and from then on in copied verbatim what she wrote. Mum assured me that there was nothing wrong in what I was doing and that an author of a book would get somebody to do the research and help draft the manuscript (later during a confrontation she yelled "I did your geography project for you and you behave like this!" - this really hurt). The title pages were also my own work. But I would say that 80% of the project was mum's. Mum achieved 98% for this work. Knowing what I do now it was a wonder I didn't get caught because I did a huge volume of work (there was no word limit) - more than the others, so it stood out like a sore thumb. The only thing I can think of is that my regular teacher had had a nervous breakdown and our class had a succession of supply teachers until the Head of Geography took over - so they may have been a little too busy to look at the assignments in depth. I achieved a CSE Grade 1 overall which enabled me to leave school with the equivalent of 3 O'Levels which was enough to get me on an intensive medical secretarial course.
Now you all must hate my guts, I understand because I hate myself for what I have done and I feel that I should have received a U in my CSE and been expelled. Although I got away with it, I am paying a huge price because I feel guilty and :sick: and I don't think (despite the reassurance of my current boss who I get on v. well with) that I shall ever forgive myself for what I have done.
This letter is a warning to all who think that this route is a solution to the problem. It is not. I should have gone to my year tutor for guidance when mum produced the first handwritten page of that work but I took the "easy" way out. There is no such thing as the easy way out and if and when my son has a project to complete (he will be starting secondary school next year), I will seek the appropriate guidance on how much help I can give him so I don't ruin his life.
Please remember, you are only cheating yourself. :nono:
jstevens1
I am now writing to confess that I was a cheat. I did not want to cheat but this was how it happened. This was in 1982/82. I had just been given a geography project to complete for my CSE Geography exam. It would count for 1/3 of the overall marks. The subject matter was about my home town. I undertook several field trips and the write ups were in my own words. However, I had to write up more general stuff about my home town and I showed my assignment list to my mum. Mum worked in a University library so knew quite a lot about my home town so she wrote out copious notes for me. I tried to put them in my own words but it all came out wrong. I therefore felt discouraged and from then on in copied verbatim what she wrote. Mum assured me that there was nothing wrong in what I was doing and that an author of a book would get somebody to do the research and help draft the manuscript (later during a confrontation she yelled "I did your geography project for you and you behave like this!" - this really hurt). The title pages were also my own work. But I would say that 80% of the project was mum's. Mum achieved 98% for this work. Knowing what I do now it was a wonder I didn't get caught because I did a huge volume of work (there was no word limit) - more than the others, so it stood out like a sore thumb. The only thing I can think of is that my regular teacher had had a nervous breakdown and our class had a succession of supply teachers until the Head of Geography took over - so they may have been a little too busy to look at the assignments in depth. I achieved a CSE Grade 1 overall which enabled me to leave school with the equivalent of 3 O'Levels which was enough to get me on an intensive medical secretarial course.
Now you all must hate my guts, I understand because I hate myself for what I have done and I feel that I should have received a U in my CSE and been expelled. Although I got away with it, I am paying a huge price because I feel guilty and :sick: and I don't think (despite the reassurance of my current boss who I get on v. well with) that I shall ever forgive myself for what I have done.
This letter is a warning to all who think that this route is a solution to the problem. It is not. I should have gone to my year tutor for guidance when mum produced the first handwritten page of that work but I took the "easy" way out. There is no such thing as the easy way out and if and when my son has a project to complete (he will be starting secondary school next year), I will seek the appropriate guidance on how much help I can give him so I don't ruin his life.
Please remember, you are only cheating yourself. :nono:
jstevens1