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Sample Cases -- Illustrations
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| Examples of Honor Cases are placed here to help educate students about which actions are considered violations. These examples are not exhaustive. Names have been changed to protect student privacy. Cases illustrate unacceptable behavior. Case 1 Joe entered Sam's room. Sam had finished a computer assignment and did not password protect his work. Joe found the file and copied Sam's work and handed the work in as his own. Professor Smith reports both Joe and Sam to the Honor System, as she does not know if Joe plagiarized from Sam or Sam from Joe, or if they collaborated when not allowed. An Honor System panel hears testimony. Two Alternatives: 1. Joe admits unauthorized copying. Sam is found not guilty and Joe is found guilty of plagiarism. Joe is given a Class IV because of premeditation and unauthorized entry. 2. Joe does not admit guilt. Panel finds evidence that Joe copied without Sam's consent. Because Joe does not admit copying, he is found guilty of a Class II plagiarism case, which the panel raises to a Class 5 offense for endangerment. By not admitting plagiarism Joe exposed Sam to academic harm. Case 2 In class, the professor stated that all lab reports were to be written up individually. The course syllabus also emphasized this. Sally was working in the lab when Michael entered the lab and worked with Sally. Eventually Sally gave her lab report to Michael to copy (Michael explained later he was having difficulty with the assignment). The reporter contacted the Honor System because Sally and Michael submitted identical papers. Sally and Michael were found guilty for Class II offenses but the panel raised the sanctions to Class III for both: Sally for knowingly giving Michael unauthorized aid (recruitment) and Michael for premeditation. In this case, both students could have reversed their actions prior to handing in the assignment. Case 3 Independent of each other, Jay, Sara, Jeremy, and Laura searched the Internet for a term paper topic. For four different reasons, the students submitted the same (or strikingly similar) 5-page papers on the topic "How Roses Grow." Some students made changes in the language, others modified the paragraphing, did not use proper citations, etc. The reporter turned in all four papers to the Honor System. At the hearing, the student responses ranged from "My roommate handed in the wrong paper," to "I am guilty." All four were found guilty of plagiarism and given Class II sanctions. |
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