Quiz Ch 7&8

My research for Core 4 is more of fact. When it comes to researching how the internet has effected plagiarism in college students, most of my research came from facts. I used many online journals, books, blogs, and reports. Reports done by graduate students where often very helpful when figuring out the core audience and statistics of plagiarism. It’s been proven that since the internet, college students use of plagiarism has risen. Also much of my research has come from educational websites that list the consequences that students can face for plagiarism. In chapter 7, it says serious factual arguments always have consequences, especially those that touch on public issues. Plagiarism obviously has consequences if students are caught they can face such serious consequences such as getting kicked out of school.

In chapter 7, they also point out that we need arguments that correct or challenge beliefs and assumptions help widely within a society on the basis of incomplete information. Many students find it unfair that they can get in so much trouble if they are caught. But their argument doesn’t stand up to well against university officials since in their society, they know plagiarism is wrong. The argument that occurs is between students who feel the punishment is too harsh, and teachers and deans who know its part of the universities academic policy. Obviously since students sign the academic policy before entering college, they are responsible for their actions, but some will still fight to win their argument.

The book also says, factual arguments also routinely address broader questions. I think this also helps support this topic, because even when students are caught, they will argue that two students can have the same train of thought. The broader question becomes is it really possible for students who are in the same class, learning the same thing, could they create a similar paper on the same topic? In an online blog I read a student was blamed for plagiarizing a paper from someone who had graduated 5 years before him who he had never met in his life. He said he had never seen the other students report before, but was still failed.

Like I said before, all college students sign an academic policy wavier before starting. This waiver states that if you are caught cheating of any sort, you are responsible and will face the consequences. In chapter 7, it says for factual arguments it is especially important that they “flesh out or correct what’s narrowly mistakenly reported.” I feel that most students read reports where students plagiarize and get away with it. There are even websites where students can purchase previously written papers. So with all this public acknowledgement some younger students get the wrong perception of what is right and wrong, but I think the universities website that acknowledges the very strict rules filters the wrong reports out.

Lastly in Lunsford, the book says factual arguments have a way of adding interest or complexity to our lives. I connect this to my research not so much about the plagiarizing, but more focused on the internet part of my research. Since the internet has become such a global phenomenon, everyone seems to be more interested of online resources. Since my research is more how the internet has affected plagiarism, its obvious since the internet has come out, it has added complexity to students lives. There is always that temptation for students to look up and copy and paste from the internet to save time, but they just have to decide if their willing to take the risks. This topic is a very widely known topic and there are many sources out there to back up my research.