The University’s rules on plagiarism - The art of not being ignorant of the law [Dialogues] Professor: Have a seat. My assistants read your paper. It’s good. It’s well constructed. It's well argued… But there is one thing that troubled us. Do you see what I mean? Like an odd variation in style. Do you see? Fred: Oh, really? Professor: I’ll give you an example. You’ll see, it’s... surprising! On page 2 of your introduction, you write, “What is it that’s there behind the idea of democracy?”. But then, suddenly... I don’t know. Inspiration struck. Divine light shined upon you at 3am. You sat down at your desk and wrote… Professor: No, it’s later. It’s on page 25 of your conclusion. “You might say this political system rests on improbable premises," etc., etc. Here it is. "But the risk exists that this too comfortable cloak extend its cover to practices antithetical to the ethical existence it originally bore”. Magnificent. Professor: Do you know what this is? It is the University’s Directive on Student Plagiarism. And according to this document, you're in some real trouble. Do you want to know why? Because in 1992, this improbable guy, one Philippe Braud, wrote… the same sentence as you. Funny, isn’t it? So what should we do? Fred: Over there! [Voice-over] Obviously, Fred, no one would ever want to be in your situation, caught with your hand in the cookie jar, having to explain yourself to your professor, with your reputation, your pride, and your academic degree all in jeopardy. But what do people mean, exactly, when they talk about plagiarism? According to the University of Geneva’s Directive on Student Plagiarism, “Plagiarism is defined as inserting in one’s academic work formulations, phrases, passages, images or whole chapters, as well as ideas or analyses, taken from the work of others and presenting them as one's own. Plagiarism is committed either by actively appropriating the words or ideas of others or by failing to reference them and their sources correctly”. In other words, plagiarism is: • Taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. • Using excerpts of texts (books, articles, websites, etc.) in your own work without mentioning the original author. • Modifying an author’s text by replacing his or her words with synonyms. • Taking an author’s ideas and expressing them in your own words without mentioning the source. • Using images, graphics, and so on without indicating where you got them from. Don’t try to be sneaky and think you can get away with it. Plagiarism always ends up being uncovered! The university has a procedure in place for the detection of this type of fraud. As soon as instructors suspect that a student has plagiarized, they begin an investigation. First, they use an IT tool—plagiarism detection software. (In some degree programs, the software is used on a regular basis.) The software program generates a report that is reviewed by the teaching staff. A file is then put together on the basis of those results and sent to the office of the dean, which refers the case to the disciplinary committee. The student is then given an opportunity to provide an explanation. What happens next depends on how serious the case is and on the sanctions that are applied. Any act of plagiarism could have very serious consequences for your academic career. If the University finds you guilty of plagiarism, it can apply a range of sanctions, including giving you a grade of zero on your paper, cancelling your exams, and even expelling you. Take the time to find out about the rules! As a student, you are responsible for citing your sources, knowing the rules, and reading the regulations so that you’re not caught, albeit because of an oversight, plagiarizing in flagrante delicto. As the adage goes, “ignorance of the law is no excuse”. [Dialogues] [on the white board]: I will not quote unless I name the author and cite my source. Professor: You realize this is all just a bad dream, don’t you?