Stealing a Thesis Idea... - Page 3

Perry Winkle · 10-19-2008, 09:46 AM

Regarding my Wikipedia comment: Referencing Wikipedia by proxy is popular for slackerly sorts. To do this you lookup the Wikipage and cite the sources that Wikipedia cites for the facts you need to use.

I have never done this, but I know quite a few people who don't think anything of the practice.

Sundae · 10-19-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry Winkle

I have never done this, but I know quite a few people who don't think.

Fixed for you

smoothmoniker · 10-19-2008, 03:40 PM

I, and most profs and most universities in the US, use plagiarism software that checks submitted papers against any text available through google, including wikipedia and other reference sites. It also checks published journals, and checks against language used in every other paper turned in to any of the other profs using the software.

The cool thing, for me anyway, is that it doesn't just check for direct quotation, it looks for clusters of infrequently used words, looks for similar structures with synonyms, and shows me the students' paper next to the suspected source along with highlighting to indicate content they think was lifted.

The first day of class, I give my students a brief demonstration of how it works. The quality and originality of the writing has gone up very dramatically as soon as they knew it was in play.

Clodfobble · 10-19-2008, 03:46 PM

You know in my day, we had to plagiarize everything by hand, using actual printed books!

SteveDallas · 10-21-2008, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

You know in my day, we had to plagiarize everything by hand, using actual printed books!

I once read an article by somebody who used to work for a "term paper for sale" business (pre-Internet days). Their shitck was that they provided "research services." As a result, every paper they supplied was stamped "For Research Purposes" on each page.

But in practice, if a customer was "good"--polite, paid on time, didn't make unreasonable deadline requests--the stamp would be small and at the bottom of each page, where it could be easily whited out before photocopying. The rude customers who made hairy nuisances of themselves had the stamp in large letters across the main text of the paper, so that somebody had to retype it before it could be submitted.

DanaC · 10-19-2008, 05:09 PM

Many universities over here do the same thing SM. We use the Turnitin system at mine.

Juniper · 10-19-2008, 06:19 PM

I recently used a plagiarism checker on my own paper, just to make damn sure nobody could accuse me of plagiarism even by accident. I passed.

Aliantha · 10-19-2008, 06:46 PM

Plagiarism software is used in most if not all uni's here. It's interesting that this is not even necessary in some cases when students lift entire paragraphs from online sources and don't even correct the formatting to match their own work.

I mean seriously, if you're going to use something from the internet, at least put it into your own words and make sure you use the right font!

Juniper · 10-19-2008, 09:43 PM

Ah, ignorance. (sigh)

I have now read posts from before I joined, thanks to Cicero's hint. OK, I see what's going on. Sort of.

I personally can't see being so in love with any subject that I'd take the class if taught by a prof who's such an ass. Unless you felt you had something to prove to the prof, or to yourself. Which I can understand, but don't grok how it'd be really productive.

But that's just me and I'm not in those shoes.

Trilby · 10-20-2008, 08:18 AM

It's a graduate level class---I got in with senior permission.

I'm going to decide not to care about this whole thing.

Cicero · 10-21-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

I'm going to decide not to care about this whole thing.

Good. Then you will be even less prepared for the next round of utter bullshit he dishes out.

Wait until he starts doing things you can't even prove anymore. That will be fun.

DanaC · 10-21-2008, 11:10 AM

You're a bigger human being than I am Bri, I'd have been bouncing off the walls by now. Not exactly a good way forward lol, probably wold have made myself a bunch of enemies!

DanaC · 10-21-2008, 11:57 AM

Submitting somebody else's work as my own never appealed to me. Stressful as I find doing assignments, the buzz of handing in a completed piece is wonderful. These people are missing out on a really nice part of university.

10-19-2008, 03:40 PM	#3
smoothmoniker to live and die in LA Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,090	I, and most profs and most universities in the US, use plagiarism software that checks submitted papers against any text available through google, including wikipedia and other reference sites. It also checks published journals, and checks against language used in every other paper turned in to any of the other profs using the software. The cool thing, for me anyway, is that it doesn't just check for direct quotation, it looks for clusters of infrequently used words, looks for similar structures with synonyms, and shows me the students' paper next to the suspected source along with highlighting to indicate content they think was lifted. The first day of class, I give my students a brief demonstration of how it works. The quality and originality of the writing has gone up very dramatically as soon as they knew it was in play. __________________ to live and die in LA

10-19-2008, 03:46 PM	#4
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	You know in my day, we had to plagiarize everything by hand, using actual printed books! __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

10-19-2008, 06:46 PM	#8
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Plagiarism software is used in most if not all uni's here. It's interesting that this is not even necessary in some cases when students lift entire paragraphs from online sources and don't even correct the formatting to match their own work. I mean seriously, if you're going to use something from the internet, at least put it into your own words and make sure you use the right font! __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-20-2008, 08:18 AM	#10
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	It's a graduate level class---I got in with senior permission. I'm going to decide not to care about this whole thing. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

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10-19-2008, 09:46 AM	#1
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	Regarding my Wikipedia comment: Referencing Wikipedia by proxy is popular for slackerly sorts. To do this you lookup the Wikipage and cite the sources that Wikipedia cites for the facts you need to use. I have never done this, but I know quite a few people who don't think anything of the practice.

10-19-2008, 05:09 PM	#6
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Many universities over here do the same thing SM. We use the Turnitin system at mine.

10-19-2008, 06:19 PM	#7
Juniper I know, right? Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,539	I recently used a plagiarism checker on my own paper, just to make damn sure nobody could accuse me of plagiarism even by accident. I passed.

10-19-2008, 09:43 PM	#9
Juniper I know, right? Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,539	Ah, ignorance. (sigh) I have now read posts from before I joined, thanks to Cicero's hint. OK, I see what's going on. Sort of. I personally can't see being so in love with any subject that I'd take the class if taught by a prof who's such an ass. Unless you felt you had something to prove to the prof, or to yourself. Which I can understand, but don't grok how it'd be really productive. But that's just me and I'm not in those shoes.

10-21-2008, 11:10 AM	#12
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	You're a bigger human being than I am Bri, I'd have been bouncing off the walls by now. Not exactly a good way forward lol, probably wold have made myself a bunch of enemies!

10-21-2008, 11:57 AM	#13
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Submitting somebody else's work as my own never appealed to me. Stressful as I find doing assignments, the buzz of handing in a completed piece is wonderful. These people are missing out on a really nice part of university.

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