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Bruin Success with Less Stress

Decisions, Decisions...

So, you've seen some UCLA policies about academic integrity and you know how Carlos and Eddie feel. What do you think they would do?

Question 1 of 5

What would Carlos do?

a. Just turn in his English paper as this history class assignment. He got a good grade on the English paper, and it's his work anyway.

b. Suffer and write the history paper from scratch.

c. Talk to his history professor and see what his options are. Maybe he can turn in this paper, or parts of it for this assignment.

Nope. This is called self-plagiarism or multiple submissions and it would get Carlos in trouble. (try again)

Well, there's nothing wrong with this approach, but he doesn't have to suffer. Carlos might do this. (there's another option too — try again)

If Carlos is thinking about turning in a paper that he completed for a class that he took last quarter (or anytime before), he'd have to talk to the professor of his current class and get permission. However, if he were planning on writing one paper and turning it in for two different classes that he was taking at the same time, he'd have to speak with both professors first. (there's another option too—try again)

Question 2 of 5

What would Carlos do?

a. Do the lab.

b. Get a completed lab from a friend who took it last quarter and copy it.

c. Not do the lab at all.

Right! This is the ideal thing for Carlos to do.

No, Carlos plays by the rules and wouldn't cheat. If he did, what would he do if he got a lower mark than the lab that he copied? What would he do when it came time to take the quizzes and tests? (try again)

Carlos probably wouldn't do this. His grades would definitely suffer and he wouldn't learn anything either. (try again)

Doing Labs

"In reality you have lab partners or groups…and in an actual lab, like at JPL or something, they rely on one another's information to complete the task—achieve a common goal, blah blah. For those students that are actually going into a field that uses labs, this is the key—Do you want a space shuttle, dramatic I know, blowing up because you didn't do a lab in college about how cold effects an 'O ring?'"

Anonymous. Personal Interview. 2 June 2003.

Question 3 of 5

What would Carlos do?

a. Keep doing what he's doing and just turn in what he has by the due date.

b. Freak out and have a nervous breakdown.

c. Talk to his professor, his TA, or a librarian for help with his research.

Carlos is more resourceful than continuing on a path that isn't working. He wouldn't do this. (try again)

If Carlos were close to having a nervous breakdown, he might visit Counseling and Psychological Services. But he could get help with his research before he reached the point of freaking out. (try again)

Right! Recognizing that he's hit a roadblock, it's time for Carlos to get some help. The faster he gets his research done, the faster he can start analyzing what he's found and write his paper. Carlos would probably take this approach.

Question 4 of 5

Eddie is taking English 100W this quarter—the same class that Carlos took two quarters ago. Eddie hasn't been working on the assignment and it's due tomorrow. He asks Carlos if he could "borrow" his old paper.

What would Carlos do?

a. Take pity on his best friend, give him the paper, but lecture him.

b. Make an emergency call to the Dean and turn in Eddie.

c. Not give Eddie the paper.

No way—Carlos wouldn't do this. He spent a lot of time on his paper and he's not about to just hand over all his hard work to someone who hasn't done anything. (Try again)

Carlos might be overreacting if he made an emergency call to the Dean at this point. (Try again)

Right. Carlos wouldn't give Eddie the paper that he worked so hard on. If they got caught, they would probably both get suspended or dismissed—Eddie for plagiarizing, and Carlos for facilitating academic dishonesty. So whether Eddie cheats, or Carlos helps Eddie cheat, they would both get busted.

What would you do?

Interviewer: "If you had written a paper and someone asked if she could borrow it, how would that make you feel and what would you do?"

Student: "For me, I'm a transfer student so I worked my rear end off to get in here… I work so hard and people ask me for my work and it's like, gosh you're at UCLA! You should know… you're gonna have to work and it's just kinda irritating. I usually am just like — leave me alone. I take pride my work and I work really hard."

Anonymous. Personal Interview. 28 May 2003.

Question 5 of 5

Eddie is working on a project that requires him to interview someone several times, write field notes, and write a paper on recurring themes in the interviewee's life. Although Eddie's paper is due soon, he has yet to conduct any interviews. Eddie plans to write a paper about his grandfather. He can write field notes based on stories that he's heard his grandfather tell tons of times in the past. Then, he can write his paper. Eddie's plan is OK, right?

a. Sure. Eddie knows what his grandfather would say anyway.

b. No, this would not be OK.

 

 

No, this would not be OK. Although Eddie might be able fabricate an interesting and compelling story based on what he already knows about his grandfather, this isn't a creative writing assignment. Besides, he couldn't just make up (or fabricate) field notes. (try again)

Right—this would not be OK. This would be a form of "fabrication," which is "falsification or invention of any information in an academic exercise" ("Student Guide to Academic Integrity").

Eddie needs to write his paper based on the field notes that he was supposed to take while conducting the interviews. He should not write a paper based on imaginary interviews and fabricated field notes.