[edi581] Re: Copyright
- From: Sandy22370@xxxxxxx
- To: edi581@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 09:02:52 EST
Sandy Austin
11/29/2001 04:27 PM
To:
edi581@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:
Online assignment #3
One example of copyright infringement that I have witnessed was during my
undergraduate studies. We had to write research papers and read them orally
to the class. One student stood up to read his paper, got about one paragraph
into it, and was told to stop reading, sit down, and see the professor in her
office after class. Come to find out, the paper he had downloaded from the
Internet was written by the professor several years before. (Under her maiden
name.) Obviously, she recognized her own work!
I think it's pretty obvious how this action violated copyright restrictions.
I certainly don't think he asked her for permission to copy her work. I'm
still trying to figure out how he could have been dumb enough to use it in
the first place!!
This particular person could have asked her if he could use some information
from her article provided he gave her credit for the work. I don't think she
would have objected to him using it as part of his research, since she must
have published it for that purpose to begin with.
Another example of copyright infringement occurred in my fifth grade
classroom, although it wasn't using the Internet. One of my students who was
supposed to complete a book report copied her summary directly off the book
jacket. I knew immediately that it wasn't her work since it was so well
written and she was receiving Academic Intervention Services for E.L.A! The
sad part was, the majority of the report was supposed to be a reaction to the
book, her thoughts, etc., and only a brief summary. She completed only the
summary. She kept the book in her desk at school, so I was sure I would turn
it over and see those words, but I didn't. So I searched the Internet for
summaries of the book, trying to find the proof that she had plagiarized, but
still no luck. Finally, I went to the public library which had the hardcover
version of the book, and there was my proof, right on the book jacket.
This, again, was a blatant violation of copyright laws. She used the author's
exact words, trying to pass them off as her own.
As this was not a research report, I was not expecting sources to be cited,
or any kind of a bibliography, but rather the students own reaction to the
book. She could have completed this without plagiarizing by actually READING
the book and giving me more thoughts about it that just summarizing it.
Actually complete the assignment as assigned? What a concept!!
As a teacher, I can structure my assignments, as Tom Rocklin's article
suggests, to very closely parallel my curriculum and not give the students
broad, generic topics to research. Also, as I felt I was doing with the book
report I assigned, I can make the students give their own
thoughts/feelings/reactions to a particular topic in addition to the
research. Also, I often do grade several steps of the writing process, as the
article also suggests, so that I can get feedback as we go along, which helps
to minimize plagiarism.
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