Plagiarism--Take It Seriously

CHEATING and WHY IT’S a BAD THING

The official policy is listed below, but I do not take kindly to students who take the words or ideas of others and try to pass them off as their own. I do not take the excuse “I didn’t know” or “I didn’t mean to.” If you copied something from an article or a website and did not give that source FULL credit, you did know and you did mean to. ANYTHING (and I mean ANYTHING) you get from someone else—a thought, an idea, a number, a fact, EVEN if you change the words around—MUST be documented correctly or you will fail the assignment.

Correct documentation means both in-text citations and references listed at the end of the writing assignment.

If you are caught plagiarizing an assignment, you will receive a zero for that assignment and may be referred for disciplinary action.  If you are caught a second time, you will receive a zero and will be referred for disciplinary action. It will then be unlikely you will have enough points to pass the class. Remember, sites used to cheat or plagiarize are common among students, so there is a chance that I will notice as submissions feel eerily similar. NOTE: Using AI, such as ChatGPT, is also considered plagiarism. 

Plagiarism and Student Conduct Standards

From the COD Catalog Links to an external site.

“When a student enters College of the Desert, it is taken for granted by the College authorities that an earnest purpose exists and that the student’s conduct will demonstrate that assumption. If, however, the student’s conduct is not appropriate, and the student should be guilty of one or more of the violations listed in the Student Conduct Standards and Procedures policy, then appropriate disciplinary action will be taken as listed in the policy.” 

The following conduct shall constitute good cause for discipline, including but not limited to the removal, suspension or expulsion of a student:

13. Cheating, plagiarism (including plagiarism in a student publication), or engaging in other academic dishonesty.

            a. Cheating is the use of any unauthorized materials, or information in academic work, records or programs, the intentional failure to follow express directives in academic work, records or programs, and/or assisting others to do the same including, but not limited to, the following . . . click for a full list Links to an external site.!