PLAGIARISM

How would you respond if you were convicted of plagiarism?
       Honestly, it depends on if I actually did it or not. If I had plagiarized, I would speak up and admit it. However, if I was being accused of something I hadn't done then I would be furious.  I would feel as if my school does not trust me. I would understand being questioned, but when we say we didn't do something, I expect them to believe me, unless they can prove otherwise.


How would your parents respond?
      I believe my parents would believe me first and foremost. I think they would read my paper or project or whatever it may be then give their opinion. My parents aren't the ones to argue with the administration. However, I believe if the administration blatantly went against me without any "trial" then they would be upset. On the other hand, I would have to prove whether or not I did plagiarize before they took any action.


Do you feel as if you deserve a passing grade because your parents pay tuition?
    Not at all do I believe I deserve a passing grade. I think I deserve teachers that are willing to help me and guide me in my studies. I think that since my parents are making such an immense sacrifice to send me to TCA and pay for my education that I should be willing to work hard for a good grade. When my parents pay for my education, I deserve a good one. I deserve teachers that are willing to support and help me when I need it, but I do not expect/deserve to pay for good grades.


Does this story affect your view of plagiarism?
    The main thing this story pointed out to me about plagiarism was how big of a deal it really is. I've always known that it isn't right, but I didn't realize how much of a deal people make out of it. people lose their jobs and fail classes just because of one mistake.


What do you takeaway from this narrative?
     An obvious lesson I learned is that I am never going to intentionally plagiarize. It's crazy to me to hear how much it really matters. Another thing I realized is that we are not all perfect. I do not agree with how the school handled the situation at all. I'm not going to say anything like "Schools administrations don't know what they're doing," but it did make me realize that they do not know the answers to everything. I'm sure TCA thinks they're doing right in all the decisions they make, and that they are trying to keep in mind what's best for everyone. However, they won't always make decisions that we all agreee with.