2008 Woodie Awards
Students turn plagiarism into learning opportunity
Steve Berry
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: News
Students in Keith Edwards' English 101 class are combining the traditional power of the pen with contemporary technology.
The students recently started an online blog to voice their opinions about Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard and plagiarism.
Near the beginning of the semester, Poshard was accused of plagiarizing portions of his 1984 doctoral dissertation. A faculty review committee was formed to investigate the allegations. The committee found instances of inadvertent, or unintentional, plagiarism in the dissertation and recommended Poshard fix the errors.
This conclusion, endorsed by the SIU Board of Trustees, troubled students in Edwards' class. A class discussion about the plagiarism allegations against Poshard quickly evolved into a blog called "Plagiarism Scandal at SIU."
"We were discussing the Poshard issue in the classroom and what the students felt about it," Edwards said. "We had like an open debate and students really responded emotionally to the issue."
Edwards said the weekend after the initial discussion five or six students e-mailed him about it and were considering writing letters to the Alestle. Edwards suggested the students start a blog.
Freshman Jill Lowery immediately began setting it up using a classroom computer.
Lowery posted first entry on the blog, titled "What Defines Plagiarism?" Oct. 15.
In this writing she examines various definitions of plagiarism, including the SIU system's.
Lowery's blog entry raises as many questions as it answers.
She asked, "What kind of university are we running?" and "Are we promoting plagiarism by letting Poshard have a second chance to revise his papers?"
Lowery also voiced her opinion at the recent SIUE Faculty Senate meeting.
"Jill has really kind of been the face of this," Edwards said.
Freshman Colby Gower also posts on his class' blog. In an entry called, "My Thoughts," Gower writes he is considering leaving SIUE because the integrity of the university has been compromised.
The students recently started an online blog to voice their opinions about Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard and plagiarism.
Near the beginning of the semester, Poshard was accused of plagiarizing portions of his 1984 doctoral dissertation. A faculty review committee was formed to investigate the allegations. The committee found instances of inadvertent, or unintentional, plagiarism in the dissertation and recommended Poshard fix the errors.
This conclusion, endorsed by the SIU Board of Trustees, troubled students in Edwards' class. A class discussion about the plagiarism allegations against Poshard quickly evolved into a blog called "Plagiarism Scandal at SIU."
"We were discussing the Poshard issue in the classroom and what the students felt about it," Edwards said. "We had like an open debate and students really responded emotionally to the issue."
Edwards said the weekend after the initial discussion five or six students e-mailed him about it and were considering writing letters to the Alestle. Edwards suggested the students start a blog.
Freshman Jill Lowery immediately began setting it up using a classroom computer.
Lowery posted first entry on the blog, titled "What Defines Plagiarism?" Oct. 15.
In this writing she examines various definitions of plagiarism, including the SIU system's.
Lowery's blog entry raises as many questions as it answers.
She asked, "What kind of university are we running?" and "Are we promoting plagiarism by letting Poshard have a second chance to revise his papers?"
Lowery also voiced her opinion at the recent SIUE Faculty Senate meeting.
"Jill has really kind of been the face of this," Edwards said.
Freshman Colby Gower also posts on his class' blog. In an entry called, "My Thoughts," Gower writes he is considering leaving SIUE because the integrity of the university has been compromised.
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Hearing Voices
posted 10/29/07 @ 10:54 AM CST
Some students that already blog are listing the plagiarism blog.
http://unfavorableopinion.blogspot.com/
Everyone has a voice. Everyone should use it -- in every way possible. (Continued…)
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