Essay 'adventures'

Over the past week I have marked a whole lot of essays. Before the deadline I told my students a few things they would need to know. Never use Wikipedia. Check the department handbook for referencing style and do it properly. And most importantly, perhaps: never ever plagiarise. It is equal to murder in academic terms and has serious consequences.

Some of my students have taken these bits of advice seriously and done very well. Some have, to various extents, tried. And some have not at all.

Tonight I found a blatant example of plagiarism. Cut-and-paste may be an easy way to write an essay, but you do not get away with it. Not when I am marking. I have at least one student who will be in serious trouble with the university when I present the evidence of plagiarism. And she brought it on herself, so I don’t feel the least bit sorry for her.

By Friday I should be finished with marking all of them and can hand them over to Dr Stokes for moderation. I am looking forward to it!