Ok, I know I took Micro 100 years ago but I don't remember writing any papers for that class. Why are you writing papers?? Are they testing you as well?
Oh Lord, I am taking Micro over the summer, I think Chandler is Prof. I hope I dont run into this problem. I feel like it is getting to the point that I am afraid to write anything, it might sound like someone elses work. I would never commit plagirism, but what if one accidentally, or mistakenly writes something that is similar to what others have completed. This worries me. Almost makes me afraid to write, but I am sure in NS we will have to write research papers, I guess in APA form?
I have been a community college teacher for 17 years, and if I could make one encouragement- don't let THIS TEACHER be your brick wall. Is this teacher worth not being a nurse? Can you give her that much power? In 10 years can you say "I would have been a nurse if it wasn't for Ms. Jones." Really? Let me help you with this if I can.
Plagiarism is ONLY plagiarism if you don't give the person credit.
Plagiarism is ALWAYS plagiarism if you don't give the person credit.
Period.
You are not being restricted on what you can say- you can SAY ANYTHING when you write. Just cite.
Even an idea can be plagiarized- in some colleges, 3 consecutive words in a row can count as plagiarism. Seem impossible? No, it's all about giving credit. You need help on how to provide citation, and simply do it readily. Cite everything. You are in an undergrad class- you are retelling what you are learning- you are not coming up with unique ideas and presenting new research- in theory- everything you write about in this class should be given citation. If you are not the inventor of the idea, it's not yours.
I'm very familiar with APA style, not so much with Chicago style, but you can do this. Start by writing down the references you are using. You can use note cards if you like- and then every time you use that source, jot the note about it on the back. (to keep track) In my grad school (which this isn't) a rule of thumb is to have a minimum of 1 source in your references for every page of required writing - so a 10 page paper would have 10 source at the end. Also, it would be unusual to write a paragraph without any sources. Here are some very generic ways to cite work without going crazy:
1. Beckman's theory of development (1997) explains that.....
2. According to Rite and Smith, the process can take as little as two days (1988)...
3. In Fundamentals of Research, we are taught that ...... (pg. 133)
4. People are considered "significantly damaged and impacted" if they receive the......(Collens, 1999)
You'll want to check that your style requirement doesn't conflict with what I am telling you, but you get the idea. It doesn't always have to be in quotes to give credit. I only used quotes once (sample 4) I hope you find that more relaxed.
Something else, quit running your work through the software. When you do that, some of them (like turn it in) ADD your work TO THE DATA BASE which means that you are plagiarizing yourself when you submit it again! Yes, not fair, and a main critique of the software by myself and several other. STOP running it through. You are causing the hit.
I cannot stop crying as I read your responses. How can you all be so kind as to take the time to respond to me? I am forever grateful to you all.
Maybe it's the fact that I'm the oldest one in my class(55) or maybe it's that I
am just so lost as to why she is making this class more difficult with each passing day but I just do not understand why she is doing the things she does.
To make matters worse, I have asked her for help. I asked her to give us an example of how she wants this done.
Her reply: "Oh, my work is all in storage. I don't think I'll be able to find it."
I asked her again on Thursday. Same response.
I asked her why we have to do group and not individual papers?
Her response: "Because that's what you'll be doing as a nurse and if someone
in your group doesn't do his/her part, You are all going to be penalized because
that's the way it's done in the Military and that's the way life is."
I am telling the truth; this is exactly what she told me. Now do you guys understand why I am not sleeping?
I have talked to several classmates and they are just as lost and upset as I am.
I want to drop this class but, we've already paid, my husband just got laid off and we just don't have money to throw away and the semester is half-way done.
My APII class is suffering because of this and I have a 4.0 but if this continues,
I just don't know what I should do.
I repeat; I am so blessed by all your responses. Thank God for you all.
Oh, why are we writing papers, LisaM, because she says, "When you go to do
your Ph D work, you'll be prepared!
I'm just trying to get my ASN!! I have no desire to be a PhD.
I just don't understand why your teacher is taking up so much valuable time with writing research papers when this is a microbiology class??? The school I go to has us specifically take a research paper english class, where her assignments would be justified. Microbiology has so much information you need to learn that supports other nursing classses and I just can't see the sense in your instructor's agenda. If you can withdraw from the class, it might be a good idea. It's not worth letting it take away from your other classes that you can still get good grades in.
I graduated from my university with a degree majoring in history--as you can imagine I have quite an experience in writing. In fact, I graduated with disciplinary honors which required a senior honors thesis on top of the capstone paper, and four other research papers with contracted History honors courses. My professors lauded praise on my writing claiming I was better than most of their graduate students. However, I KNOW your pain. If you are taking information from a source it MUST be cited because it is NOT your idea, even IF you are placing it in your own words. Therefore, your instructor *should* expect citations. As far as your own words are concerned as long as you are not copying it word for word (or substituting words using a thesauraus) than it is in your own words. But just because you are writing it in your own words does not mean it's your idea, so it's still plagiarism if you do not site the source. Just cite your source and place it in your own words. Now if the instructor instructed information that I tied into my paper I did not cite it because this was information I brought into the paper beforehand that I had acquired as "knowlege" of the subject matter. The way I have always done it is to copy down key points and then explain it in my own words. Many times I have found that my writing and explanations are far superior than my sources. I made it my mission to clear up the convaluted mess some historians created utilizing more impressive language.
Now if your problem is you are using source A and B and when you type your words into the software they are saying you are plagiarizing Author X's book "D," which you are not even using as a source--I would have a sincere problem with this. I would take this up with the instructor and if that didn't work I would take it up to the next level.
If you are truly miserable with the course than drop it, before it's too late. I have Ws on my transcripts before but my wasn't fear of failing, mine was fear of B or B- (due to sometimes impossible instructors) that will drop my GPA, go figure! Classes should not make you cry or get so upset that you can not function in the course anymore. You should be LEARNING and it seems this instructor has lost sight of this. If you feel you are not getting the information that you need to better prepare you for Nursing school by all means drop it and then tell the Nursing admissions folks exactly why. I would.
afranklin, if you are oriented toward the spoken word (not everyone is), you might try just talking into a tape recorder about the material you have read. Speak as if you were talking to a smart person who didn't necessarily know the material, but was smart enough to follow along. Then transcribe what you said. I know this can be time-consuming, but for some people, it can be really helpful in the process of saying something "in your own words".
Now, when in doubt -- cite! When I was writing my dissertation, we referred to this as "the tyranny of the footnote" (or in-line citation, depending on the format you use). Your teacher doesn't want to see an entire page of nothing but citations, but if you think "gee, does that sound familiar? Am I sure I'm not repeating someone else's words?", then put the citation in. Plagiarism happens when you DON'T cite, even unintentionally.
Hang in there. You can do this. And I'm sorry you have the teacher from Hades. Micro is a wonderful course, but the material is tough enough without stressing about some plagiarism software!
afranklin, I am glad you come to allnurses, see how many people are here for you and support you? We care about you, and I am a little worried about your post that said you were suicidal. I guess you were just expressing your frustration, I just want to make sure. Are you okay? Please go to the counselors office at school and I know that they can give you good advice. I can tell you that at El Centro (dcccd), because I think you said you are at the dcccd area, we have a wonderful librarian- Linda Baker. I am serious, she will sit with you through the whole writing process and teach you this stuff! If you attend a dcccd college, come on up to El Centro Library and ask to speak to Linda Baker. I promise that she will be your guiding light on writing this!!
That is a really good idea about recording it, but, yes; she Does want to see the
cited sources on a "separate page(s)." because someone asked her about that.
You're right, this class really could have been interesting and it did hold the promise for me that I would actually learn something but now, it has been turned into an unnecessarily harsh, regimented task by someone who is bent on
making it difficult, just for the pure pleasure of knowing that she can. Thank you so much for your response and for being there.
mom35,
Thank you, too, for your response; yes, it was just venting my deep depression
and frustration over this because I know it is not supposed to be happening.
This is only her 2 semester teaching and I can only imagine what will happen to
the future classes if something isn't done.
I am in the Denton area but was trying to complete all my pre-req's to get into
ELC or NLC but right now, it's all I can do to make it one day at a time with this
class and my APII is suffering because of the stress this Micro class is causing.
I want to say thank you so much to all of you ladies for taking the time to respond. I truly feel blessed to be a part of such a dynamic group of tough women!
I am still not sure if I'm going to drop this horrible class and just take it again,
some place else, in the fall, or if I should keep having n/v before each class, lose
sleep and continue to drive the 47.7 miles Each way to be victimized.
I know in my heart that I am supposed to bridge over to my RN and somehow,
I am going to do it; I just think that time is not on my side.
Thank you all so much; you will never know what your responses have meant to me.
LisaDNP
86 Posts
Ok, I know I took Micro 100 years ago but I don't remember writing any papers for that class. Why are you writing papers?? Are they testing you as well?