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Discussion

Is this cheating?

I have a research article critique due in two separate classes. I get to choose the article. The assignments each have slightly different criteria, and the final product is two different forms (one is a template we fill out, one is a paper).

Is it wrong to do the same article? I honestly can't decide. On one hand, a lot of it is straight up duplication, though it will be presented in a different format, with assignment B requiring more depth than assignment A. On the other hand, I have done projects similar to those done in earlier, in different classes, and not felt bad about it at all. For example, in LPN school I did a project on the economics of breast feeding. It was pretty basic. Six years later, in my RN program, I did another project. The economics of breast feeding vs formula in the WIC program. I discussed my previous research and presentation with my instructor, and she didn't see anything wrong expanding upon my previous topic, particularly since it was an area of great interest to me.

In each class, I would be doing the work required of the assignment. I won't get the one assignment back before the other is due, so I won't be able to use the instructor feedback on assignment A to enhance and improve assignment B in any manner. Assignment B is for a larger grade, has more requirements, and is for an upper level class (a 300 level vs a 600 level).

Any thoughts? All comments are appreciated.

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    Of course it's not cheating. It's simply being efficient.

    If you can satisfy the requirements of each assignment utilizing the same source material then, frankly, you'd be foolish (IMO) not to.

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    • Experts

    Go ahead and do this as long as your requirements don't preclude it. I have seen written project requirements in one of my previous classes where the instructor expressly forbid using material previously presented to another course for grading. I have done this more than once.

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    Generally--although it doesn't sound like it's the case here, but generally--if I have to ask, "Is this cheating?" it is.

    Lucky you if you can pull this off! I wish I had assignments like that.

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    Yes, it is cheating. Unless you get permission from your instructors you could get charged with self plagiarism.

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    If she was literally using chunks of one assignment to fulfill the other, then it would be self-plagiarism. But it sounded to me like she's writing one paper, and answering questions on another.

    I think this concept is ridiculous, but whatever, I also think you die from not breathing, eating, and peeing, but live if you don't have sex. So there you go.

    Look here:

    http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/plagiarism/plagiarism.pdf

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    • Author
    If she was literally using chunks of one assignment to fulfill the other, then it would be self-plagiarism. But it sounded to me like she's writing one paper, and answering questions on another.

    I think this concept is ridiculous, but whatever, I also think you die from not breathing, eating, and peeing, but live if you don't have sex. So there you go.

    Look here:

    http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/plagiarism/plagiarism.pdf

    This was particularly helpful. Thank you!

    And thanks to everyone who commented. I just needed to mull this around in my mind and hear some other thoughts. My coworkers think it's ridiculous to do the assignment twice. I'm going to have to look at the requirements more thoroughly, but it seems to me it could fall under self-plagiarism under some interpretations, and I don't want to go there.

    I'll be honest, I have never ever heard the term "self plagiarism" before, and snorted my coffee out my nose when I read HeartsWideOpen's comment. Learn something new every day.

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    The easiest way around "self-plagiarism" (never heard of such a thing) is to reference oneself where appropriate. However, using the same source materials does not constitute autoplagiarism; only using the same opinions or conclusions.

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    The easiest way around "self-plagiarism" (never heard of such a thing) is to reference oneself where appropriate. However using the same source materials does not constitute autoplagiarism; only using the same opinions or conclusions.[/quote']

    OP, I'd check with your Prof's. We're not allowed to cite ourselves....even with the citation, it's considered self-plagiarism.

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    Hmm. Learn something new every day. How ridiculous is that self plagiarism crap.

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    Self plagiarism most famously noted in the case of the singer John Fogerty. (ridiculous) Anyhow, I would probably lean on the side of caution & use different articles

    For each. I am kind of a paranoid person though. Good luck!

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    I've done this before, as long as the instructors are different and the class is different. I will edit it to be more focused to the assignment, but as long as it's relevant, I really don't see the big deal. I did have an English teacher that made a point to say that we could not use a previous paper as a rough draft, so I made sure to do everything from scratch in her class because she was likely to check.

    I think that self-plagiarism is one of the dumbest concepts out there, regardless. But I'm also someone that thinks this culture of citing a source every other sentence because your instructors assume you can never make a logical conclusion yourself, and MUST have stolen it from someone that you aren't giving credit, makes for worse articles and reports as well.

    Make sure that you're fulfilling the requirements of each assignment and I can't really think they can say much as long as they aren't the same assignment verbatim.

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