Plagiarism Charges

[lpn2rn11]

Hey everyone, looking for some help!!! Currently in a LPN to RN bridge program that has a very good name but appears this year, to us, to be a complete mess with a huge lack of communication! Our class has been doing what they call concept maps. Basically we go over disease processes for what section we're in such as Cirrhosis, Chrons, etc. for GI/GU and we write out pathophys., nursing intervention, diagnoses, etc. We present in front of the class so we all learn from it. We have done six all year and NOONE has ever cited. They have told us all along for worksheets and assignments like that, that we don't need to source since we're only using our textbook. We always do reference pages, in text citing, etc. for our papers according to APA guidelines. These maps are simply bulleted lists to help us all learn, not sentences copied from the book. Also, according to APA guidelines, you don't have to source facts that can be found in many sources such as textbooks or encyclopedias. Well, apparently, 2 groups cut and pasted directly from the internet so the instructor went and reviewed everyone's posters. 6/9 groups got 0 and said due to plagiarism, first and last warning. She said it should have been in our own words-can't exactly put the pathophys. of these processes in my own words! Or, if I did, it wouldn't be what she wanted. Some people are on the border with grades now since finals are in one week and want to fight this esp. since it's the first we have heard all year of citing these maps and we started in July! Sorry it took so long to explain, but if anyone has any advice or knowledge about this, please let me know!!! Thanks so much!!

[sunnysideup09]

I'm sorry it has happened, but every nursing program has a handbook and I'm sure if you looked in it, it will discuss plagiarism. Take it as a lesson learned...you should be glad they didn't kick you out of nursing school. Cutting and pasting from the Internet only hurts yourself since you're not learning anything. You can fight it, but why take a chance that even a harsher consequences will be given?

I would address the communication issue, if you believe there is one, but first look at your syllabus and nursing handbook. It may have the answer you are looking for! Best of luck! Keep your head high. You'll make it through...don't let this ruin your chance of becoming an RN.

[jbjints]

Plagiarism is a big no-no. In your post you said that the professors said "we don't need to source since we're only using our textbook." Obviously those two groups were not just using their textbooks. In every class that I have taken up to this point, each and every professor has mentioned plagiarism and have told us that we would be removed from the program if we plagiarize.

Take it as a lesson learned and leave it alone. A professor of mine has told me that what he does when reading a paper is type in a sentence from the paper to see what he finds, this is most likely what your professor did. Plagiarism is a serious offense and in most schools you are removed from the program.

[avahnel, ASN, RN]

In our program we have to put together a textbook picture, and concept maps. There is a place at the bottom for sources. They don't have to be in APA format, but we do have to say where we found the info (even if the source is our textbook). Just take it as a lesson learned. Talk to your instructor if you feel you need to, but then drop it.

[lpn2rn11]

Just to be clear, my group did not do the pasting from internet, just put things such as pathophys. from book.This was a bulleted list, not copied sentences. According to our resources, if it is a known fact found in multiple sources, you don't need to quote, that's why we are so confused.

[avahnel, ASN, RN]

Was your group penalized? If so I would talk to your instructor. Just remember an important rule in nursing is CYA.

[JBudd, MSN]

I think the problem here is if you used the text list word for word, that means you have to cite it. Even if the information is commonly found, you used the text's format.

Sometimes it is hard to come up with alternative wording for pathophys, if you can't then CYA with a citation.

I've dinged students for not citing things, especially when the copy/paste is very blatant. Some internet sources aren't authoritative either, you can end up using bad data (I had some definitions pasted in that were geological, not physiological, in nature, NOT what they were supposed to be learning).