I am emailing you in regards to my online assignments. Today I signed in and saw that I had handed in an assignment online last week, but I never did because unfortunately I waited til sunday night to do my assignment and my laptop suddlenly had a virus. I couldn't have possibly do the assignment without a computer. To top it all off the assignment is plagirized. I would never do something like this. What can I do to fix this, and who can I talk to help me?
Did not plagiarize Debby
E-mail I would like to send:
Dear Debby -
So you are telling me that someone logged into your account and purposely uploaded a plagiarized assignment? If that's the case you have some friends or family that you need to have a few words with. Maybe it was that computer virus that you had? I've heard those things can be rather evil. Either way, it is your responsibility as you are supposed to be the only one who had access to your account. Enjoy the rather large zero in your grade.
Cynical Optimist.
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ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a soap opera plot. I think I'd (1) check that the assignment is, indeed, plagiarized, then (2) refer her to the tech support folks in an email cc'd to whoever runs your Honor Council or similar body. She's probably just generating drama to try to get out of a hole she realizes she's dug, but false reporting of a crime (which is basically what she's doing here) is a serious matter, and she needs to learn that (also, of course, if a crime did occur, it needs to be investigated; I suppose it's remotely possible that someone does have it in for her, though the coincidence with the virus seems unlikely). Whether the advice above is appropriate does, of course, depend on the competence of both your IT folks and your honor process. If in doubt, I'd seek advice from my chair/program director about whom to contact. This needs to be taken seriously, but not escalate into WWIII, if only because you've undoubtedly got plenty of other students to tend to.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'm really rather impressed with Debby. This is genuinely innovative.
ReplyDelete@CC -I don't know, I think I'd just go with CO's solution. "Debby, honey, here's your 0 for the assignment. If you really want to pursue it, the consequences may be unpleasant, and not for me. Your choice."
ReplyDeleteI once had a computer virus that changed all my brilliant A+ papers into mediocre B- papers and I didn't notice till they were handed back. It also logged into my Paypal and spent too much money on etsy.com. For it's final act of sheer evil it hacked into my Facebook and played Farmville for a week.
ReplyDeleteAlthough admittedly, the crops it grew were beautiful.
@Anastasia, never go away again!
ReplyDeleteI second CC's motion. If you're an undergrad (I think somewhere you said you were), there's hope. Hell, there's hope even if you're a grad student.
ReplyDeleteI've had this excuse before. I tell them I have to accept what's turned in, they should double check, and it's a violation of policy to let anyone else use their accounts. Students drop it after that.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!