Academic Integrity Question: WWYD

[Imdanny]

Wouldn''t it be better to look at the subject from the fresh perspective of the new professor and just do the new work the new professor wants you to do? Academic integrity isn''t a kind of/ sort of/ maybe type situation, you either follow the rules, or you don''t.

 

[Shoopy]

Date: 6/1/2009 5:41:11 PM
Author: Allison D.
I have to say, I don''t see the furor about recycling the paper.

It is YOUR work; not someone else''s. Unless your ideology has somehow changed since the last paper, writing the same topic again would bear substantially similar ideas and thoughts.

The whole notion of ''self-plagarism'' is ridiculous to me; it''s an oxymoron. You can''t ''steal'' from yourself. It shouldn''t matter when you did the work as long as you did it. If you were bright enough to have previously produced something that still holds merit today, I don''t see why you shouldn''t or couldn''t use it.

+1

I recycled my papers all the time and had zero problem doing so. The topics of papers to write in business school (grad) were all similar and I worked full-time. The only difference amongst the papers was to cater to the specific questions for the class. If it was marketing, I''d incorporate marketing theories. If it was accounting, I''d discuss the financial statements. But I always used the same outline.

 

[AdiS]

Date: 6/2/2009 8:11:40 AM
Author: Imdanny
Wouldn''t it be better to look at the subject from the fresh perspective of the new professor and just do the new work the new professor wants you to do? Academic integrity isn''t a kind of/ sort of/ maybe type situation, you either follow the rules, or you don''t.

Danny, her fist paper was on Juvenile Justice and new one is on juvenile delinquency. She has already expressed her thoughts/opinions in the first paper. Isn''t it kinda pointless to start writing the new paper from scratch since it''s basically the same thing? I''m under the impression that lucky is pretty consistent in her views and opinions so I can''t really imagine her changing her beliefs in order to think of something different to say in the new work. She could slightly change the perspective, I guess, but I really don''t see why she couldn''t use at least parts of her old paper.

Lucky, I think talking to your professor was indeed the best way to go. And, just for the record, I have recycled a few of my old papers for new courses in the past.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Honestly...as tempting as it may be, seeing as how all that hard work was more or less wasted...I''d either avoid it all together, or use the same topic and research but totally overhaul the original paper. You don''t want to have to even worry about any accusations or reprocussions down the road. But, then again, I always err on the side of caution.

 

[UCLABelle]

I was once asked to write a nearly identical paper in one of my masters programs (I completed two). So, I asked my faculty advisor for advice---mine was more along the content, books, etc. I was told that it technically is not ethical. Regardless of whether or not you were graded, the paper and time you devoted to one course, should not be used for another. She interestingly said that I would be "cheating myself". I agree with her. I wrote an additional, and new 30 page paper on a nearly identical subject. What I found out? it was a better paper, I learned more, and I did the right thing by doing it.

Now, this is NOT to say that I didn''t have some similar language, and I did take some quotes, etc from my paper...but it was about 98% new/original.

 

[swimmer]

Date: 6/1/2009 7:12:49 PM
Author: Elmorton
Ok, here''s my take and I''m a writing prof:


Recycling your own work is dishonest IF you are passing it off as a ''NEW'' paper. Simply go to your current professor, explain the situation, and say that since you never received a grade/feedback on the first essay, you''d like to revise the same essay to fit the parameter of this course''s assignment so that you can actually benefit and learn from the work that you''ve already done.


I''ve had students come to me with similar situations before (believe it or not) and I''ve allowed an essay that was previously written but not submitted for a grade/published to be used in my course.


ETA: I didn''t see that you''d already followed my advice (because others said it first, haha)! Excellent I''m glad it''s working out! Also, Circe - great explanation.

Ditto.

Lucky, glad you chatted with your prof. Hopefully you will get more out of this semester''s class than last semester''s. I just wanted to comment since it was suggested that you cite yourself...only do that if you published that paper (which it really sounds like did not happen). I gag when my students cite themselves, their roommates, or even my lectures. That isn''t where the information originated and indicates both a lack of awareness of any style manual and general laziness. Cite yourself once you are the definitive published expert on the topic.

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 6/2/2009 9:10:09 AM
Author: AdiS
Danny, her fist paper was on Juvenile Justice and new one is on juvenile delinquency. She has already expressed her thoughts/opinions in the first paper. Isn''t it kinda pointless to start writing the new paper from scratch since it''s basically the same thing? I''m under the impression that lucky is pretty consistent in her views and opinions so I can''t really imagine her changing her beliefs in order to think of something different to say in the new work. She could slightly change the perspective, I guess, but I really don''t see why she couldn''t use at least parts of her old paper.

Lucky, I think talking to your professor was indeed the best way to go. And, just for the record, I have recycled a few of my old papers for new courses in the past.

Yes, I took a Juvenile Justice System course last semester and we were able to choose whatever topic we wanted to write about as long as it tied to juvenile justice in some way. The paper I wrote is titled "Juvenile Delinquency: Meeting the Needs of Girls in a System Catered to Boys" and it basically talked about how girls differ psychologically from boys, what type of crimes they are committing, and how their needs aren''t being met as they move through the system (for example, a pregnant teenager that is detained may not have access to prenatal care).

The course I''m taking this summer is another criminal justice course titled "Crime and Delinquency", and once again we are being given free reign over what topic we pick--as long as it ties into the material somehow. Flipping through the text I noticed that it''s basically like I''m taking the same course over again. Hopefully I''ll get more out of it!

 

[hisdiamondgirl]

Date: 6/2/2009 8:56:44 AM
Author: fiery

Date: 6/1/2009 5:41:11 PM
Author: Allison D.
I have to say, I don''t see the furor about recycling the paper.

It is YOUR work; not someone else''s. Unless your ideology has somehow changed since the last paper, writing the same topic again would bear substantially similar ideas and thoughts.

The whole notion of ''self-plagarism'' is ridiculous to me; it''s an oxymoron. You can''t ''steal'' from yourself. It shouldn''t matter when you did the work as long as you did it. If you were bright enough to have previously produced something that still holds merit today, I don''t see why you shouldn''t or couldn''t use it.

+1

I recycled my papers all the time and had zero problem doing so. The topics of papers to write in business school (grad) were all similar and I worked full-time. The only difference amongst the papers was to cater to the specific questions for the class. If it was marketing, I''d incorporate marketing theories. If it was accounting, I''d discuss the financial statements. But I always used the same outline.

+ another one. This is not something I ever thought about and was never emphasized as a problem by the school. I recycled papers a number of times, and I guess I''m just glad I never got into any trouble. But, I''m also glad I never thought of it as a problem and didn''t have one more thing to stress over!