Prompt #8: Plagiarism

Plagiarism: the meaning behind the word is as scary as it sounds. This word haunts students dream across the world. Plagiarism is when one person copies another persons work. Most people don't want to write like anyone else, but some students are so lazy that they steal other peoples work and turn it in as there own. This in turn provides the world with the term known as plagiarism.

Plagiarism is something that students can easily avoid, but chose to dabble in it from time to time any way. That problem goes hand in hand with trying to spread the word about it and how to get students and faculty involved in changing a plagiarism policy at a college. 

For an English group project my class altered our school's plagiarism policy. When we first got the assignment I did not realize just how much changing my group would want to do. I thought to myself, "this is a college document, how much altering can it need." Turns out, quite a lot. This policy was not up to the standards it needed to be to protect students rights. There were many unclear statements made and consequences that did not sit well with me or my group. The most important thing after editing this policy is that it become known. This policy has one of the lowest rhetorical velocities that I've ever seen. Before this project, I didn't even know there was a plagiarism policy. I figured it was just "don't do it and you won't get thrown out of school." Well, I was wrong and I'm sure many other students think the same way. 

That's the first thing wrong with this policy. No one knows about it. I would go about trying to get this policies rhetorical velocity up by getting more students involved. The more behind something someone is the more rhetorical velocity it will have and the more effective it will become. I would go about getting it seen by a wider audience by publishing it in the campus newspaper. The campus newspaper is more effective in rhetorical velocity then many probably think. Most all campus newspapers can be found online. What can people do online? Answer: THEY CAN SHARE!!!! Bingo, we have a winner. The more this policy gets shared the more people care about it and the more likely it is that something will get done about it. This is an effective way to spread the policy, because if other students care and want it to change then I'm probably right in thinking that it needs to be changed. The higher the rhetorical velocity, the more important it suddenly becomes in the eyes of others. 

Once I get people interested in it, then it's time to take it to a higher power. Taking the policy to a higher power is something that will be more effective in the actual final stages of it getting the policy changed. Hopefully, the powers above in the higher status positions on campus will change the policy for the better of the students and it will make the campus a more writing friendly place.

The policy getting changed is an important issue on all campus's that needs attention. I just hope more people pay attention to what they write and how they write it. Plagiarism is a scary issue, but if you stay away and JUST DON'T DO IT, then you should be fine. 

Have a lovely day, always remember to stop and enjoy the sunshine. 

~Kelsey 

Symbol by: Nike 

Saying by: Kelsey