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From: kens@hpldola.HP.COM (Ken Shrum)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Re: Cheating on Assignments (Grey ?)
Message-ID: <11370003@hpldola.HP.COM>
Date: Fri, 24-Apr-87 14:21:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpldola.11370003
Posted: Fri Apr 24 14:21:23 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 2-May-87 02:11:37 EDT
References: <1404@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: HP Logic Design Oper. - Colo Sp
Lines: 63

As usual, my fuzzy command of English gets me into trouble.  Allow me
to explain what I mean.

The objective of taking a course is to learn.  Grades are some
indication of how much you've learned, although this doesn't
necessarily hold with bell curve grading systems.  It has been pointed
out elsewhere in this discussion that *ultimately* a cheater cheats
noone but him/herself.  Again, I realize that sometimes this is not
true - degrees from school X where cheating is prevalent lose their
value;  in curve-graded courses someone elses decreased grade keeps
them out of grad school, loses them their scholarship or reduces job
offers.  It is my experience, however, that *most* places recognize
that grades are only an indicator, so that references and interviews
must be used to find out what someone knows and how well they may use
that knowledge.

Re: disallowed references, etc.

> So lets see now. If we get a student who has read a certain book
> before taking the class and comes to this assignment with those 
> stipulations, the student should disqualify himself and probably
> drop the class.

My apologies, I had meant to imply that you shouldn't use such
references during the course of completing the assignment.  I have seen
very few courses (some, though) that disallow certain prior knowledge.
I mention background knowledge further on explicitly as not being
cheating.

Re:  grey and non-grey.

If instructions are ambiguous, by which I mean they may be legitimately
interpreted in multiple ways, then *any* such interpretation may be
allowed.  By legitimate I mean that an impartial group would agree that
yes, those instructions could be interpreted by an honest person in
that manner.

I hate this.  I just want to assume that everyone's honest and treat
them with respect and trust.  Let me fall back on an argument of
Pirsig's - you *know* when someone has cheated, just as you can discern
which of two pictures you like better.  It's not analytical, but it
works.  If there's doubt, let it go.  If it appears to be a
misunderstanding, give that person a second assignment and agree on the
groundrules.

>  Well, then I have to wish that all the classes that you take in the
>  future, everyone in the class except you has taken it, that you are
>  as bright as everyone else in the class, and the professor strongly
>  believes in the bell curve grading system. I then wish that this
>  luck follow you through your life. (Nothing personal, because this
>  should not bother you. It is not an unfair disadvantage as you have
>  stated above.)

You assume that I'm taking a course to get a grade.  I'm taking it to
learn.  If they're all that good, I'll find out.  If I care about the
grade, I'll do as much work as I need to.  And you're right, how well
other people do in the course doesn't bother me, though I might wonder
why they're there.

>    edwards@unix.macc.wisc.edu

	Ken Shrum
	hpldola!kenh: