Wednesday, May 06, 2009

And so it concludes...

I found something this morning that incontrovertibly proves the student plagiarized the paper. Something I can photocopy and send off to the Dean if it were to go that far. But I know it won't. Because I'm making a copy of that very thing and attaching it to the student's grade sheet, to show why she got the big fat smokin' ZERO that she did.

I have alternated this morning between doing the "smug dance" and feeling giant relief.

While I'm UNHAPPY the incident happened, I'm relieved that I can now prove it, and that my suspicions were spot-on. (And that my department chair will not have to stick her neck out for me). And that this student really can't reasonably do anything other than apologize for her actions. She can't pull the "No, I didn't copy" because the papers are IDENTICAL. She can't pull the "feel sorry for me" card, because I'm fresh out of sympathy.

(And this is all because I'm a slob who never gets rid of things when a normal person would. Score one for packrattery.)

3 comments:

nightfly said...

Hang 'em high, Professor. And good for you for catching the cheating. It's a win for the honest workers, and heaven knows you've earned all the credit.

If you change your mind about the drink, I'll have a margarita on standby for you.

Cullen said...

I'm still sorry for the situation, but glad you found that document.

Kate P said...

I am sorry you had to expend all that time on such a terrible thing, but I'm glad it panned out. Score one for the good guys.