Scenarios on Plagiarism

Working in Groups

First Student: "It has been great being in the homework group with Alex. Alex has a real gift for explaining things and has helped me to see the big picture in many of our homework assignments. I learn a lot from the way Alex writes down the steps in her reasoning. We are supposed to write up the problems on our own, but I really like to write-up the problem step by step in just the way that Alex describes. Is that okay?"

Second Student: "Yeah, I think it is great having Alex in the group, too. I would never have time to do the homework without her. I just listen and write down what she says. I ask her for any details that I miss. She can't very well refuse me, since she also helps others and I am her sorority sister."

Overwhelmed

I am a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering. I am writing up a report on the research I have been conducting. I feel overwhelmed by the assignment. I am afraid that if I do not do well on this assignment I will lose (or next semester not get) funding support and will have to leave school. One of my friends has helped me find some literature on the subject, and I believe I have correctly selected the parts relevant to my topic. I have copied those parts into my paper and reworded a few things. I was careful not to change much, because I am afraid that in changing the phrasing I will introduce errors. I wonder how many of those works I should put in the bibliography to my paper. If I leave out too many, it may look as though I did not review the relevant literature, but if I include them, the instructor may more easily see how much I borrowed from them.

• What should I do?

English Skills

I am a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering and writing up a report on the research I have been conducting. I believe that I have identified and correctly referenced all the relevant literature in the bibliography for my paper, but I am having some problems with the write-up itself, because my English skills are weak and the supervising professor has often said he does not understand what I am saying. The literature I have reviewed seems to be written in clear English. I want to use it as a model of how to phrase things.

• How should I proceed?

Not My Field

I am a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering and am writing up a report on the research I have been conducting. I believe that I have identified and correctly referenced all the relevant literature in the bibliography for my paper, but I am having some problems with the write-up of the parts that deal with the medical side of this issue, because medicine is not my field. I want to rely heavily on the medical literature for the most clear and accurate description of the medical end of things.

• Can I do that, and if so, how?