Jin Seong,
Hello, and happy new year.
> In fact. I don't understand my grade.
Well, let me explain it to you. At the beginning of semester, I told
people that anyone who cheats on their essays fails the class. I said
this several times during the semester, but also several times at the
BEGINNING of semester.
Worse, you didn't come and talk to me about your plagiarism until it
was necessary. You didn't approach me after the class when I discussed
plagiarism, right after the essays were graded. You didn't talk to me.
And even worse, you plagiarized more than 90% of your essay. If I
remember correctly, almost 100% of it was plagiarised from ONE
website.
Now, Jin Seong, I make a few assumptions about my students. I assume
that they are adults. I assume that they are willing to face the
consequences of their actions. It would be different if I hadn't said
anything about plagiarism. Then I wouldn't fail you, I'd give you a D
and leave it at that. But I WARNED you.
I have a lot of sympathy for a student who came from the countryside.
I also come from the countryside in my country, however, and from a
family that couldn't even afford me to live in a dormitory. So I
understand. But I don't feel sympathy if you think I should overlook
your cheating because you're from the country. I'm sorry, but you
cheated, in a course where I said several times in the first few
weeks, "If you cheat, you will fail."
This isn't a question of mercy. It's a question of academic standards,
and you know what? In English, "rigorous" is a good word, not a bad
one. It means systematic, following a fair and equal system for all
people.
And honestly, if you had come to see me during the semester, I would
have been a little more merciful. I would have given you a big and
terrible piece of homework to make up for cheating, and then given you
an F on the essay, and maybe you could have gotten a D in the class.
But you didn't come to me on your own initiative. You ignored the
problem. You ignored your responsibility as a student. This is the
consequence of that.
> Maybe my participant grade is perfect. And my blogging number is also perfect.
And those things are worth less than 50% of the grade. That doesn't
count for much. (And no, your participation grade is not perfect --
almost nobody got a perfect participation grade, in fact.) Besides, as
you admit, you didn't do your form projects -- you only did two out of
six. That also gives you a very low mark on your form mastery project.
In fact, even just based on your course work there's no grade I can
give you that would let you pass the class.
> I did a mistake during the semester. It was a plagiarism. I am really sorry.
That's good. That means you won't do it again. And if you're really
sorry, you'll accept the F in the class as a consequence of that.
> I admit my bad faith. I am really sorry.
Jin Seong, admitting bad faith months after the fact is not good
enough. Admitting bad faith because you're trying to bargain you way
out of the consequences is just not right. It's not an adult
behaviour.
I'm sorry, but the grade remains as it is: F. This is not personal. I
have nothing against you, and if you take a class from me again, there
will be a clean slate. (I will try not to remember your plagiarism.)
However, this time, I think it's unfair to other students, and to the
dignity of the university, to change it.
I hope you have better luck next semester, and never, ever cheat again
in any of your classes. I sincerely wish you a happy new year and good
luck with next semester.
Gord