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Reply 1100
Original post by wes
Well, I'm not in favour of plagiarism or exam cheating, obviously, but it seems like the latter is generally accepted as a fact of life and not worth doing anything about (I'm talking about university, not schools where exams are supervised rigorously), whereas the former appears to be akin to grevious bodily harm/genocide.

Erm, what makes you think that exam invigilation is any less 'rigorous' for university exams than it is at A-level?:s-smilie:
Reply 1101
Original post by hobnob
Erm, what makes you think that exam invigilation is any less 'rigorous' for university exams than it is at A-level?:s-smilie:


Because university invigilation is one person who goes off for a coffee and a cigarette from time to time, whereas school involves a small army of invigilators patrolling regularly.
Original post by wes
Because university invigilation is one person who goes off for a coffee and a cigarette from time to time, whereas school involves a small army of invigilators patrolling regularly.


Someone should tell my uni that invigilators are allowed fag breaks :colonhash:
Reply 1103
Original post by wes
Because university invigilation is one person who goes off for a coffee and a cigarette from time to time, whereas school involves a small army of invigilators patrolling regularly.

Not at my university, it isn't.:lolwut: Invigilators aren't allowed to leave the room unless there's a fire alarm or unless there's another invigilator to stand in for them temporarily (for example if they need a loo break). When I sat my finals, there were about ten invigilators, who were constantly on the move and strategically spread across the exam hall to ensure maximum coverage. Whenever I looked up to check the time on the clock, I found an invigilator staring right at me, and from what I know of other people's finals experiences, all university exams are like that. Even when somebody has to take his exams in college for health-related reasons, an invigilator has to watch them at all times. Which is handy for postgraduates because invigilating exams in college is an easy, well-paid job - the only downside is that it's extremely dull because you're not supposed to do anything except watch the student and write a detailed exam log.
Original post by hobnob
Not at my university, it isn't.:lolwut: Invigilators aren't allowed to leave the room unless there's a fire alarm or unless there's another invigilator to stand in for them temporarily (for example if they need a loo break). When I sat my finals, there were about ten invigilators, who were constantly on the move and strategically spread across the exam hall to ensure maximum coverage. Whenever I looked up to check the time on the clock, I found an invigilator staring right at me, and from what I know of other people's finals experiences, all university exams are like that. Even when somebody has to take his exams in college for health-related reasons, an invigilator has to watch them at all times. Which is handy for postgraduates because invigilating exams in college is an easy, well-paid job - the only downside is that it's extremely dull because you're not supposed to do anything except watch the student and write a detailed exam log.


Just to add to hobnob's comments; I looked after people who took exams separately for health reasons. There were two situations. First of all, the student just needed to use a computer, which meant they were in a computer room with other students and I was only looking after those from the modern languages (three at most, if I remember). I could obviously leave the room if I had to, because there were invigilators from other schools and faculties; and I often helped out those who had more students. Secondly, the person did not need a computer and was taking exams separately for health reasons, which meant they took their exam on their own with me. If they needed the bathroom I had to go with them. If they needed to have a lunch break then I had to go with them. At no point were they 'alone', and their exam paper never left my sight.

Thankfully I never had to write an exam log, and managed to get quite a lot of reading done! The pay was decent too.
Reply 1105
Wow. You're/were all at really strict universities. We were pretty much allowed to have conversations.
Cambridge used Turnitin at undergrad and beyond, and our invigilation was very strict. I wrote all my exams alone in a college room and had a postgrad invigilator who never left the room. And once in awhile a Proctor would turn up and inspect the situation to make sure it was done right.
Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi
The thing with plagiarism is that we all do it just not often consciously. For example a published article by my former supervisor can be pulled apart and almost everything shown to be pulled from an entirely separate source. It's not referenced as such but you can tell. It's not a lack of integrity to say that actually plagiarism doesn't matter when it comes to undergraduate work. If the kids aren't willing to learn then they will be found out if the exam system is rigorous enough. If it isn't, then they will be found out in other ways.

Speak for yourself!
(edited 12 years ago)
I think the difference here is between being unintentionally influenced by ideas, and not recognising the origin when we come to write about them, slightly dodgy referencing, and lifting paragraphs wholesale. I think most people however well intentioned might slip into the first two on occasion but I hope would agree that the second is pretty awful and ought to be automatically in third/fail territory if it's found out.
Reply 1108
Hmm...maybe kind of linked to this discussion:

"Apparently, Britons are becoming less honest. At least according to a recent study conducted at the University of Essex, where several thousand respondents filled out an online survey that repeated questions from a study on citizenship and behavior conducted in 2000. According to researcher Paul Whiteley, the purpose of the study was to try to gain an idea of the level of dishonesty in British society, and moreover, what’s considered acceptable and whether that has altered over time."
More: http://danariely.com/2012/02/26/looming-integrity-crisis/

(disclaimer: I haven't read the original study yet, just his summary of it)
Ugh, sometime when I go to work (and charge my laptop) in the Wetherspoons up the road, it's quiet and I can be quite productive. Other times, like today, I end up sat next to a table full of cackling middle-aged women and all hope of concentrating is out the window! :mad:
Reply 1110
On other matters, I need to write some sort of summary on brain tumours for publication and I have writer's block. Urgh.
Reply 1111
Original post by IlexAquifolium
I think the difference here is between being unintentionally influenced by ideas, and not recognising the origin when we come to write about them, slightly dodgy referencing, and lifting paragraphs wholesale. I think most people however well intentioned might slip into the first two on occasion but I hope would agree that the second is pretty awful and ought to be automatically in third/fail territory if it's found out.


PRSOM, I couldn't have said this better (and I've tried). Any plagiarism policy needs to clearly distinguish between the first two and the last of these.

Original post by sj27
Hmm...maybe kind of linked to this discussion:

"Apparently, Britons are becoming less honest. At least according to a recent study conducted at the University of Essex, where several thousand respondents filled out an online survey that repeated questions from a study on citizenship and behavior conducted in 2000. According to researcher Paul Whiteley, the purpose of the study was to try to gain an idea of the level of dishonesty in British society, and moreover, what’s considered acceptable and whether that has altered over time."
More: http://danariely.com/2012/02/26/looming-integrity-crisis/

(disclaimer: I haven't read the original study yet, just his summary of it)


I :suith: Dan Ariely. Though that study is shocking.
One thing you learn very quickly at Oxford: You have no friends because everyone stays inside all the time everyday. Useless ****ers. Sport? music? any sort of outside interest? Not in my friend circle apparently.
Reply 1113
Original post by The Lyceum
One thing you learn very quickly at Oxford: You have no friends because everyone stays inside all the time everyday. Useless ****ers. Sport? music? any sort of outside interest? Not in my friend circle apparently.

Who was that supposed to be aimed at?:p:
Reply 1114
Original post by Drogue

I :suith: Dan Ariely. Though that study is shocking.


Have had the great pleasure of seeing him speak. And am in the annoying habit of recommending Predictably Irrational to all and sundry.
Original post by hobnob
Who was that supposed to be aimed at?:p:


Just...everyone.

Original post by Athena
Mate, get better friends... (I say this having turned down the chance to walk to Grantchester with an old friend from Oxford, but I am going swimming in 45 mins...)


I know...I guess part of it is that I just can't be arsed because I know I'm only here for a year really, so I figured that any course friends I'd make would be sufficient. My college buddies are all...well...into things I'm definitely not (politics, news, the economy, current events etc)

I figured my coursemates and I would share at least one salient interest i.e the course but no one is really that into anything bar what they directly study (if these are future Classicists the discipline is ****ed btw) and no one really does anything. It's a case of library/home with everybody.

Lately I'm really missing my old uni friends, whether it was fencing, thai boxing or even just the local pub/playing xbox* there was always a few people to do something with or just talk with. It's the complete opposite here really. I think out of the 40 or so people I'm in reasonable contact with I count 1 as a friend.

Meh it's just a year anyway, I suspect MA courses anywhere are like this since no one can be arsed, right? If I stay I hope it picks up.


* In my case try to play despite the computer being a cheating bastard.
Original post by The Lyceum
Just...everyone.



I know...I guess part of it is that I just can't be arsed because I know I'm only here for a year really, so I figured that any course friends I'd make would be sufficient. My college buddies are all...well...into things I'm definitely not (politics, news, the economy, current events etc)

I figured my coursemates and I would share at least one salient interest i.e the course but no one is really that into anything bar what they directly study (if these are future Classicists the discipline is ****ed btw) and no one really does anything. It's a case of library/home with everybody.

Lately I'm really missing my old uni friends, whether it was fencing, thai boxing or even just the local pub/playing xbox* there was always a few people to do something with or just talk with. It's the complete opposite here really. I think out of the 40 or so people I'm in reasonable contact with I count 1 as a friend.

Meh it's just a year anyway, I suspect MA courses anywhere are like this since no one can be arsed, right? If I stay I hope it picks up.


* In my case try to play despite the computer being a cheating bastard.


Just hang out in the college JCR. Undergraduates are always looking for opportunities to waste time.
I just got n00b repped for a post that I made four years ago. Odd or what.
Happens all the time. Be glad it wasn't neg.
Yeah, I recently got negged for a maths question I answered six and a half years ago.