[splodge88]

Hello!
I'm thinking of taking a GAP year and reapplying again in the next cycle.
My question is this: is it acceptable to reuse parts of your first personal statement? (having already applied with it for the first cycle of UCAS)
Obviously, UCAS has plagiarism software in place, so I wondered if it would pick up on reusing parts of your own personal statement again and disallow it?
I would not plan to reuse all of it, but possibly a few key phrases etc.
Help appreciated
Thanks

[TheSownRose]

You can reuse the entire PS, if you wish. The plagiarism software will pick it up, but then the person investigating will see that it's the same author and let it through - self plagiarism exists, but not for the purposes of UCAS.

This is nullified if you have posted your PS to a public part of the internet (such as the PS library here or on another website; NOT the PS Help forums, they are safe.) If you have, you can't safely reuse your PS.

[splodge88]

Thanks that's really helpful exactly what I needed to know.

[DeelyBopper]

(Original post by TheSownRose)
You can reuse the entire PS, if you wish. The plagiarism software will pick it up, but then the person investigating will see that it's the same author and let it through - self plagiarism exists, but not for the purposes of UCAS.

This is nullified if you have posted your PS to a public part of the internet (such as the PS library here or on another website; NOT the PS Help forums, they are safe.) If you have, you can't safely reuse your PS.

Hi,

I am too considering reapplying next year, however I have pm'ed on this website a few people who wanted to see my personal statement - do you know if it's still okay for me to use it? Or will it come up plagiarised? I don't know if the pm system is 'safe' like the ps help forums!


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[tdkr]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
Hi,

I am too considering reapplying next year, however I have pm'ed on this website a few people who wanted to see my personal statement - do you know if it's still okay for me to use it? Or will it come up plagiarised? I don't know if the pm system is 'safe' like the ps help forums!


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i would not have shown ANYONE my personal statement on the internet anywhere; only my teachers and tutors could see mine

[Good bloke]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
Hi,

I am too considering reapplying next year, however I have pm'ed on this website a few people who wanted to see my personal statement - do you know if it's still okay for me to use it? Or will it come up plagiarised? I don't know if the pm system is 'safe' like the ps help forums!


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Your problem here is not that UCAS can see PMs (which it can't) but that the people you PM'd it to may have used parts, or even all, of it in their applications.

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
Hi,

I am too considering reapplying next year, however I have pm'ed on this website a few people who wanted to see my personal statement - do you know if it's still okay for me to use it? Or will it come up plagiarised? I don't know if the pm system is 'safe' like the ps help forums!


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As Good bloke says, UCAS's plagiarism detector can't find the PMs. However, you have no way of knowing what those people did with it, so it would be far safer to not reuse any of it.

[DeelyBopper]

(Original post by tdkr)
i would not have shown ANYONE my personal statement on the internet anywhere; only my teachers and tutors could see mine

(Original post by Good bloke)
Your problem here is not that UCAS can see PMs (which it can't) but that the people you PM'd it to may have used parts, or even all, of it in their applications.

(Original post by TheSownRose)
As Good bloke says, UCAS's plagiarism detector can't find the PMs. However, you have no way of knowing what those people did with it, so it would be far safer to not reuse any of it.

The people I PM'ed it to I trust - and were also applying in the same cycle as me, so anything they would have copied would have already been detected. Thanks for letting me know about the PM's though

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
The people I PM'ed it to I trust - and were also applying in the same cycle as me, so anything they would have copied would have already been detected. Thanks for letting me know about the PM's though

It doesn't matter when they applied, it will still be held on file and if you match anything other than your own PS, you may find yourself getting it reported.

I really would suggest that you follow our advice.

[DeelyBopper]

(Original post by TheSownRose)
It doesn't matter when they applied, it will still be held on file and if you match anything other than your own PS, you may find yourself getting it reported.

I really would suggest that you follow our advice.

I'll message the people I sent it to to asses the situation - I'm pretty sure that none of them would be silly enough to copy my ps as they would have been caught out!

Hopefully this is just speculation anyway I'm just worried about not getting into my first/second choice!


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[Good bloke]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
I'll message the people I sent it to to asses the situation - I'm pretty sure that none of them would be silly enough to copy my ps as they would have been caught out!

But would whoever they might have passed it on to have the same good sense? You really have no idea where it might be - these are internet strangers.

[DeelyBopper]

(Original post by Good bloke)
But would whoever they might have passed it on to have the same good sense? You really have no idea where it might be - these are internet strangers.

Like I said, I'll ask them if they have passed it on before I make a judgement either way.


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[tdkr]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
Like I said, I'll ask them if they have passed it on before I make a judgement either way.


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they may not tell the truth though, 'students on TSR' are still strangers on the internet

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by DeelyBopper)
Like I said, I'll ask them if they have passed it on before I make a judgement either way.

You're obviously determined to go ahead and want us to say 'Yes, go on, it's ok'. Unfortunately, the reality is your plan is a very stupid idea, for several reason:

• People lie. You may get on well with someone on TSR, but they are still a stranger on TSR. Hell, I wouldn't have even trusted a good friend.
• Those people may have been unintentionally influenced. It's very easy to have the memory of something you've recently read in your subconscious, and have your own writing influenced by it without intending to copy.
• Can you remember everything you did a year ago? I can't; if someone contacted me to say "Hey, remember that letter I sent you last year - what exactly did you do with it, did you copy any of it or show it to anyone?", it's very possible that I wouldn't remember some detail to tell them.

I realise that we are not going to stop you and nothing I say will really make a difference, so I shall leave with this note: I hope that nothing bad comes of this. However, if it does, should we expect a 'Help, UCAS are saying I plagiarised my own personal statement' thread?

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by TheSownRose)
You're obviously determined to go ahead and want us to say 'Yes, go on, it's ok'. Unfortunately, the reality is your plan is a very stupid idea, for several reason:

• People lie. You may get on well with someone on TSR, but they are still a stranger on TSR. Hell, I wouldn't have even trusted a good friend.
• Those people may have been unintentionally influenced. It's very easy to have the memory of something you've recently read in your subconscious, and have your own writing influenced by it without intending to copy.
• Can you remember everything you did a year ago? I can't; if someone contacted me to say "Hey, remember that letter I sent you last year - what exactly did you do with it, did you copy any of it or show it to anyone?", it's very possible that I wouldn't remember some detail to tell them.

I realise that we are not going to stop you and nothing I say will really make a difference, so I shall leave with this note: I hope that nothing bad comes of this. However, if it does, should we expect a 'Help, UCAS are saying I plagiarised my own personal statement' thread?

Well said on all counts.

[DeelyBopper]

(Original post by TheSownRose)
You're obviously determined to go ahead and want us to say 'Yes, go on, it's ok'. Unfortunately, the reality is your plan is a very stupid idea, for several reason:

• People lie. You may get on well with someone on TSR, but they are still a stranger on TSR. Hell, I wouldn't have even trusted a good friend.
• Those people may have been unintentionally influenced. It's very easy to have the memory of something you've recently read in your subconscious, and have your own writing influenced by it without intending to copy.
• Can you remember everything you did a year ago? I can't; if someone contacted me to say "Hey, remember that letter I sent you last year - what exactly did you do with it, did you copy any of it or show it to anyone?", it's very possible that I wouldn't remember some detail to tell them.

I realise that we are not going to stop you and nothing I say will really make a difference, so I shall leave with this note: I hope that nothing bad comes of this. However, if it does, should we expect a 'Help, UCAS are saying I plagiarised my own personal statement' thread?

Your absolutely right - you won't convince me to do anything different than what I want to do - I understand the risks and I will be responsible for them. I trust my friend that when she says she hasn't copied it or sent it to anyone else that she hasn't.
You've answered my question about the pm's which is what I wanted to know, so thanks for that.



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