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Plagiarism help!!

Hi everybody,

I recently completed some coursework which involved taking photographs of structures [buildings, roads & bridges etc] and I got my mark back today but I am under investigation for plagiarism!

Basically, a group of us went around Bristol taking photos together BUT we all used our own cameras. The lecturer told us this was allowed as long as we didn't share photos which we honestly haven't [I haven't anyway, I can't say for the others].

I am having a meeting with the lecturer and I was thinking of taking my camera to prove I took my own photographs etc. What would you do in this situation? How can I prove I didn't share photos or use anybody elses?

Thanks!

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Sharing photos wouldn't come under plagiarism, it would be collusion...

Are you sure that's what the problem is?
Reply 2
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Original post by TheSownRose
Sharing photos wouldn't come under plagiarism, it would be collusion...

Are you sure that's what the problem is?


I looked at my coursework and it said "same as candidate xxxxxx" with the pictures circled.
Original post by M1F2R3
I looked at my coursework and it said "same as candidate xxxxxx" with the pictures circled.


Would appear it is, then.

Are they identical?
If you took pictures of the same building for the same purpose it will be plagiarism regardless of whether or not the pictures are identical...you copied each others idea.

eg. If the assignment was to find buildings with a certain style of architecture, and you found one you liked, and your friend decided to use it because they trust your judgement...that is plagiarism. Your friend would have used your judgement in their work.
(edited 13 years ago)
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Original post by TheSownRose
Would appear it is, then.

Are they identical?


The buildings are identical BUT the pictures are taken at slightly differnet angles, e.g. I was standing between two group members etc so the angle to the guys either side of me would be slightly out.
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Original post by morecambebay
If you took pictures of the same building for the same purpose it will be plagiarism regardless of whether or not the pictures are identical...you copied each others idea.

eg. If the assignment was to find buildings with a certain style of architecture, and you found one you liked, and your friend decided to use it because they trust your judgement...that is plagiarism. Your friend would have used your judgement in their work.


Why would it be? We were told to picture, for example, "a Georgian style house"... if we use the same house but at different angles then how is it cheating? Our lecturer said we can go out and work in groups as long as we take our own pictures, which we have.
Original post by M1F2R3
The buildings are identical BUT the pictures are taken at slightly differnet angles, e.g. I was standing between two group members etc so the angle to the guys either side of me would be slightly out.


If that's visible, there should be no problems - going out in a group but taking your own pictures doesn't violate any plagiarism/collusion rule that I know of, or that your uni seems to put in place.
Original post by M1F2R3
Why would it be? We were told to picture, for example, "a Georgian style house"... if we use the same house but at different angles then how is it cheating? Our lecturer said we can go out and work in groups as long as we take our own pictures, which we have.


because one of you will have told the other one that it was a georgian style house, not worked it out for yourselves.
Original post by morecambebay
because one of you will have told the other one that it was a georgian style house, not worked it out for yourselves.


But if they'd gone out and found this house by themselves, then by some fluke taken identical pictures of it, that wouldn't have been flagged up at all.

If the uni said they could go out in groups, I don't think they're taking judgement plagiarism into account, they're just not looking closely enough at these photos.
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Original post by morecambebay
because one of you will have told the other one that it was a georgian style house, not worked it out for yourselves.


To be fair, we had to do a write up on all of the structures explaining why they are designed in that way & typical attributes of the structure. We had done research before hand on the structures, we all knew what was what.
Original post by TheSownRose
But if they'd gone out and found this house by themselves, then by some fluke taken identical pictures of it, that wouldn't have been flagged up at all.

If the uni said they could go out in groups, I don't think they're taking judgement plagiarism into account, they're just not looking closely enough at these photos.


But it wasnt a fluke was it? they were together.

Being given permission to go out in groups is not the same as being given permission to work in groups.
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Original post by TheSownRose
If that's visible, there should be no problems - going out in a group but taking your own pictures doesn't violate any plagiarism/collusion rule that I know of, or that your uni seems to put in place.


This is what I seem to think, I have proof on my camera that I took my own photos. I have the date & time of photos on the camera, there is no way I could forge that.

What would you say to the lecturer? I think I am just going to take my camera and say "here is photo X, the time and date was X and X", or do you think thats a bad idea?

Not all of my photos were under investigation, it is 5 or 6 out of 35.
Original post by morecambebay
But it wasnt a fluke was it? they were together.

Being given permission to go out in groups is not the same as being given permission to work in groups.


They were told not to share photos. Well, they haven't shared photos, therefore have done nothing wrong.
Original post by M1F2R3
This is what I seem to think, I have proof on my camera that I took my own photos. I have the date & time of photos on the camera, there is no way I could forge that.

What would you say to the lecturer? I think I am just going to take my camera and say "here is photo X, the time and date was X and X", or do you think thats a bad idea?

Not all of my photos were under investigation, it is 5 or 6 out of 35.


Have you spoken to your student union? They're there to help you in all of this.
Original post by M1F2R3
To be fair, we had to do a write up on all of the structures explaining why they are designed in that way & typical attributes of the structure. We had done research before hand on the structures, we all knew what was what.


That may be so, but that doesnt change the fact that your lecturer now has two pieces of work from two people who clearly worked together with exactly the same building in both.

It may seem like its a big fuss over nothing, but plagiarism can become a big deal and lecturers need to make damn sure that it is perfectly understood before any mistakes are made over 'proper' things.
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Original post by TheSownRose
Have you spoken to your student union? They're there to help you in all of this.


Sorry if I'm bothering you, I literally didn't know who else to ask. My friends camera is broken but I believe he has an SD card [which should allow him to prove he took his own photos].

I told the lecturer we did go around in a group and he said something along the lines of " that could be it then"... wtf does that mean?! I'm sure it was in the context of "thats the solution then", the reason I'm so panicked is because I honestly haven't intentionally done anything wrong.

I went out with my own camera, in a group, and took my own photos. I would of gone alone if this was going to be a problem :frown:.
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Original post by morecambebay
That may be so, but that doesnt change the fact that your lecturer now has two pieces of work from two people who clearly worked together with exactly the same building in both.

It may seem like its a big fuss over nothing, but plagiarism can become a big deal and lecturers need to make damn sure that it is perfectly understood before any mistakes are made over 'proper' things.


I understand that people cheating is serious, the thing is I honestly haven't done anything wrong. If I have, it wasn't intentional! The lecturers never told us we couldn't photo the same structure, all they said was "you can work in groups as long as photos are different" but they didn't it had to be different buildings etc.

I hope the lecturer see's that if I have done something wrong that it was an honest mistake.
Original post by M1F2R3
Sorry if I'm bothering you, I literally didn't know who else to ask. My friends camera is broken but I believe he has an SD card [which should allow him to prove he took his own photos].

I told the lecturer we did go around in a group and he said something along the lines of " that could be it then"... wtf does that mean?! I'm sure it was in the context of "thats the solution then", the reason I'm so panicked is because I honestly haven't intentionally done anything wrong.

I went out with my own camera, in a group, and took my own photos. I would of gone alone if this was going to be a problem :frown:.


Oh, you're not bothering me, so sorry if it came out a bit abrupt. If I knew the answer, I'd be more than happy to help, but I haven't had the training to deal with plagiarism cases at your uni, so you're better off speaking to someone who has.

What year are you in?
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by M1F2R3
I understand that people cheating is serious, the thing is I honestly haven't done anything wrong. If I have, it wasn't intentional! The lecturers never told us we couldn't photo the same structure, all they said was "you can work in groups as long as photos are different" but they didn't it had to be different buildings etc.

I hope the lecturer see's that if I have done something wrong that it was an honest mistake.


Just explain that to him, he probably isnt THAT bothered anyway seeing as he seems to have left it for a few days and not done anything straight away.

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