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icarusFrom Rick Clark, Literature professor and Creative writing and ESL teacher for the last, oh, 20 years.
As for the questions below, I certainly have some comments:
A teacher can't be held responsible for the veracity of every bit of language in a personal essay. A personal essay frames a personal experience, a personal view or position, or a body of knowledge or information with which the essayist is familiar (i.e. write about what you know). A research paper is a different animal. Information or assertions of fact or truth need to be documented in order to give authority to the paper. In this context, a teacher needs to be more on the ball. Still, it would take a teacher the rest of his/her life to check on all facts and assertions in all student papers. Best to focus on the skills: developing a topic or thesis, researching sources, organizing materials, critical thinking, mechanics and style, rhetorical strategies, not plagiarizing, etc.
Now plagiarism is a bigger issue. Checking on this can keep a teacher too busy as it is. However, there are ways to get around having to check the internet for stolen or purchased papers. Get samples of student writing early in the quarter and become familiar with each student's voice and writing tendencies. Keep records. Stolen or purchased papers rarely match. Or give assignments that are so particularized that there is no paper out there to answer the assignment. Finally, require students to turn in rough drafts reflecting the process of producing their papers. Lastly, teachers should never let students see the backsides of their eyeballs.
As for the questions below, I certainly have some comments:
A teacher can't be held responsible for the veracity of every bit of language in a personal essay. A personal essay frames a personal experience, a personal view or position, or a body of knowledge or information with which the essayist is familiar (i.e. write about what you know). A research paper is a different animal. Information or assertions of fact or truth need to be documented in order to give authority to the paper. In this context, a teacher needs to be more on the ball. Still, it would take a teacher the rest of his/her life to check on all facts and assertions in all student papers. Best to focus on the skills: developing a topic or thesis, researching sources, organizing materials, critical thinking, mechanics and style, rhetorical strategies, not plagiarizing, etc.
Now plagiarism is a bigger issue. Checking on this can keep a teacher too busy as it is. However, there are ways to get around having to check the internet for stolen or purchased papers. Get samples of student writing early in the quarter and become familiar with each student's voice and writing tendencies. Keep records. Stolen or purchased papers rarely match. Or give assignments that are so particularized that there is no paper out there to answer the assignment. Finally, require students to turn in rough drafts reflecting the process of producing their papers. Lastly, teachers should never let students see the backsides of their eyeballs.
