Help!

[lesroi]

He said don't read the Sparknotes solely, on their own. He never said "use them to help". He said don't use them on their own. I didn't do the opposite of anything.

I honestly read the book and DID spend 4 hours writing the report, did you misread? I spent 4 hours on it. If I were just copying Sparknotes, it would not have taken that long!

Following instructions is one thing, but my report includes my own analysis of each chapter which IMO is more important than summary (the summary was a little more lifted from Sparknotes), so shouldn't I still get some credit?

Hello?!?!? "lifted" = plagiarism.
You seem to have a serious authority problem and a problem accepting both advice and the truth.
If you would spend more time doing schoolwork AS DIRECTED and less time on here defending your cheating, you might get more than a "0".

Try it!

Tracy

 

[kdm31091]

Tracy, please calm down. I wasn't defending my cheating. It was not right. I still think this sucks and is unfair, but I'll just try to let it go.

By the way, I have been absent on here for several days, so really, the argument that I'm on here instead of doing homework is a pretty ridiculous one. The DIS has nothing to do with it.

I did accept the advice/truth. If you read the thread. I didn't flame or "you're wrong" anyone. I don't have an authority problem and it hurts to be told I do!

 

[Independent]

Well, that's good. I really don't want to be tense and nervous around him for the rest of the year.

In a way, I'm sort of glad, I guess, considering that at least I got nabbed and got the consequence and it's over now, instead of like the kids who got away with it, they have to wait to be hit with karma now.

We did an essay today for midterms, and I paintstankingly checked every single sentence of that essay, made sure it was as perfect as I could, made sure the main supports were refrenced in the introduction and conclusion, etc. If I did well on that it could push me towards a B, even with the 0, so I guess the world won't end with the 0.

I know life isn't fair, but I just hate how the potheads and slackers can get 40/40 for doing almost zero work, I do 90% of the work myself and 10% from sparknotes, and get a 0. It's just ridiculous. I can't wait for karma to smack them super super hard.

Karma WILL get them, right?

Life isn't fair. But have you ever considered that perhaps your teacher came down on you harder that the potheads and slackers because he may see some talent in you? He may be pushing you a bit harder to really get at that creativity he believes is inside of you.

Go talk to him (without your mom). Explain the situation, and explain that you realize what you did was wrong. And thank him for the lesson.

 

[kdm31091]

Well I talked to my mom, and she will not cancel the appointment. I explained everything and made sure she understood he had warned us.

She still thinks there's a case here. Primarily "Why would you have spent time reading a 250 page book if you knew in the end you were just gonna cop out and use Sparknotes?" and "Most kids who use Sparknotes DON'T read the book period..."

I don't think the argument will matter, but since we're having a confrence I'm glad she understands the truths and still sides with me.

Me personally I'm torn. We have some points, but still, i dunno.

 

[poohs_hunny]

He did warn against using book notes/sparknotes but he said "don't read those INSTEAD of the book". Since technically I didn't do that, I don't see the offense.

You confused me with this part. In your OP, you said that the teacher said not to use them, and you interpreted this as don't use JUST the notes. Here you are saying that he actually said not to JUST use the notes. If he said not to use them, and you did, then you are wrong. Yes, many others probably used them, too, but that doesn't make it right. You were just the unlucky one this time. If I was your teacher, I'd give you the option of doing the report over or taking the 0. Good luck!

 

[poohs_hunny]

If you would spend more time doing schoolwork AS DIRECTED and less time on here defending your cheating, you might get more than a "0".

Try it!

Tracy

I'm sure there are other things we could ALL be doing instead of hanging around here. I could be cleaning the house, or going over my lesson plans for tomorrow again. But I worked hard all day, and I choose to spend some of my free time here, doing what I enjoy. School is hard work, too, and I hardly think posting here is going to made this kid flunk out of school. Besides, there are MUCH worse things he could be doing during his free time...

 

[kdm31091]

You confused me with this part. In your OP, you said that the teacher said not to use them, and you interpreted this as don't use JUST the notes. Here you are saying that he actually said not to JUST use the notes. If he said not to use them, and you did, then you are wrong. Yes, many others probably used them, too, but that doesn't make it right. You were just the unlucky one this time. If I was your teacher, I'd give you the option of doing the report over or taking the 0. Good luck!

I think he meant to say don't use the notes period.

I interpreted it as don't use the notes without the book/without reading the book.

I didn't use solely the notes and if I had been planning to get a 0 I wouldn't have spent time reading a 200 page book.

In his email he said "The fact that Kevin read the book is irrelevant..."

Sorry, but teachers dont give us enough credit. I could be doing a million better things then this stupid book report, and I took the time to read a 200+ page book, and guess what, I don't think that's "irrelevant!"

 

[kdm31091]

I'm sure there are other things we could ALL be doing instead of hanging around here. I could be cleaning the house, or going over my lesson plans for tomorrow again. But I worked hard all day, and I choose to spend some of my free time here, doing what I enjoy. School is hard work, too, and I hardly think posting here is going to made this kid flunk out of school. Besides, there are MUCH worse things he could be doing during his free time...

Oh yes, that too. My school is a high pothead population. About 50% have probably done or are doing drugs right now. Another 35% at least drink or have tried it.

I'm serious when I say 15% of us are "normal" non-drugs non-drinking. The rest are either ghetto, potheads, drinkers, or all 3 combined!

Therefore, that's why I don't have friends over. I talk to them at school, and that's that. I avoid all problems this way. I've always been a solitary person so it works out nicely anyway.

Anyways, I'm still ticked that the teacher called my book-reading "irrelevant". I see his point, but still. Irrelevant implies that I might as well not have read it at all. But I spent well over 10 hours on that book, not in one lump sum, but in total, probably 10 hours. I'm sorry, but I put a total of 14 hours into the book + report and getting 0 just isn't slicing it, no matter what I did wrong, I want to fight for it.

And no, posting on the DIS isn't gonna cause my grades to tank. Honestly, I pay enough attention and focus hard enough in 95% of classes (let's take out english for now ) to get good grades while doing zero homework or studying at home. But I do it anyway. Posting on the DIS doesn't affect anything and IMO, it was kinda ridiculous to suggest it - while I'm posting on the DIS, there's kids in my class out doing sports, drugs, or w/e

 

[Cool-Beans]

You cheated, you got busted, you have to suffer the consequences.

You should have known not to use the Spark Notes, and your teacher TOLD you not to use them. The fact that you chose to interpret him saying, "Don't use them" as, "Use them" (but not by themselves) doesn't mean it was OK. It was a dumb "interpretation."

Plagiarism doesn't mean copying word for word, it includes content.

If you want to cheat, find someone who is smart and needs the money. I can't tell you how many papers I wrote in college for other students (and we all got A's.)

p.s. I no longer need the money, don't ask me. I can afford principles now.

 

[kdm31091]

You cheated, you got busted, you have to suffer the consequences.

You should have known not to use the Spark Notes, and your teacher TOLD you not to use them. The fact that you chose to interpret him saying don't use them as "Use them (but not by themselves)" was a dumb interpretation.

Plagiarism doesn't mean copying word for word, it includes content.

If you want to cheat, find someone who is smart and needs the money. I can't tell you how many papers I wrote in college for other students (and we all got A's.)

p.s. I no longer need the money, don't ask me. I can afford principles now.

Not to get personal but I'm getting sick of your flaming attitude towards me. Every single post you make towards me is mean and rude, and if you don't believe me, look through recent posts.

It was not a "dumb" interpretation, and you're an *** for saying so, considering you weren't in the room when he said it.

The EXACT SENTENCE that I can remember: "Don't just use spark notes to write your report". JUST. DONT JUST. DONT JUST!!!

But whatever, I don't really have to justify myself to you. I wouldn't have poured 14 hours into something I was cheating on. Plain and simple.

I don't know why you guys get so riled up anyway. The worst that happens is that we go into the meeting and I come out with a 0 anyway, and probably a lecture from the teacher. Who cares?

I don't know why, but several posters really need to tone down their attitudes towards me. I'm 15, and although most times I wish I were older and try to act such, you need to chill. This is a message board, and it's one place where you can CONTROL yourself. If you're not going to be nice or at least help the discussion, you should just keep quiet.

Especially when the points you're refrencing were addressed 3 pages ago, Coolbeans. We know every single sentence you stated already. I wasn't asking about that anymore.

 

[taximomfor4]

I think he meant to say don't use the notes period.

I interpreted it as don't use the notes without the book/without reading the book.

I didn't use solely the notes and if I had been planning to get a 0 I wouldn't have spent time reading a 200 page book.

In his email he said "The fact that Kevin read the book is irrelevant..."

Sorry, but teachers dont give us enough credit. I could be doing a million better things then this stupid book report, and I took the time to read a 200+ page book, and guess what, I don't think that's "irrelevant!"

Please, don't feel like you wasted time reading a stupid book. Most every book has in it which can teach us something. So in the end, a zero is truly a zero (not good for the grade book)...but you read the book, and those words are whatever you make of them. You are correct, it's not "irrelevant" to your brain! So basically, you shortchanged yourself on the grade, but you didn't shortchange yourself on the written words in the book. In the end, you were being graded on writing a book report that showed you read and understood a book. You read the book, but broke a very important rule on the paper-writing...which in almost any high school classroom across the country would mean an automatic zero. In some careers, it would result in worse!!

Sorry, my eloquence is failing me. I guess I am saying that reading a book, any book, is not a waste of time. You shortchanged yourself on the book report, but I, for one, am glad you read the book!!

Beth

 

[kdm31091]

Well, the book REPORT was stupid/waste of time, but the book itself was GREAT. It was really suspenseful, and I'm glad I got to read it. But seriously, although I commited something of a crime, too many people are stretching it to make me look like I 100% cheated. And I'm not gonna say plagarism because then I'll get 50 more god darn definitions.

The point was not whether I did it or not. The point was that I didn't do it in the way my teacher thinks. He seems to want to disregard the fact that I read the book and pretend that I just used Sparknotes. Big effing difference to someone who could find a million better ways to spend their time. I put way too much into that book, and just because I used sparknotes to clarify my report, does NOT lump me with the bad guys who get 0's. It just doesn't.

And if you're gonna argue with that, sorry, don't. I'm pretty firm where I stand here. Some loss of credit is deserved but not all!

 

[lesroi]

And no, posting on the DIS isn't gonna cause my grades to tank. Honestly, I pay enough attention and focus hard enough in 95% of classes (let's take out english for now ) to get good grades while doing zero homework or studying at home. But I do it anyway. Posting on the DIS doesn't affect anything and IMO, it was kinda ridiculous to suggest it - while I'm posting on the DIS, there's kids in my class out doing sports, drugs, or w/e

Sorry, but I am not imagining that you wrote in another post that you get somewhere between a 2.0 and a 2.5 gpa. You were worried about what kind of college would accept you. (Back when you were worried about college a couple of weeks ago.)
2.0-2.5 is the gpa of someone that needs to get their hind-end off the internet and stick their face in a book!

Good for your teacher for calling you out and setting an example of what happens to cheaters.

Go do your homework!

Tracy

 

[Cool-Beans]

Not to get personal but I'm getting sick of your flaming attitude towards me. Every single post you make towards me is mean and rude, and if you don't believe me, look through recent posts.

It was not a "dumb" interpretation, and you're an *** for saying so, considering you weren't in the room when he said it.

The EXACT SENTENCE that I can remember: "Don't just use spark notes to write your report". JUST. DONT JUST. DONT JUST!!!

But whatever, I don't really have to justify myself to you. I wouldn't have poured 14 hours into something I was cheating on. Plain and simple.

I don't know why you guys get so riled up anyway. The worst that happens is that we go into the meeting and I come out with a 0 anyway, and probably a lecture from the teacher. Who cares?

I don't know why, but several posters really need to tone down their attitudes towards me. I'm 15, and although most times I wish I were older and try to act such, you need to chill. This is a message board, and it's one place where you can CONTROL yourself. If you're not going to be nice or at least help the discussion, you should just keep quiet.

Especially when the points you're refrencing were addressed 3 pages ago, Coolbeans. We know every single sentence you stated already. I wasn't asking about that anymore.

This is what is wrong with kids today. Nobody ever tells you your "interpretations" are dumb or that you were wrong about anything.

You WERE wrong. You AREN'T supposed to cheat. Thinking you can use SPARKS notes IS dumb. Especially when the teacher said you shouldn't.

I'm not saying you're a bad kid or a compete moron. I'm saying that particular interpretation (of "Don't use them" as "Use them") was dumb.

Get over yourself, apologize to the teacher, and move on. Consider it a lesson learned and not something you should fight.

 

[kdm31091]

And it's an old thing to quote but seriously, that thing Tracy said really is starting to tick me off. Does she really think that if I were not on the DIS period it would have made a difference? Some points people make are just so absurd I can't help but go .

 

[kdm31091]

Sorry, but I am not imagining that you wrote in another post that you get somewhere between a 2.0 and a 2.5 gpa. You were worried about what kind of college would accept you. (Back when you were worried about college a couple of weeks ago.)
2.0-2.5 is the gpa of someone that needs to get their hind-end off the internet and stick their face in a book!

Good for your teacher for calling you out and setting an example of what happens to cheaters.

Go do your homework!

Tracy

You know, it's kinda rude to automatically side with the teacher...just because he's a teacher. The guy is perhaps the most hated individual in my school. He has the lowest ratings from every single student who's had him, from honors to AP. Nobody likes the guy. He's not a good teacher and never budges on his opinion.

I don't think "good for my teacher". I don't think ANYONE quite understands exactly the absurdness of what he said. He did NOT point a specific sentence lifted from sparknotes, or even a thought. He pointed out words - NOT TAKEN FROM SPARKNOTES - that he thought I couldn't have come up with on my own. Words like "Gripping" and "delude".

About college, that's resolved, beauty school for me - they don't tend to require high GPA's, which is a bonus to the fact that I love hair.

However, my own personal GPA goal is 3.0.

Tracy, honestly, you've known me a month. I've always gotten good grades. ALWAYS. Geometry and english this year are sore spots, but my other grades are the same as they always were. Honestly, you can't say "Go look in a book" when my grades have been well above average for many years. You simply don't know me well enough to say anything of the sort. Everyone has rough times in school, and it's easy for you to say different when you're done and not in school anymore.

*off soapbox*

 

[kdm31091]

This is what is wrong with kids today. Nobody ever tells you your "interpretations" are dumb or that you were wrong about anything.

You WERE wrong. You AREN'T supposed to cheat. Thinking you can use SPARKS notes IS dumb. Especially when the teacher said you shouldn't.

I'm not saying you're a bad kid or a compete moron. I'm saying that particular interpretation (of "Don't use them" as "Use them") was dumb.

Get over yourself, apologize to the teacher, and move on. Consider it a lesson learned and not something you should fight.

I really wasn't going to fight it, and I floundered over it, but honestly, I really don't like the fact that I can spend a total of 14+ hours in something only to fail.

If I was truly cheating, I would've spent 5 minutes on the thing, pasted from Sparknotes and been done. Yes, some kids do that. Yes, I'm sure they don't get caught. Murphy's Law.

I realize I was wrong - I've said it 500 times - but given the circumstances, and being told "reading the book was irrelevant", I think the situation can be fairly argued.

Like I said, several family members read over my paper and the Sparknotes. No one noticed a correlation. So obviously, the guy is either overreacting, just plain wrong, or pulling words that he thinks I don't know, that I do know. My mom is an English major -- technically, same exact qualifications as my teacher who's young and just finished college -- and she did not see ANYTHING that made it sound like I had not written it myself. That speaks VOLUMES.

 

[lindalinda]

Go back and reread this thread. I realize you are just 15 ( I have a 15 yr old son), but this whole thread doesnt show your best qualities. At one point you came to the conclusion (correctly I believe) that you made a mistake and should just talk to your teacher and try to cut your losses. Try to get back there again. You have come full circle now to blaming others for your mistake. And it was your mistake. Obviously. The posters that gave you the best advise were completely correct. In college you could easily be expelled for this kind of thing. Take your lumps and go. Offer to do another report, try to get extra credit, study like crazy to show that you are serious about the class, and dont whine that it isnt fair, especially to the teacher.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I really wasn't going to fight it, and I floundered over it, but honestly, I really don't like the fact that I can spend a total of 14+ hours in something only to fail.

If I was truly cheating, I would've spent 5 minutes on the thing, pasted from Sparknotes and been done. Yes, some kids do that. Yes, I'm sure they don't get caught. Murphy's Law.

I realize I was wrong - I've said it 500 times - but given the circumstances, and being told "reading the book was irrelevant", I think the situation can be fairly argued.

Reading the book is irrelevant. He's not questioning you about that. He's questioning your use of the Sparks notes, which you admit to using.

Just apologize. Ask if you can re-write it (it can't hurt to ask.) And learn a lesson! The lesson you need to learn is:

1. Don't cheat.

or

2. If you're going to cheat, don't be so dang obvious about it.

You can learn from this, like a kid should. Say, "Whoops! I did a dumb thing and got caught! Won't do THAT again!" Or you can fight and whine and demand credit. Your choice.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I would have to say that if you were told not to use the sparknotes, and it was obvious to your teacher that you used it by your vocab choices, then the zero is what is appropriate.