The Situation:
Roger has fallen seriously behind in the writing assignments he needs to hand in, so he asks his
friend, Regina, if he can borrow her essay so he can use the same outline and essay plan as hers.
The essay requires Roger and Regina to compare their countries (they are both from different
countries) and the U.S. in three aspects. Roger decides to copy the main ideas and outline from
Regina’s paper, and he changes the names of the countries and the third blueprint, which is not
relevant to his country. He hands in the paper as his own, assuming that the instructor will never
know that he copied most of the ideas and details for his essay from Regina’s paper. The
instructor has encouraged students to comment on each other’s essays and suggest
improvements. Roger never tells Regina about what he has done.
1. Do you think this is an example of academic dishonesty? Why or why not?
If it is academic dishonesty, how should it be penalized?
2. Imagine that Roger tells you, his best friend, about what he has done. What will you say
to Roger?
3. Would you tell Roger to admit to Regina what he has done? Why or why not?
Appendix 2: Roles in “Busted” Role-Play
“BUSTED” role:
INSTRUCTOR.
You are the instructor who has discovered that Roger and Regina have substantially the same
information in their papers (Turnitin.com shows 65% is copied). You believe that Regina
probably copied from Roger, whose essays have always been well-written. What do you say to
them when you confront them? How important is it to you that students do their own work and
not cheat or plagiarize? You are inclined to give both students a failing grade for the assignment.
Do you fail them in the course?
“BUSTED” role:
ROGER.
You are the student who copied your friend’s essay. You have fallen behind because you are
working full-time, attending college full-time, and helping support a sick parent who cannot
work. This is not the first time you have copied from other people’s work, but it is the first time
you are caught, and it is the first time you have copied in this particular class. You certainly do
not want to fail and repeat this course because it will delay your college career another semester.
“BUSTED” role:
REGINA.
You let Roger borrow your essay because you know about his situation and you were hoping you
could make his life a little easier (and maybe you like him). You never cheat, and you trusted
him when he said that all he wanted to do was to get some ideas but that he was not going to
copy your essay. You feel that you did nothing wrong and do not understand why you are being
accused of academic dishonesty. You are not the person who copied someone else’s paper. You
certainly do not want to fail and repeat this course because it will delay your college career
another semester.
“BUSTED” role:
ADMINISTRATOR. (DEAN)
The college has a no-tolerance policy for plagiarism and academic dishonesty. The first time it
happens, the instructor of the course is authorized to fail the student in the class. If it happens
again, the student can be suspended for the semester or even dismissed. You are the person in
charge of this meeting, so ask each student to tell his/her side of the story, and then ask the
instructor what he/she would like to do. Help the group reach some kind of decision.