How do I prove I didn't plagiarize?

Question

I wrote a paper and a teacher gave me a zero on it because he claimed it was someone elses work. I'm in college so its not as easy as talking to the principle. I've never been accused of stealing someone elses work. I'm a 5th year senior and an "A" student. Why would a plagerise and risk getting kicked out of school? Anyone who could help me prove I didn't cheat I would be greatly appreciative.

So let me add that the paper was a critique over an article. There was no references page because we had no purpose to do research. Our ctitique was suppose to be solely based on the article.

Answer 1

I'll tell you a secret of college professors. Sometimes they think you plagiarized because the writing is "too good." So, they give you an F and expect you to not put up a fight.

The first thing you should do is politely tell the professor you did not plagiarize and ask what work he thinks you used. If he can't provide the work, you win. The professor might not give up immediately, though. In that case, your school must have a procedure for appealing a grade. Check with your school's Student Handbook.

If the professor shows you a paper that is very similar to your paper, then you have a problem. How to resolve that problem depends on how similar the work is to your work. At some point, the papers are so similar plagiarism is the only reasonable explanation. But sometimes there are similarities that might really be coincidence.

Try working with the professor politely first. Legally and historically, professors have tremendous power in giving grades. The rules presume they are right. But, there are legal requirements for due process, as well. In this case, the professor is charging you with a crime that requires factual evidence. He/she can give you an F just because the paper is "too good." But, if you challenge it, proof will eventually be demanded.

Also, as a side note and proactive defense, you can use the "reading scale" feature on MS Word to show that previous papers were written at a comparable reading level. If you normally write at a 12th grade level, and this paper is 12th grade, that is good. If you normally write at 9th grade, and this paper is 12th, that is bad for you. MS Word will also give all sorts of other textual evidence, such as average sentence length.

Answer 2

like everyone else has said, show your refrences. Print or Copy the pages that you pulled your information from and hi-light them, so that they can see you didn't just pull your sources after the accusation came up.

Also, get the Dean of the department involved. Most likely the Dean will want to see the same proofs the teacher needs, but they will provide a completely objective place.

Ask your professor where she thinks you copied it from. Take the time to become familiar with the work, and then make points, "While I agree with this point, my paper clearly states that this other fact is not correct." Be respectful of the work.

Last but not least, in the future, write papers (if this one wasn't) in MLA format, and get your professors to look over your your work cited page, before you get to deep into the paper. If it's not for an english style class, and it doesn't have to be in MLA. I would suggest using an APA style cite. It saves you from being accused of plagerizing, but it's not all the work of MLA.


Good Luck!

Answer 3

How To Prove Plagiarism

Answer 4

The professor can't just accuse you of plagerizing based only on a suspicion. He should be able to prove it or at least show you why he thinks that way.
Ask to meet with your professor during his office hours to further discuss the matter. Calmly ask him to explain how you plagerized. Then explain your side of the story and express how you are very concerned over the matter. If a solution cannot be reached, you could take your paper to another professor or the head of the department to get their take on the matter.

It might be hard to prove your innocent, but it is worth the try. You don't want this to ruin your reputation and grade for the class. Good luck, and I hope everything turns out okay!

Answer 5

This kinda happened to me but with different results. I was supposed to do an article critique on a scientific subject and the teacher walked up to me the week after the paper was turned in. He told me he thought I actually plagiarized the article itself so he went out and found the article and realized that I had done an excellent job of understanding the subject. He said it was the best that he had ever read. After learning to breath again, I realized that THAT was, unhappily, one of the greatest compliments.

In your case . . . FIGHT IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT (Go to the Dean, The President, Other Professors who teach that course) and after you win, take it as a compliment --you are THAT good!

Answer 6

Have you asked your teacher why he believes you guilty of plagiarism? He should be able to provide proof.

Talk to your teacher first. If you're not satisfied with his answer, then go to the department head and present your case.

I just read your added comment. When you meet with your teacher, department head, or college officials to discuss the issue, be prepared to discuss your paper in detail. Include the thought processes or life experiences that contributed to your opinion.

Hope you can work it out.

Answer 7

To prove you didn't plagarize, you're supposed to back up your research paper with footnotes and citations, so that the teacher (and anyone else who reads your paper) can see where you got your facts, check those sources if they want, and that you're not trying to steal off someone else's work.

Answer 8

There is a site that my teacher used to see if the students plagerised...the name of it...???...but if u find it, u need to send it, im assuming my email or something and it will highlight the areas that were plagerised and tell u where it came from...that's the best way i can think....

Answer 9

references and get another legit professor to read it and grade it and then show it to the professor if that doesn't work then bring it to the dean of you're school and the dean has ways of finding out probably..

and there are always sites on the internet and computer programs that professors can use to tell if the paper was plagarized or not..

Answer 10

If you provide references for your work -- then you don't have to prove you didn't plagarize. The teacher has to prove that you did.

I suspect the teacher knows this and would be surprised if she would claim plagarism unless she has real good reason to make that claim.