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Self Plagiarism Gilbert Summary

Decent Essays

Self-plagiarism occurs when an author reuses past works as new, without letting the reader know that the material has been previously used. Dr. Robin Hoffmann was faced with a situation of self-plagiarism when a student handed in one paper for two separate Administration of Justice (ADJ) courses. Although Dr. Hoffmann struggled to determine a course of action, the solution is clear: the student should not have been punished. Dr. Hoffmann has had a plethora of experiences in the professional and educational settings. She attended multiple universities, mothered three children, and held various positions at Salve Regina University. She attended New York University for her undergraduate degree followed by Rutgers Law School. For six years before …show more content…

Hoffmann thought about justice and mercy. As a mother, she has sent three children through college and recognizes young adults make mistakes. Her children have helped shape and inspire her as a professor. Instead of punishing every wrongdoing, she aims to use each situation as a teaching moment. She wanted to show mercy to the young woman, while maintaining fairness to her other students. According to the Salve Handbook, plagiarism is punishable by failure of the course or expulsion from the school. Dr. Hoffmann had to make a decision that could alter this student’s life. If she failed the course or was expelled from Salve, she would not be able to graduate from the master’s program. Along with not being able to graduate, she would not be able to attend law school. While Dr. Hoffmann wanted to show mercy, and recognize that this woman made a mistake, she needed to provide justice. She did not feel it was fair to the other students that she submitted the same paper, however, she did not want to ruin the student’s life. Other possible punishments could have been failure on the assignment or having to rewrite both essays. Dr. Hoffmann was torn between making a decision that exhibited mercy while maintaining

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