Cheating on Assignment 1, Paint-Bucket

We can prove that many students copied answers from other students on Assignment 1, Written Problem 2 (the Paint-Bucket problem).

Acceptable ways to get help on written problems include:

• You talked with another students, who stepped you through the first few steps, and then you completed the rest on your own. You credit the other student.
• You worked simultaneously with other students through the problem, then you think through it again while writing your solution down. You credit the other students.

Unacceptable approaches include:

• You show your answer to another student.
• You look at another student's answer as an example of a correct answer. Whether you credit the other student is irrelevant.

With Dr Berget and other PGSS leaders, we have decided on the following approach.

If you feel what you did on Written Problem 2 may be unacceptable:

• Send e-mail to me (cburch@cburch.com) by 2:30 PM TODAY (Thursday). (Or talk with me or a TA by then - but with e-mail I'll get the story in your own words.) I will promptly verify that I've received your e-mail.
• Explain the complete story, with names of other students involved. Extraneous circumstances, such as motivation or extenuating circumstances, are irrelevant.

If you contact us and I and others feel what happened was unacceptable, your punishment will be severe but will fall short of expulsion (if you have not accumulated additional grave offenses).

If you do not contact us, and you are among the several whom we can prove copied their answers, your punishment will be more severe, and expulsion is likely.

Whether or not any of this applies to you: If you've received your written assignment already, we need it back. Please give it to me as soon as possible. If you do not have it with you, put it in Talia's mailbox.

---Carl Burch