Newspaper Article

I am taking a writing class dealing specifically with writing articles for a newspaper. The most recent event with the Chinese Mafia inspired me to write it. Here it is:

Chinese Students Culture Shocked by Plagiarism Policies at DU

A look into the bigger picture of a cheating scandal involving two Chinese students at the University of Denver.

   Cheating and Plagiarism are very similar in nature.  They are both considered as taking someone else’s work and using it as yours.  They are both not tolerated at the University of Denver.  According to the University of Denver Pioneer Pledge, which every student at the University of Denver works by, a Pioneer pledges, “to act with integrity and pursue academic excellence.” The University of Denver Honor Code later states “Integrity: acting in an honest and ethical matter.”

   Cheating and plagiarism obviously does not simply occur with only Chinese students at the University of Denver.  Cheating and plagiarism occur with students from the United States as well.  However, cheating and plagiarism are looked at very differently between the two cultures.

   Plagiarism isn’t however a complete culture shock to all of these Chinese students.  The students take a class that basically explains to them the dos and don’ts of the United States and the University of Denver.  “There are so many differences between here and China.  It is unbelievable,” one Chinese student said.

   A few weeks ago, there was a cheating incident involving two Chinese students.  One Chinese student simply copied off of another Chinese student during a Calculus Final Exam.   The cheating victim spoke about the event.  “Yes, I know that cheating is wrong.  And yes, the guy who cheated knows that cheating is wrong.  Directly copying off of another person’s paper is not the right thing to do.” The student was then asked about a related issue that is also against the school policy, plagiarism. 

   The Chinese student had a very different take on plagiarism and said, “Back in China, when we write essays, we can use other people’s work and call it as ours.  In fact, it is very common and that is how it is taught to us.”

   When showed the section of the University of Denver Honor Code relating to integrity, the Chinese student said, “I don’t honestly see how the United States thinks that using someone else’s work and research in an essay is considered to be acting dishonestly and not acting with integrity.  Back in China, we can write an entire essay that has none of “our own words” and then turn it in and get a good grade.”

   According to a recent article in “the Globalist”, “China is struggling with innovative thinking and the country is dealing with some major issues relating to quantity over quality.”

   As far as the cheating incident with the two Chinese students, the details are being worked out by the University of Denver administration.

It has been really interesting having a Chinese roommate so far. I have definitely had a pretty crazy roommate situation thus far. I really hope that I will have more stories to come.... until I get killed by the MAFIA!! hahaha just kidding.... but seriously...