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Hey everyone, I was wondering if you could read over my addenda and let me know if there is anything I should add or fix? I also would like to know if this would close any doors in regards to acceptances!


In the Spring semester of 2017, I was enrolled in Biology 151 and in this class, we were assigned to lab groups of four people that we would work with for a certain time span of the semester. My group and I had met in the library and had collectively worked on our lab assignment which was a graph that was to be turned in. When working on this assignment we each included the data we gathered from class and entered it into the graph. When it came time to turn in the graph we had printed four copies of the graph and turned it in. Our T.A. had brought us in and told us we had committed academic dishonesty due to having the same graph. When it came time for me to explain my side of the issue, I mentioned that we had included the data we each recorded and received from class and combined it on the graph. While she had heard us out, she continued through with the process of academic dishonesty. In hindsight, I now know that having the same graph as my group members wasn’t a smart decision. At the time, I had believed turning in the graph would be fine because the different points on our graph had corresponded with different people and the different work we had turned in and she would see that we had collaborated. After receiving the consequences of academic dishonesty, I know that what I did was wrong and that it will never happen again.


Another point I'd like to add is that whenever we turn in assignments we have to turn in our lab notebooks so that she can verify/fact-check the points we collected in class with what we have on the graph. I want to note that none of us had the exact same points and it was very evident when looking at the graph and our lab notebooks.

Waaaaayyyyyyy too long.

Cut out almost all the details. We just need to know that you were written up for academic dishonesty and that you learned your lesson. The blow-by-blow account is pointless, and it can make it look like you think you didn't do anything wrong.

Wouldn’t the same data produce the same graph?

Did you have any other consequences besides a notation you were written up?

Anyway, a school won’t care. Just say you were written up for academic dishonesty and learned your lesson. I would mention it was for a lab report graph on a group project so the scale of what you did is clear.

cavalier1138 wrote:Waaaaayyyyyyy too long.

Cut out almost all the details. We just need to know that you were written up for academic dishonesty and that you learned your lesson. The blow-by-blow account is pointless, and it can make it look like you think you didn't do anything wrong.

Okay, I'll definitely take out the extra details. Thanks!

Npret wrote:Wouldn’t the same data produce the same graph?

Did you have any other consequences besides a notation you were written up?

Anyway, a school won’t care. Just say you were written up for academic dishonesty and learned your lesson. I would mention it was for a lab report graph on a group project so the scale of what you did is clear.

Yes, the other notations were a 10% grade deduction and I had to write a letter to the dean of student affairs stating that what I did was wrong and how I would avoid doing it again. And yes, the same data would produce the same graph although we didn't have the same data, but I think the issue was that it was 4 copies of the same graph.