Infraction Essay (FEEDBACK)????? Forum

[ttunsehc]

Does anyone know how long these infraction essays need to be?

Here is a copy of my infraction essay:

In my third year of college, the University of Florida charged me with downloading a movie on the campus network. One evening while in the library, I had accidentally turned on a “peer to peer” network which had started downloading the movie “Sherlock Holmes.” As a result, the University of Florida mandated that I attend a seminar which informed me about the qualms of downloading media through “peer to peer” networks. While I had not seriously contemplated the moral, legal, and economic issues before I had attended the lecture, the lecture made me refrain from downloading media for which I had not paid. To this day, I seriously regret violating this code of conduct, especially when this violation has caused more trouble than the movie “Sherlock Holmes” is probably worth.

Do you think I sound deferential enough?
Also, how much do you think this infraction will hurt me? (Probably not much I think)

Thanks.

[Deuce]

The last line isn't needed.

Also, IIRC, if you attend that seminar at UF then it does not go on your conduct record whatsoever.

[ttunsehc]

Deuce,

You're right, it's not on my record, but they do consider it a disciplinary action. I'm wondering if I should even put it on.....
some schools want me to get certification and official documents and I can't obtain those because it was such a minor infraction that they expunged any documentation.

[RPK34]

Two things. One, you make it sound like it was unintentional (I accidently turned on a peer to peer and it started downloading) and then you make it sound like it was intentional later. Second, last line is pretty horrible. It not only comes off as a joke, but you make it sound like there was a cost/benefit analysis to whether or not you should download movies.

[ttunsehc]

yea, I knew it came off as a joke. But, I was hoping it was just me.

[AreJay711]

You accidentally downloaded the movie Sherlock Holmes? lolk

[cinephile]

This is pretty long and has a lot of detail, which I wouldn't give unless they asked for it. They don't need to know which film, or what the movie was worth. Don't make it sound accidental either, just take responsibility.

Just state when you engaged in file sharing, that you received discipline in the form of the seminar, after which your eyes were opened to the ethical issues of p2p downloading, and you haven't done this again since the incident.

[Deuce]

Deuce,

You're right, it's not on my record, but they do consider it a disciplinary action. I'm wondering if I should even put it on.....
some schools want me to get certification and official documents and I can't obtain those because it was such a minor infraction that they expunged any documentation.

Once again, if I remember from my friend who went through this exact situation at UF, and I read his documents, it said that no disciplinary action will be taken whatsoever upon completion of the seminar. But, read your documents, do what you feel is best.

[lawgod]

You can also include a legal memo detailing why you think it isn't really illegal.

[ttunsehc]

Because this has been expunged from my record, I can't obtain documents. And some schools want documents from the school to legitimate it. However, I can't obtain records. It seems as if I shouldn't even tell them about this. They want stuff like DUIs not P2P file sharing.

[bartleby]

i'm picturing the doctor evil hand motion with all your quotation marks.

[Tom Joad]

That last line could really offend a reviewer if Sherlock Holmes is their favorite. I would lose it.

[cinephile]

Because this has been expunged from my record, I can't obtain documents. And some schools want documents from the school to legitimate it. However, I can't obtain records. It seems as if I shouldn't even tell them about this. They want stuff like DUIs not P2P file sharing.

I would still disclose. Many applications ask if you were ever disciplined in a college/university for academic reasons or otherwise. There was a thread last year about someone who was disciplined for a noise violation in their dorm room by an RA. No documents to back it up and probably wasn't on any kind of record, but they were still encouraged to disclose. Even if it's been expunged, it's best to be on the safe side and you can say to anyone who asks for documents that it has been expunged so there aren't any. Besides, it's not going to prevent you from getting into law schools.