Resources for the Classroom
From writing and research resources to examples of ethical dilemmas you may encounter during your student experience, there are a wide range of resources available to support you in your academic journey.
Writing and Research Resources
Penn State Libraries offers a number of citation and writing guides to assist you in your writing assignments. The plagiarism prevention guide includes a tutorial to show you how to avoid plagiarism. Penn State’s Teaching and Learning with Technology also offers a tutorial on plagiarism and other resources to avoid plagiarism. If you need assistance or if you have questions about citation tools, you may contact Library Learning Services at 814-865-9257 or via e-mail.
The Graduate Writing Center offers a number of resources to assist students with their writing concerns. From collaborative discussions focused on a thesis, seminar paper, or fellowship application to collaborative discussions focused on grammatical concepts and rhetorical principles, you may contact the Writing Center to schedule a writing consultation. The Writing Center also offers online writing resources and interactive workshops.
The Purdue Online Writing Lab also offers resources in writing, research, grammar and mechanics, style guides, English as a Second Language, and job search and professional writing. The research and citation resources, as well as resources for using research namely quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing; documenting electronic sources; and avoiding plagiarism, may be particularly helpful to new college students.
Finally, the Office for Research Protections Education Program offers education and training opportunities for students engaged in research.
Ethical Dilemmas in Practice
Practice, practice, practice. In an effort to prepare for some of the ethical dilemmas that you may encounter during your academic experience, consider these real ethical dilemmas as well as some suggestions for handling these difficult situations:
THE TEAMMATES: You are working on a group project, but only two of you are contributing to the research and PowerPoint presentation. It does not seem fair that your other two teammates will earn the same grade doing nothing.
What should you do? Adopt a shared strategy with the other contributing student. For example, tell the slackers that you do not think they deserve credit and that you intend to contact the instructor if they do not change their behavior. If the situation does not improve quickly, move forward with your plan.
THE ANSWERS: While waiting at the printer, you notice that someone from your class is printing out a sheet with answers to a difficult homework assignment due tomorrow. Your friend suggests you both take the answers and quickly walk away.
What should you do? You are both putting your integrity on the line, and this is an academic integrity violation. You should not review, use, or take the answers. Instead, if you are challenged by the homework assignment, contact your instructor or TA for assistance.
THE PAPER: One of your team members sends you her portion of the group paper. After reading it, you recognize that several paragraphs were taken directly from an online resource you had suggested that she review and reference in the paper.
What should you do? You should contact your teammate as soon as possible and explain to her that she needs to rewrite her section of the paper and properly cite the sources she used.
THE BROTHER: In your role as a TA, one of your students - the brother of your best friend - asks to turn in an assignment late, which is not permissible. Your friend also mentions that her brother needs an A to keep his scholarship.
What should you do? It would be unfair to the other students who submitted the assignment on time. You should not accept the assignment and you should encourage the student to talk with the instructor or you if he is concerned about his performance in the class.