masterwordsmith-unplugged

Limbo Rock is a popular song written by Kal Mann (under the pseudonym Jake Sheldon) and Billy Strange. An instrumental version was first recorded by The Champs in 1961. The first vocal version was recorded in 1962 by Chubby Checker (on Parkway Records): it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Cash Box charts. It was the last of Chubby Checker's career to reach the top ten.

Years ago, this song was used to do the Limbo Rock dance. According to Wikipedia:

Limbo is a dance that originated on the island of Trinidad, though Hawaii is often mistakenly associated with limbo. The dancer moves to a Caribbean rhythm, then leans backward and dances under a horizontal pole without touching it. Upon touching it or falling backwards, the dancer is "out". When several dancers compete, they travel in single file, and the stick is gradually lowered until only one dancer — who has not touched either the pole or the floor — remains.

This evening, I am using the limbo rock dance as an analogy to discuss the pathetic state of affairs in the country with reference to this report in THE STAR on how only a stern warning will be given to two Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) lecturers for plagiarising materials from the Internet to produce a guide book.

*FAINT*

Only a stern warning!!!! Can you beat that????

When I was lecturing in the American University Transfer Program at a local college, I failed a significant number of students for the English Composition I class when I detected a mere hint of plagiarism in their research papers because right from Day 1, I made it absolutely clear that plagiarism = fail for any assignment. I explained the different forms of plagiarism and also the moral aspects of that academic crime. In those days, we did not have sophisticated programs to detect plagiarism like what we have today.

I remember one girl plagiarised a whole booklet on Stonehenge. It was quite unfortunate for her that I had just returned from a holiday in UK and had visited that place and had bought that particular booklet. In another case, another girl plagiarized a whole paper presented by a State Councillor on tourism in Penang. I have a copy of the book that documented the proceedings of the conference and could recognize it immediately. In both cases, they denied it until I produced my copy of the printed material. The Stonehenge 'girl' failed the class and other courses and left the college whereas the second girl was very repentant and despite that failure, she picked up the pieces, scraped through my class by trying her best in other assignments and went on to a very good university in the east coast of USA. It has been 12 years since that incident and she still keeps in touch with me

Apart from those two cases, there was another boy who toggled his girlfriend's assignment for my Business Communication class. When interviewed, he continued to proclaim his innocence and even had the audacity to point out that the introductions for both assignments were different. He was dumbfounded when I showed him how the paragraphs matched although in different order.

Then in 2004, I failed quite a number of students in my Sociology class because of blatant and blind plagiarism for term papers which carried 30% of the grade. In one case, the whole paper - a critique of Eminem's "Mockingbird" was lifted off the net!!! I knew because I am an Eminem fan and had done loads of research on the meaning and background of the lyrics of his songs. In the end, those culprits graduated a semester later but went on to secure good jobs and some went overseas to complete their degree.

In 1993, I caught three boys copying each other's homework and I could tell which one was the one who did the real homework. All three were punished by the Principal then - they had to paint the school fence.

One of them went to a Japanese university for his first degree and went on to do his masters in Cornell University. This was the one who actually did the homework. The other went to another American university and runs his own business and the third one went on to an Australian university. I still keep in touch with them.

The point that I am trying to make is this.

I did not compromise on quality or principles with regards to plagiarism and copying. It was a painful decision to make but I did not waver at all in my stand and I am glad I did not. The fact that all but one of them made it in the real world shows that when plagiarism is nibbed in the bud, values are upheld and one's character is groomed in the right direction.

Coming back to the issue, as one who has 'retired', I am absolutely appalled, aghast, horrified and disgusted that the culprits got away with only a slap in their wrists! The steps taken by the authorities do more damage than anything to the already dwindling reputation of our local universities and reflects complete indifference to moral values and the responsibility of an educational institution to uphold academic integrity and excellence.

By just giving a stern warning, what are the authorities teaching other undergraduates, students and the society as a whole? Is this giving people an indirect message that the authorities concerned condone the act because the culprits can get away with it with hardly any strong deterrent to ensure that they or any other Malaysian/student/staff will ever plagiarize again. When social control is not exerted over people who carry out acts that go against the law or morals of a country, then what may be long term and short term effects of such a situation?

Think.

Think hard.

It seems so incredulous to me that while two lecturers - one a professor and another one who had recently received her PhD could carry out such an act and have the audacity to sell their plagiarized works!!!

And it took people SIX years to unravel this case of plagiarism.

WOW!! Talk about moving in slow motion.

Strange isn't it that some authorities just count from one to ten before they take action to zero in on whom they feel have flouted the law.

Let's not forget the Kartika case where the authorities slapped a hefty fine of RM5,000 and public caning for drinking a glass of beer. (You can read my former student's article in The Star HERE on that case. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Journalism in Montreal.)

And what have we here? For heaven's sake, just a STERN WARNING for plagiarism.

I can almost hear students giggling and saying, "Ooooo I am so scared!!! Scold me for plagiarizing!"

According to Wikipedia over HERE,