many undergraduate computer science programs, this is the absurd reality we face when trying to combat plagiarism. Everyone agrees plagiarism is wrong. Everyone wishes they could stop it. Everyone has access to the tools that find it. But no one seems willing to take any action.
Why bother?
The most important goal is to keep the course fair for students who do honest work. Instructors must assign grades that accurately reflect performance. A student who grapples with a problem — becoming a stronger programmer in the process — should never receive a lower grade than one who copies and pastes.
Finally, as educators, we also hope that the accused student can learn difficult lessons about ethical behavior in the classroom rather than the workplace.
