by the Adjunct Advisor

Students Failing to Cite Sources

As part of the course requirements for a Ceramics I class, the students had to complete a brief (approx. 500 words) research paper on a historic ceramic time/culture, such as Ancient Greece, Africa, Italian Renaissance, etc. On the first day of class in January they were given guidelines for writing the paper including deadlines, suggestions for topics, what questions to address, and a request for 3-4 images. Included in the guidelines was this sentence: “You must cite all sources, including Web sites.” I reviewed this criteria verbally and included it in the class handouts. This paper with the images would be the basis for their last ceramic project, and is 10 percent of their final grade--the difference between an A and a B. Ten point bonuses were offered for students who turned in papers before the deadline.