Hole in pyjamas reveals Internet plagiarism

janbo1960 · Post by **janbo1960** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:57 pm

Candidates for British universities have been caught red-handed copying their applications from the Internet after hundreds mentioned "burning a hole in pyjamas at age eight" on their online entrance forms.

The phrase, taken from a website that provides examples of personal statements used by successful candidates, describes an early encounter with a chemistry set.

Medical course applications from 370 others contained statements beginning with "a fascination for how the human body works" and 175 included anecdotes which involved "an elderly or infirm grandfather".

A study published by UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, found 5 per cent of the 50,000 personal statements surveyed at random contained "borrowed material," lifted mostly from one free website.

However most of the material plagiarised was adapted by applicants with direct copying from online sources standing at less than 1 per cent, the study revealed.

"There is a small problem but we're looking at ways to address it," said Byron Price, communications officer of UCAS.

6ULDV8 · Post by **6ULDV8** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:06 pm

That buggers me up then... LOL

I too burnt a hole in my PJ's about aged 8... but it also ended with a large hole in my leg & was down to burning plastic on a pyromaniac level not chemistry

Post by **Skylace** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:09 pm

At least they didn't leave the hotlinks in their application like some of my students used to do in reports!

girldorksrule · Post by **girldorksrule** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:34 am

Maybe I should try that on my next application?