Announcements

If you are planning to graduate in May 2009, please be sure to submit all of your assignments 30 days before your date of graduation.

In This Issue

News From UF

Plagiarism Alert!

New Online Course & Faculty Feature

Non-Credit Course & Faculty Feature

Stories From You

Questions?

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Flexible Learning News
Student Newsletter February/March 2009

Dear Flexible Learning Students,

We trust that 2009 is going well for you so far! We hope that this newsletter provides you with useful information to aid in your academic progress. If we can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to ask.

News From UF

Paige Smith has been crowned the winner of 2009 Miss UF Pageant, February 2nd. Smith beat out 14 other contestants and walked away with the crown-a $750 scholarship, and the chance to compete in Miss Florida. Congratulations Miss UF!

Plagiarism Alert!

Did you know that more and more students are getting caught plagiarizing their writing assignments, papers, and reports, especially because faculty now possess more sophisticated online tools to detect plagiarism?

Don't get caught! Make the smart choice
and just don't do it!

While there are serious consequences for students caught plagiarizing (e.g., see Student Honor Code) one of the most compelling arguments for you should be the importance of safeguarding your own academic integrity and honesty, and to promote your own active learning and education.

What is plagiarism?
Simply put, "plagiarism is using others' ideas and words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information" (Please examine the University Libraries Plagiarism Tutorial). In short, give credit where due. And use your own words! Inject direct quotes sparingly and only to punch out main points.

While most students have this basic understanding, many mistakenly believe that making minor changes to borrowed material is not plagiarism, and this is where they get into trouble.

Here are some examples for you to examine from the presentation, "Plagiarism on Campus" (August 12, 2008; UF CALS Teaching Symposium) by Professors Heidi Radunovich, Eboni Baugh, and Amy Buhler.

Is this plagiarism? Take our quiz!
(answers are located at the bottom of this newsletter):

Several students want to use the following information from an article on adoption in Smith 1987 in their paper: "The number of children who are adopted each year in Fiji is small relative to the number of children who need homes. This is very tragic."

Student A writes: The number of children who are adopted each year in Fiji is small relative to the number of children who need homes (Smith, 1987).

Student B writes: Tragically many children need to be adopted in Fiji, and not enough are adopted.

Student C writes: The number of kids who are adopted every year in Fiji is minor relative to the number of kids who need homes (Smith, 1987). This is very sad (Smith, 1987).

Did any of these students plagiarize?
Answer: Yes, all three samples are guilty of plagiarism.

Student A used exact wording and provided a citation but failed to indicate the material was quoted word for word.

Student B used this material and put it into his or her own words but failed to provide a citation to credit the material.

Student C provided a citation but the material was taken word for word with just a few minor word changes.

Please don't make these mistakes. Give credit for borrowed ideas and put them in your own words.

New Online Course & Faculty Feature

PAD 3003 - Public Admininistration in American Society
Michael J. Scicchitano, Ph.D., Developer, Instructor

Dr. Michael J. Scicchitano is the director of the Florida Survey Research Center (FSRC) at the University of Florida. As Director of the FSRC, he has implemented hundreds of survey research and program evaluation projects in the past ten years. Dr. Scicchitano earned a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Georgia in 1984. Since 1984 he has been on the faculties of West Virginia University, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Florida.

In addition to his work with the FSRC, he is director of the M.A. program in Public Administration at the University of Florida. He has taught courses on public budgeting, computer applications, as well as public policy and administration to graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Florida.

Non-Credit Course & Faculty Feature

Water Treatment Class C

This course is designed to train water treatment plant operators in the basic requirements of plant operation and maintenance, and is recognized by Florida's Department of Environmental Protection as a prerequisite for taking the water treatment state certification exam at the "C" level.

Ron Trygar has worked in the wastewater industry since 1983 in a variety of locations and jobs. In 1998 he became a Certified Environmental Trainer (CET) and has since provided training for associations and regulatory agencies, and has also assisted the U.S. EPA in providing flow measurement training in Tallahassee. After working several years as a Training and Education Coordinator in the US Virgin Islands, Instructor Trygar returned to the US in 2004 and opened Trygar Consulting Services, currently based in Tallahassee, Florida. He is active with the FDEP Operator Certification Wastewater Exam Review Committee and is currently working with the University of Florida's Department of Continuing Education (DCE) as the author and instructor of the Water Treatment Flexible Learning course. Instructor Trygar has also authored a manual entitled "Nitrogen Control in Wastewater Treatment Plants" to assist operators at their treatment plants and help prepare them for the State of Florida operator exams.

Mr. Trygar is currently a Senior Training Specialist for water and wastewater training programs with the UF DCE TREEO Center. He is a member of the NESHTA Board of Certification, oversees the EPA funded 104 (g) (1) wastewater technical assistance program for Florida, and holds a Florida Class A Wastewater Operator license (#7613) and a Florida Class C Drinking Water Operator license (#6798). He resides in High Springs, Florida, with his wife Rochelle and their three dogs.

Stories From You - Our Students

From a student of the non-credit, professional Dietary Manager's Training Program:

Thanks so much for all that you have done. Your course has changed my life. I have lost 50 pounds so far just by eating healthier with this course. I use to weigh 260 pounds and I am still losing as of this day because of all that I have learned. Again THANKS!

[name withheld]

Send to us your story of progress or achievement owing to your Flexible Learning course. We'd love to hear how and what you are doing!

Please forward this newsletter to anyone
you think might be interested in Flexible Learning programs or courses. Thank you!

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

University of Florida Division of Continuing Education
2209 NW 13th Street Suite D, Gainesville, FL 32609
www.correspondencestudy.ufl.edu