Caught cheating on a College Final with a prior record of Plagirism

Hi CC Members:

I’ve been very conflicted on what has happened and I don’t want my friends or family to find out so I decided on ask on this forum. For this final I was allowed my own room (a engineering workroom) and I could have my backpack with me as long as I didn’t look at it. I usually do well on these, but halfway through, I was confused I decided to check a hmwrk packet. However, the Professor walked in to tell me the time and therefore I hurriedly put the paper under the table on top of a box the moment he opened the door. He acted like nothing happened, but before he left he swooped down and took the paper, saying “what is this?” He then said that it wasn’t allowed, he suspected me of cheating for a long time, and now he was going to give me a zero and send me to the conduct office. I denied everything since there are other papers in the room as well (and there are no cameras in the room that actually caught me).

He then orders me to go to his office where he tells the whole department that he caught me cheating. Then he says that I have nothing else to say to him and that I can answer to the office instead.

The problem is, I have a prior record of plagirism on a lab report that was detected via turnitin. The officer will most likely be the same person and she definitely won’t believe me at all. This is my last semester and I don’t intend on coming back (transferring) Is there anything I can do for denying?

Well you did cheat. It didn’t just happen to you, you chose to do it. I think a break from university with some reflection about owning your behavior and actions might be a good idea. You are young, take some time to grow up and start up again with some perspective and maturity later.

I can’t understand how you’re conflicted after checking your homework packet during the test (cheating) and then denying everything (lying). What’s to be conflicted about? Tell the truth and go from there.

If he suspected cheating, quite possibly he was watching. He gave the opportunity and watched to see if his suspicions were correct.
I wouldn’t presume he’s tipped his whole hand yet.

Likely you’ll be granted a chance to think about this for a semester, a year, or considerably longer. The good news is that you’re in school, not industry, so no lawsuit is likely.

Like I said though, I’ve checked before hand and there are no cameras there. On top of that, my backpack has been in the room the entire time for the last couple times so the professor could have told me to take my backpack away if he suspected so.

I understand that I did something wrong, and I do regret it. However, I can’t really afford for another record as it may result in dismissal or expulsion.

Let’s say there are ten of you in the same circumstances. Five of you tell the truth and accept the consequences, even expulsion. The other five continue to lie, blame other people, and try to get away with it. Maybe they do get away with another warning, or maybe they’re expelled as well.

Don’t you think the long-term life outcomes of the first group will be much better than the second? I do.

If you can’t afford another record then why in the world would you risk it? Sounds to me like you haven’t learned from your last experience, so here you are faced with a much bigger issue. Honestly, you sound as if cheating is a problem only if you get caught. You cheat, you lie, and now you want our opinion on what to do? How about this: be honest.
admit what you did, tell your teacher why, etc. It’s not that difficult to be an honest human being, really it isn’t.
Just because there aren’t cameras there, doesn’t make you less guilty. Plus, I think you sound super creepy for checking to see if there were cameras in the first place.

Cameras can be absurdly small. I’d bet a nice lunch the timing of his walking in wasn’t a coincidence.

Among the possibilities is that he’s hoping you come clean. Although at this point it’s probably more about building character than anything.

The college you are transferring to is likely to be alerted. Don’t expect that to work out.

What are you conflicted about?

The fact that you checked to see if there was a camera in the room makes this seem premeditated on your part.
Sounds like you’ve already tried the deny and lie tactics to no avail.
Maybe actually getting expelled will get through to you that honor code violations have significant consequences.

Good luck keeping this one away from your friends and family finding out.

If you deny it, it is your word against his, but only problem is that his words carry more weight. Not to mention your words aren’t really going to mean much with your history of cheating and dishonesty. The only thing that can be salvaged at this point is your dignity.

Taking the consequence and learning from it will be more valuable for you in the long term than getting away with it until the NEXT time

You cheated, got caught, lied, and are now trying to get away with it.
Own up to it.
Or… Don’t.
I don’t think it’ll make a difference as it’ll be entered into your record and your new college will know from the documents they send. I don’t know if it’ll be entered into the clearinghouse.
Your choice will speak to your character.
As to how to make the person believe your lie well, she won’t. You got caught once, got warned, yet cheated again. And since you got caught after a warning, you can lie and not be believed, or tell the truth.
It’s also possible that if you admit to checking your worksheet, you’ll get a zero and a mark on your transcript, whereas if you don’t, you’ll be sent to the integrity board with stronger,more permanent effects.

Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.

You think of it as just a little help to get you through a class.

Your professor/college think of it as you cannot show you have mastered the material and how can we trust you have the knowledge to be an engineer and build things safely?

Prof has long suspected you of cheating. He let you take the test in a room with a closed door by yourself. Do you really think he didn’t have a way to monitor you?

Also don’t know why you are asking for help in denying the cheating and why the absence of a camera matters when the professor observed you trying to put the paper you were not supposed to have under the table.

She is likely to believe you if you tell the truth about looking at your homework packet during the test when you were not supposed to.

You were hoping you not get caught. Come on…you cheated. You also have a previous plagerism issue.

What do you expect the college to,do? Ignore this second dishonest issue.

I agree with others that the prof was somehow watching you. When you pulled out the homework, he walked in to see what you would do. When you tried to hide it and deny what you were doing, you lied and he knew it. I don’t see any way to avoid the consequences and I don’t see any reason that they should be lenient. Your family will find out about this.

I’m not going to play judge and jury and be a paragon of the moral high ground like the rest of the peanut gallery here, but my advice to you is to retain and consult with an attorney versed in this field.

Remember your rights and lawyer up.

I guess I don’t understand the point of your post. It doesn’t matter if there were cameras or if you were somehow monitored in another way. You knew you were not allowed to look at your backpack but you did and were caught. You knew you had a first offense so you obviously didn’t learn the first time. Sounds like you are looking for an easy way out but I don’t think that is going to happen. This will follow you to the school you are transferring to and there may be serious consequences.