Wikipedia: Violator of Information Ethics?

As a part of our hidden jewels project, Alex, Safia, and I chose to analyze Buckingham fountain. As I began my research, I chose to look at the wikipedia entry first. I was surprised to see that wikipedia displayed when this particular article had last been modified and what changes had been made; two useful bits of information. Although something new at Buckingham fountain does not occur on an everyday basis (especially around this time of year), it is reassuring to know the information you are reading is up-to-date. Wikipedia does an excellent job of displaying where the information on the page originated and even posts links to the specific articles or websites. This is a great feature that allows users to explore the original website for their own and search for more information.

If that is not enough, wikipedia also offers external links where one can continue his or her research. There is also a photo gallery where I was easily able to obtain photographs of Buckingham fountain. If I wanted to know who took the picture or where it came from, all I had to do was click on the link below to be redirected to the website. The web article I chose to compare with the wikipedia page on Buckingham fountain can be found on the City of Chicago website (cityofchicago.org). Although it was not as long as the wikipedia article and was last updated in 2003, it did offer quality information on the topic. However, there were no sources or references to which the article could be accredited. I do not believe a source was technically required, for the information came directly from the Landmarks Division of the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development. I found it quite interesting that the link for this page could be found on the wikipedia entry as well. In fact, much of the information came directly from the City of Chicago’s website. Although wikipedia gives credit to the website of origin, the article is void of in-text citations, making it difficult for users to distinguish information on the wikipedia page to that found on other websites.

Overall, I preferred the wikipedia page over that of the City of Chicago. Although wikipedia did not include in-text citations, it did offer many other useful features. As I researched my topic, I came across the names Ebenezer Buckingham, the father of Kate Buckingham (founder of Buckingham fountain) and Clarence Buckingham (Kate’s brother for whom the fountain commemorates). I had no idea who these men were at the time, but in order to find out all I had to do was click the link to be taken to their entries on wikipedia, which also contained sources and external links. This information was not included on the City of Chicago page. Wikipedia also uses a feature that can find similar articles on the Web, which proved to be very useful during the research process. These links take you directly to the website itself and, therefore, do not require citations. After my experience with both websites, I truly prefer the wikipedia entry over that of the City of Chicago. Although I think wikipedia is a great place to start research, I do not believe students should simply limit themselves to this resource.

Eagle's Shadow

In his book, Mark Hertsgaard scratches the surface on what exactly are the differences between America and Americans. Hertsgaard eloquently exposes the truths behind our foreign policy that have all too often been swept under the rug. Through his book, he makes it clear that the actions of our country, do not always portray the actions or feelings of its citizens. In fact, he gives countless examples of the obliviousness of events that have occurred throughout the world in the name of our country. Although it may be hard to swallow, our country is not always honest with its citizens and has taken action in the name of America without consensus of the nation. As a result, the reputation and definition of what exactly it means to be an American is often permanently tarnished.

A Journey Inside

Image courtesy of www.paultownend.com/photos/chicago/chicago4.jpg
For more pictures of Chicago, visit http://www.paultownend.com/html/photos-chicago.htm

Chicago, a restless and fascinating city that has so much to offer its citizens and the rest of the world. But what exactly makes this city so special? Most chicagoland residents have experienced everything from the fun of countless sporting events to the painful reality of city traffic. But in order to fully appreciate this unique city, one must dig deeper. As a person who has lived all my life 30 minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city, I must admit I never realized that this city truly is a pearl resting on the shores of Lake Michigan. On our trip to Chicago, I felt I was given the opportunity to explore this jewel with fresh eyes and from a completely new perspective.

Our group was lucky enough to get the chance to explore the only building that survived the infamous Chicago fire, The Water Tower and its surrounding area. To the surprise of many classmates (most of whom were females), I had never been to Water Tower Place, but soon found out that it was an ideal location to do some serious shopping. The distance to this historic landmark from the train station was quite a walk, but well worth the trip. In the area directly surrounding the original Water Tower, we observed the types of people and activities that ultimately created the atmosphere. Although the park was mostly occupied by elderly folks that had come by to relax and enjoy their day, there were also a few businessmen and women busy chattering away on their cell phones. One could not help but overhear conversations taking place in both Spanish and Chinese, adding to the overall richness of the atmosphere. Although one could hear the sounds of the city, the park was quite calm and tranquil, making it a great spot to take a nap or read a newspaper.

The shopping malls and department stores comprising Water Tower Place gave the area a modern look that contrasted that of the actual Water Tower, whose castle-like structure and central pillar were no match for Macy's. However, the differences in architecture and the boom of commercialization were clear signs of just how far this city has come. After witnessing how a n intimidating, business-oriented city can still be welcoming to the common man, it's no wonder that Chicago continues to be a marvel for all who visit.

Out of Ideas: Plaigarism in today's society

After reading these articles and hearing what others had to say about their own, I must say, I really feel disgusted. The article I read, Unintended Lessons: Plagiarism and the University, was quite interesting, yet at the same time shocking. Although I was aware of the fact that cheating in the classroom has increased in recent years, I was appalled to learn that only 27% of college students considered copying and pasting another person’s work as cheating. But that does leave me wondering what exactly the other 73% are thinking. I was always under the impression that copying and pasting was the most blatant (not to mention the most boring) type of cheating one could perform and to see that only 27% of college students regarded this evil act as wrong clearly illustrates the morals (or lack of) in today’s society. It appears that in today’s world, as was so elegantly stated by Machiavelli, the ‘end’ truly does ‘justify the means’. In other words, it’s perfectly fine for a student to cheat, as long as he/she gets the ‘A’ in the end. I believe this to be a backward way of thinking, for the method through which one attains the grade is equally important as the grade itself.

Through our discussion, I was introduced to yet another outrageous claim. In one of the articles, the writer accuses the faculty for the increase in cheating on campuses. The writer states that the teachers simply make it too easy to cheat by supplying overused essay prompts and assignments that have been recycled from previous years. Then there are the students that simply have “too much to do” and use cheating as an alternative to countless hours of work and the occasional all-nighter. But sooner or later, these students must face reality and ask themselves why they are pursuing an education. Is it to simply please their parents or do they truly want to make a difference in their life and the lives of others? By cutting corners and taking the easy way out, many students are only hurting themselves in the long run. They are ultimately missing out on valuable experiences that will help them learn how to cope with the pressures of everyday life and face their fears (big papers can sometimes be scary). As a member of our group pointed out, life in the real world is not always easy and bosses can be demanding. One cannot simply copy and pastes reports in the real world or put off tasks past their deadlines and expect to keep their job.

According to a recent survey, 75% of high school students take part in serious cheating. For those that aren’t too fond of ratios and percentages, according to this statistic, in a class of 28 students, 21 of the mare cheating. What makes it worse is that it’s not only students, presidents of renowned institutions and organizations have also been accused of plagiarizing everything from public speeches to research. One would think that people of such high intellectual and social status would think twice before claiming the work of another individual. However, this is just another fact that one cannot be too quick to assume anything in today’s society.

So what is being done to cut down on the number of plagiarism incidents across the nation? Well, first off, many institutions have established honor systems in hopes that they will discourage students from engaging in forms of cheating. But, one must ask the question, if a student has the audacity to cheat, will an honor system actually prevent them from doing so? If a student is willing to cheat to make the grade, is an honor code anything more than mere words? Then there are the websites that offer detection software, but these websites also profit off the revenue they receive from selling papers to students. The fact of the matter is that not much is being done to put an end to this ever-growing problem. Unfortunately, as the article I read clearly states, ‘undergraduates are customers’, customers many institutions cannot afford to lose. Moreover, when word of plagiarism gets out, an institution inherits a bad name, which in turn takes a toll on revenues. Only when students gain a sense of accountability will they realize what they are doing is wrong. Until then, this problem will continue to plague institutions around the nation and around the world. Sadly, there is no clear-cut solution to this problem that has reached epidemic proportions.