Mageth

Because it obviously is.

Please tell us why you think it's "obviously a bit unethical." Inquiring minds who don't necessarily see it as obvious want to know, even if they are "retards."

Or then again, don't. No need to derail the thread any farther than it already has been.

I might consider it unethical if the author's name was included, but it wasn't.

(BTW, I consider referring to someone as a "retard" as highly unethical.)

cfgauss

It's a perfectly acceptable thing to do. It's done all the time.

Mageth

It's a perfectly acceptable thing to do. It's done all the time.

I'm assuming you're referring to "scan[ning] someone's college paper (without their permission) onto the internet so it can be ridiculed by people" and not to "referring to someone as a "retard"."

cfgauss

Well, yes. But really, we all know *some* people who are retards...

Dr Rick

It comes as no surprise that the only rationale you offer to support your opinion is a schoolboy epitaph which is neither civil nor persuasive.

Rick

Doubting Didymus

Then it will not be hard for you to demonstrate it, seeing as it is so obvious. Remember: no author details are revealed. Would it be unethical to post a good paper, for the purposes of praising it? Why/Why not?

Shpongle

Depends who owns the copyright to that paper. If the copyright is still owned by the student who submitted it, then this would be an act of copyright violation. If, however, by submitting the paper, the copyright ownership is transferred to the educational institution, then they would be allowed to do whatever they want with it (probably as per guidelines set forth by the institution).

However, I don't really know anything about copyright law in these situations.

cfgauss

No, the act of publishing something copyrights it! You can file it with the gov't if you want to provide proof (and give you a better court case if you need to sue!), but you don't have to.

However, when you write a paper for an institution, I believe that you grant them a license to do pretty much what they want with it. It's the same kind of thing with message boards. The Powers here could easily steal any great idea I post here and use it for themselves with impunity, if they want!

Monkey

I wrote my first uni paper on Creation and Evolution. You guys are welcome to read it if you like. I think I have improved my writing style since then though. The bold and italic print and pictures have been removed.

http://pub6.ezboard.com/ftaoshomewor...opicID=1.topic

Funnily, the teacher was an old earth creationist. If you were wondering, I got 79% for it, which I thought was acceptable.

beausoleil

I think it is unethical and unprofessional to pass round student work 'for a laugh'. As educators we require students to submit work for formative (diagnmostic) and summative (grading) assessment. It is important that we foster an atmosphere in which students feel free to express themselves. This so that we can find out what they know and think, and modify our teaching efforts in the light of how that compares with what we are trying to teach them. The idea that some submissions will be circulated and lampooned on the internet acts against this need, even if the circulation is anonymous.