Students are required to write term papers in all of my classes.
They are encouraged to make use of primary literature from scientific
journals as well as scholarly books in our school library. The World Wide
Web is providing a new means of getting information about any topic
imaginable. Internet sources are appearing in students' literature cited
sections with greater frequency. Should students be allowed to use
internet sources for writing their papers? And if so, to what extent?
In the past I have discouraged internet use for several reasons.
First of all I am afraid of receiving a paper that was simply cut and
pasted off the internet. Second, there is little or no quality control on
the internet and I don't feel that my students are qualified to make
quality control judgements. Third, I want my students to learn how to find
and use sources in the good old paper library.
I am also caught in the realization that future dissemination of
knowledge will take place over the internet and that I should be
encouraging students to explore this technology.
I would be interested to hear if my fears are shared by others and
how they are dealt with.
Scott Shumway
Dept. of Biology
Wheaton College
Norton, MA 02766
508-286-3945
"Scott_Shumway at WheatonMa.edu"
