Reciting a Memorized Plagiarized Written Report

Last Friday I stopped a student just in time.  She had lifted a report on Green Corps from Wikipedia and after trying to memorize it (not recommended!), began to recite it.  I was able to stop her in time and placed the blame on myself.  I’d begged them not to read a written report, but I’d forgotten to say the same about memorizing from a plagiarized written report.  I found what she’d downloaded:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Corps .

Since its founding in 1992, Green Corps has trained more than 350 people. These graduates have since become leaders of the environmental and social change fields, holding positions with the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and MoveOn.org.

Green Corps formed in response to the inertia created by Earth Day in 1990. Interest and desire to act burgeoned on university campuses around the country, producing graduates who were passionate and ready to contribute to the movement but who were faced with an obstacle—how do you find a position with one of these activist groups with minimal experience? This was where Green Corps came in, seeking to channel this valuable force directly into the causes that need it, through a training program involving direct fieldwork.

During the Green Corps year, participants work with veterans in the field to make progress on important campaigns. Through partnering with these other influential groups, the Green Corps member creates valuable ties and learns from those who have been on the frontlines. Upon graduating, Green Corps members pursue careers with these leading organizations.

This alerted me to another problem:  the inaccuracy of the report in Wikipedia.  Do they really mean inertia?   I have a higher opinion of Wikipedia than most instructors.  I’m grateful when the students are reading anything at all, and I think Wikipedia can be a good start.  But inertia?  That was one of the words she’d tried to memorize.  She was going to share the info that Green Corps was inspired by the inertia of Earth Day 1990.

Inertia...burgeoned... 

I just saw an e-mail from this student, saying that she'd like to forget this speech and focus on the next.  But I'd really like to help her.  Can I?