Ask HN: Accused of plagiarism because I used HTML5-Boilerplate for a project

11 pointsthrowaway18312y ago7 comments

Our class was assigned a project to make a website for an already existing company. I built mine using html5-boilerplate, and now the teacher is accusing me of plagiarism. They said it's a template and templates aren't allowed. I've built the entire website by myself. I created the layout by myself even though they accuse me of stealing existing elements because the stylesheet was already filled with css, and the entire interactive slideshow I built was without even consulting tutorials on the internet or using Javascript snippets from somewhere else.

Now, one of the teachers previously told me that using Bootstrap was allowed, so once they confirm that he actually said that, then there's no more discussion left.

However, I'm bothered by this and I'm genuinely curious whether using html5-boilerplate for this class assignment can be viewed as plagiarism. This assignment was to demonstrate that we're capable of building a website, and I think I'm more than capable of doing that. What does HN think?

7 comments

yareally12y ago

I used the html5 boilerplate a few years ago for a course when I was an undergraduate without issues. This was for a course at a large, well known university. It didn't even occur to me to ask for permission, but html and css were just secondary to the class material, since it was about server side development.

What was the focus of the course? I don't think you make it clear if the website was front-end code only (html/css/js) or if it also tied in backend code and a database.

Pretty much, every professor I ever had told us we could use whatever libraries/code snippets we wanted on projects (as long as the snippet/library wasn't a drop in replacement for the purpose of the assignment of course), so long as we cited where we got them from and if asked, could explain exactly what they did.

pawn12y ago

It's up to the teacher really. I had a professor who accused an entire class of plagiarism for a small assignment because they all used similar logic. The thing was, it was a low-level class and the solution was less than 50 lines of Java anyway. There wasn't really room for unique solutions.

In the industry, using templates/boilerplate code is expected and encouraged. No reason to re-invent something if someone's already done it better than you will.

l3db3tt3r12y ago

I had the same assignment, I think I used Zurb Foundation thought, and the focus of the assignment was on the front end graphic design.

I think I learned more going through the HTML5-Boilerplate's Git comments/bug fixes, then I learned in class. Especially, when it came to understanding the "state of the web".

I think 9oliYQjP who made the calculator reference is spot on. It's a tool, and it ensures accuracy, precision and speed in your work.

9oliYQjP12y ago

Ask your teacher why you would be stupid enough to use a widely recognized template if you were trying to get away with actual plagiarism. My opinion is it is okay to use a template if you fully understand all of the functionality it brings to the table. It is no different than using a calculator if you've memorized simple arithmetic but just want to ensure accuracy, precision and speed in your math work.

deanclatworthy12y ago

It sounds to me like this is just a misunderstanding of what HTML5 Boilerplate is. Your professor should be encouraging you to re-use libraries, as that's what you will have to do in the real world. Not a single project goes by that I don't use a reset, or another library. Many libraries and tools have huge communities built around them, and are more tested than if I had done it myself.

AlexOrtiz20112y ago

Tell him you can't expect a company to put together a car with out using wheels, an engine, a chasis, etc etc. or that using classes in programming languages are basically you plagiarizing yourself ;) ( unless your coding in binary your basically using someone else's work )

dave_sid12y ago

If Bootstrap is allowed and html5-boilerplate isn't, then I think your teacher should do some more research.

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